New Zealand in thrilling Test victory over Australia
- Published
Second Test, Hobart (day four): |
New Zealand 150 & 226 beat Australia 136 & 233 by seven runs |
New Zealand recorded their first Test victory in Australia for 26 years with a thrilling seven-run win in Hobart, to draw the two-match series 1-1.
It was only their third Test victory in 28 matches on Australian soil.
The Australians resumed on day four needing only 169 more runs with all 10 wickets intact, but lost Phil Hughes in the second over of the morning.
Seamer Doug Bracewell took 6-40 as Aussie opener David Warner carried his bat for a maiden Test century.
Left-hander Warner, previously thought to be a Twenty20 specialist, was playing in only his second Test, and after adding 72 with Hughes he put on another 50 with Usman Khawaja (23) to leave Australia in relative command at 122-1.
But Bracewell, the nephew of former New Zealand spinner and coach John Bracewell and himself playing in only his third Test, turned the game.
He had Ricky Ponting caught at extra cover, and in his next over, with the score still on 159, dismissed Australia captain Michael Clarke and obdurate middle-order batsman Mike Hussey with successive deliveries.
Clarke was caught at first slip while Hussey departed via video referral, after umpire Asad Rauf had originally rejected the appeal for lbw.
Tim Southee and Bracewell took two wickets each in two overs to leave the Australians on the brink of defeat at 199-9.
Man of the match Warner and last man Nathan Lyon added 34 inside eight overs but Bracewell nipped one back off the seam to breach Lyon's defences and signal the start of the celebrations for the Kiwis.
"We believed in ourselves that we could win this match, we knew we had to fight, we knew we had to play a lot better than we did in Brisbane," New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor said, referring to the team's nine-wicket defeat in the first match of the series.
Counterpart Michael Clarke was critical of his batsmen and said: "Obviously disappointed, no doubt.
"The way we played in Brisbane was outstanding and I thought we were pretty inconsistent throughout this Test match.
"I want to pay credit to David Warner for his first Test century and also to Nathan Lyon for the way he hung in there.
"I think if a few of us batters had shown the character and courage he showed, we wouldn't be standing here with the same result."
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- Published21 November 2011