Cricket: Drought over as Astle, McMillan hit centuries

By RICHARD BOOCK

It never rains, but it pours for New Zealand's middle-order batsmen.

The long drought which led to questions about the value of Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan was ended in emphatic fashion during the one-off cricket test against Zimbabwe yesterday, when both players struck a century to put New Zealand in charge heading into the third day.

On a much better day for the home side, the Canterbury right-handers batted through the first two sessions while setting a record New Zealand partnership of 222 for the fifth wicket, allowing New Zealand to push through to 475 for six on a pitch that was taking an increasing amount of turn.

It was not only a significant stand in terms of New Zealand's position - it was also a major relief for Astle and McMillan, who were under increased scrutiny following a lean season in general and some particularly disappointing form during the recent series against South Africa.

McMillan, who ended the South African tour with a series average of 27.40, took the attack to the tourists as he plundered 142. Astle played an innings completely out of character as he posted New Zealand's fourth-slowest test century, ending on 141.

The partnership eclipsed the previous New Zealand fifth-wicket record of 183, set by Mark Burgess and Robert Anderson at Lahore in 1976-77.

In front of a crowd of about 2500, McMillan played shots all around the wicket, striking a dozen boundaries and one six as his century arrived off 168 balls. When bowled around his legs by Brian Murphy, he had collected 18 fours and two sixes.

Astle's sixth century was in stark contrast, the 29-year-old taking 460 minutes and 341 balls to reach the milestone, and ending up behind only Jeff Crowe, Mark Greatbatch and Martin Crowe in terms of minutes at the crease.

His century included 11 fours and a six. He departed after crashing 16 boundaries and two sixes, following a vigil lasting more than 9 1/2 hours and including 408 balls.

Both players had scored their previous centuries in the same innings last year, during the third test against England at Old Trafford.

Since then, it has been a frustrating journey for the pair, with Astle passing 50 only once in 11 innings before this match, and McMillan showing better overall form but being unable to convert his scores into centuries.

They headed into this test with questions from the convener of selectors hovering over their inclusion. By the time the team had assembled in Wellington, however, the management had started to chatter about the unreasonable pressure from the media, rather than from their own selection panel.

Whoever was applying the screws, yesterday's effort was a huge relief after the boredom of the first day when the condition of the pitch edged out Mark Richardson's running between the wickets as the biggest story of the day.

Rumours are rife about an apparent request from the New Zealand team management for a spin-friendly Basin Reserve surface, although finding anyone to confirm that suggestion yesterday proved a difficult exercise.

If it is true, the move would represent something of a change in philosophy for the New Zealand side and, in particular, coach David Trist.

Last summer, Trist insisted that hard and fast pitches were the only way to go, despite the fact that Australia were touring at the time.

Whatever his stance, it remains that the Basin was in an uncharacteristically barren condition when the teams arrived in Wellington for the test, and stayed buttoned up under cover until just before New Zealand revealed they were heading in with both spinners, Paul Wiseman and Brooke Walker.

For the plan to work effectively they still needed to win the toss, which Stephen Fleming duly managed, and also needed to score heavily in the first innings, which has been achieved through the diligence and application of Astle and McMillan.

In a seemingly unbeatable position, and with Adam Parore unbeaten on 44, New Zealand are expected to amass something between 500 and 550 before taking to the field today, when Wiseman and Walker will be given the opportunity to make full use of the wearing surface.