KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - Sir Richard Hadlee will be lurking in Brisbane this week, and how New Zealand Cricket wishes it could wind back the clock.
Twenty-three years ago on a sticky, overcast morning he demolished Allan Border's Australian batsmen at the 'Gabba and walked away with the figures etched on every New Zealand cricket fan's memory bank: nine for 52.
New Zealand won by an innings and 41 runs, lost the second test on a turning Sydney Cricket Ground but bounced back in Perth to win by six wickets and clinch a memorable Hadlee-dominated series.
This time around, the cricketing knight will be in Australia on speaking engagements, with the Black Caps no doubt hoping he brings some good karma.
Australia's TAB Sportsbet is not banking on history repeating and today was offering a juicy $9.50 on a fresh-faced New Zealand team springing an upset.
The hosts were near unbackable $1.33 favourites as they try to make it five wins from their last six tests against the Black Caps.
The statistics don't make pretty reading. Played 24 tests on Australian soil, won two. Australia have won 12, while 10 have been drawn.
At the 'Gabba it's played seven, Australia won five and New Zealand one (Hadlee's test in 1985).
Since that 1985-86 summer there have been a few near misses, several old-fashioned hidings but no more victories across the Tasman.
They were a Dick French umpiring decision away from victory in 1987, a few agonising runs short in Brisbane in 2001 then were denied by a couple of Ian Robinson howlers in Perth a few weeks later.
In 1987 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Hadlee bowled himself to a standstill on the final afternoon as Australian wickets tumbled.
At the other end, Danny Morrison screamed an lbw appeal against Craig McDermott, but French stood like a statue. Replays showed it wasn't missing. No 11 Mike Whitney denied Hadlee in the day's final over as New Zealand fell one wicket short.
In 2001 at a rain-soaked 'Gabba, captains Stephen Fleming and Steve Waugh both declared to set up a thrilling final day runchase for 284.
With Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan swinging, Australia got a big fright and Glenn McGrath was ordered to bowl wide of leg stump to avert Aussie embarrassment as New Zealand ended 10 runs short.
Then in the third test in Perth, with the series poised 0-0, Lou Vincent, Fleming, Nathan Astle and Adam Parore scored centuries, Shane Warne was caught by Mark Richardson for his highest test score of 99, and Daniel Vettori zeroed in on the final day with Australia chasing 440 to win.
Vettori was certain he had Waugh caught behind but Zimbabwe's Robinson was unmoved. Vettori still shakes his head to this day.
Cairns thought he'd nicked out Jason Gillespie but Robinson didn't oblige. Gillespie and Adam Gilchrist batted out the day as the hosts ended 381 for seven.
Vice-captain Brendon McCullum did his best to talk it up yesterday, saying New Zealand would take a no-fear approach entering the first test starting here tomorrow, well aware of the historical significance.
"We're incredibly high on self belief and drive within our unit, and trying to achieve something that hasn't been achieved over here for 20-odd years," he said.
"There's huge motivation for us to try and come up with a pretty special victory."
NZ V AUSTRALIA
History of cricket tests between New Zealand and Australia:
Overall: Played 46, NZ won 7, Aust won 22, drawn 17.
In Australia: Played 24, NZ won 2, Aust won 12, drawn 10.
In Brisbane: Played 7, NZ won 1, Aust won 5, drawn 1.
Most recent tests:
2005:
In Christchurch, Aust won by 9 wickets.
In Wellington, draw.
In Auckland, Aust won by 9 wickets.
2004:
In Brisbane, Aust won by an innings and 156 runs.
In Adelaide, Aust won by 213 runs.
2001:
In Brisbane, draw.
In Hobart, draw.
In Perth, draw.
- NZPA
