David Leggatt: Familiar lifesaver Vettori leaves himself dead

Daniel Vettori is run out on 96 during the second day of the first day of the first test at the Gabba yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

It is tempting, not for the first time, to wonder what shape New Zealand would be in going into the third day at the Gabba had Daniel Vettori stuck with his studies all those years ago.

Instead, at 18 years and 10 days, he became New Zealand's youngest test cricketer when he played against England in 1997, and hasn't looked back.

The cruellest cut of the day was inflicted by Vettori on himself yesterday. Having moved from 45 overnight to 96, he ran himself out.

This was an innings which deserved a century. It would have been his seventh in his 106th test and you sense this would have meant as much, if not more, to the 32-year-old than any of the others.

This was Australia, in their Brisbane fortress. Okay, not Australia in their pomp, but still Australia and all that entails for a New Zealand cricketer. Vettori has felt the rough treatment from great teams in baggy greens over the years. How he would have savoured this moment. Instead, after an abysmal fielding display from Australia, he happened to push the ball to the highly capable, energetic 36-year-old Mike Hussey who hit the stumps from mid off.

Throw in four dismissals in the 90s - three of them during a terrific batting period since the start of 2008 - and with a bit of luck Vettori might now be sitting equal with Nathan Astle on 11 test centuries, behind only Martin Crowe and John Wright.

Life is full of ifs but in terms of hard achievement, Vettori sits high on the New Zealand cricket pecking order.

In that four-year period, Vettori has averaged 40.1 - 10 runs above his overall average - and taken 121 wickets at a couple of runs better than his career mark of 33.39.

You think back on other occasions when life would have been much tougher for New Zealand had he not been around.

At Hamilton against India in 2009, when he strode out at 60 for six just before lunch on the first morning, only returning with 118 to his name.

Or Chittagong in 2008 when in sapping heat, after taking nine wickets and making an unbeaten half century in an undistinguished first innings, he pushed himself up to No 4 to take charge, made 76 to steer New Zealand through an awkward time and ultimately victory.

He may have done New Zealand another fine service on Thursday afternoon and yesterday in steering Dean Brownlie to his unbeaten 73.

Brownlie, in just his second test, had looked as comfortable as a turkey in December on the first afternoon.

But he emerged yesterday more sure-footed, confident in himself, and played perhaps the shot of the innings, a terrific on-drive to reach his second test half century. Brownlie will certainly feel better about life after yesterday. Vettori ran the show; Brownlie played his part as the pair set a New Zealand sixth-wicket record of 126 against Australia.

Vettori's bowling effectiveness has changed down the years. He doesn't spin the ball much and relies more on guile and subtlety.

His role has changed too; no longer the coin tosser, he's the senior pro. What he must have thought of New Zealand's first session batting at the Gabba is anyone's guess. Not much, you'd think.

The old hand and the new guy. Together they got New Zealand back into the contest.