Cricket: Big problems weigh on NZ

By RICHARD BOOCK

WELLINGTON - An unwelcome accompaniment to the New Zealand cricketers' second-test loss yesterday was the knowledge that they now have far more serious problems than their top-order batting.

The transtasman series lost, their chart-topping spin bowler injured and more than half the side frightfully out of form, New Zealand head to Hamilton today to begin preparations for the third and final test with their batting no longer heading the list of concerns.

In a day of notable contrasts, there was barely confined joy at the Basin Reserve yesterday as Australia celebrated breaking Warwick Armstrong's 79-year-old winning stretch of eight tests, and much frustration in the New Zealand hutch as Daniel Vettori's back injury threatened to rule him out of the series.

The seemingly inevitable six-wicket loss was made far more certain when Vettori, who batted and bowled despite his discomfort, did not take the field after the tea break, leaving New Zealand's attack lacking penetration as Australia closed in on their ninth consecutive win.

He is only a 50-50 chance to play at Hamilton on Friday and if sidelined will cause something of a dilemma for the selectors, who are already facing a crisis meeting over the top-order batting problems and may now have to find a replacement for one of their best bowlers.

Given their decision to play two spinners against the West Indies at Hamilton in December, and their preference for a bowler who turns the ball away from the right-hander, it could well be Auckland legspinner Brooke Walker, who was picked for the England tour last year.

Early indications are that New Zealand might lean towards playing offspinner Paul Wiseman and either Vettori or his replacement, with either Simon Doull or Shayne O'Connor confined to drinks duty.

Whatever happens on the spin bowling front, there is also increasing concern over the rest of the attack after New Zealand bowled so short that the Australian wagon-wheel was dominated by a solitary spoke square of the wicket, where Steve Waugh, Michael Slater and Damien Martyn carved the majority of their first-innings runs.

Chris Cairns struggled for consistency and dropped short too often, Doull seems to have lost a metre of pace, and O'Connor, when Stephen Fleming decided to give him a bowl, was hit both sides of the wicket and found it hard to swing the ball.

It was Craig McMillan who eventually managed to curb the Aussie run-scorers, but he could have better served his side by coming to the party with the bat.

With Matt Horne, Craig Spearman and Matthew Sinclair, McMillan is one of four batsmen in the top six who is battling for form, notwithstanding his excellent effort at Auckland last week, and until the weight of the batting responsibilities is shared more evenly, New Zealand are always destined to struggle.

The New Zealand selectors are likely to name their squad for the final test today and, after sorting out the balance of the attack, they then have to decide whether to stay with the besieged top three, or whether to call up Canterbury utility batsman Gary Stead.

New Zealand's slim hopes of avoiding defeat yesterday were shattered in the first session when Cairns was trapped in front by Glenn McGrath and Fleming played loosely into the leg-side, extending his world record conversion rate to 24 half-centuries and two centuries.

There was some stubborn resistance from Adam Parore (33) and a defiant 40 from Doull, but the final target of 174 was always within Australia's capabilities, particularly on a fourth-day pitch with Vettori mostly absent.