Lee leads Australia to series victory over New Zealand
Lee took five for 105 and career-best match figures of nine for 171 as the Black Caps were dismissed for 203 in their second innings to hand Ricky Ponting’s men a clinical 2-0 series win.
Brendon McCullum batted with great gusto in making an unbeaten 84 but received little backing. His Australian counterpart Brad Haddin took the Man-of-the-Match award for his maiden Test century (169) while Michael Clarke was named Man-of-the-Series for following up his 98 at the Gabba with 110 here in Adelaide.
Lee showed signs of regaining his form after struggling during Australia’s ill-fated tour of India when he dismissed the first four New Zealand batsmen after the tourists resumed at 35 without loss. Later in the day, he ended Iain O’Brien’s stubborn resistance to pick up five wickets in the innings.
Lee’s strike partner Mitchell Johnson chipped in with three for 29 in another impressive display of hostile bowling. Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz claimed two for 32 in the second innings to complete a satisfactory return to Test cricket.
Australia now prepare for a tough three-Test series against South Africa. Skipper Ricky Ponting said the win over New Zealand was just the confidence-booster his side needed after the disappointing tour of India where they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“It’s always nice to win a Test, [it’s] not an easy thing for any team to do,” Ponting said after the match. “We know we have to play at our absolute best if we want to win the series against South Africa and I think the last couple of weeks has been a good step for us.”
Skipper Daniel Vettori, meanwhile, conceded it was a poor performance from the tourists.
“As a collective we’re not putting team performances together,” he said. “I think it started with the bat in this Test and continued with the second half with the ball and then once again with the bat today, so we’re just really not getting anything right.”
The visitors started the fourth day 230 behind and were soon caught in a Lee whirlwind that resulted in a demoralising defeat in the final Test for coach John Bracewell.
After posting paltry totals of 177 and 156 in Brisbane, New Zealand followed with 270 in the first innings here and ended the match with barely a punch, except for those offered by Brendon McCullum in his fighting 84 not out.
The result pushed them to eighth on the rankings, below their next opponents West Indies.
The writing was on the wall when Aaron Redmond was out off just the second ball of the day.
Redmond signalled an attacking intent when he flat-batted Lee’s first delivery through mid-off for four, but the bowler had the last laugh when he tempted the opener into a loose cut shot which went straight to Clarke at point.
Jesse Ryder (3) and Ross Taylor (1) came and went quickly, with Ryder picking out Andrew Symonds at cover and Taylor caught and bowled by Lee.
Jamie How had looked the only top-order batsman capable of sticking around but Ponting prevented that with the catch of the series. The Australian skipper dived to his right at third slip to take a spectacular one-handed effort off Lee.
An inspired bowling change then saw Johnson come on and snare Daniel Flynn lbw for nine to leave the tourists languishing at 84 for five at lunch.
Peter Fulton’s departure for seven, bowled by Johnson with his first delivery of the second session, meant it was a case of not if but when for the fired-up Australian bowling attack.
Vettori (13) and Tim Southee (11) both snicked Hauritz to give slip-catching practice to Matthew Hayden and Ponting, respectively.
McCullum and O’Brien simply delayed the unavoidable but at least gave some joy to the Kiwi supporters in the crowd. The pair added 50 runs for the ninth wicket with O’Brien not scoring a single run.
McCullum was not going down without a fight and he smashed Lee for two sixes and a four off successive deliveries to do some damage to the bowler’s figures.
However, he was also struck uncomfortable blows on the left arm and glove, which caused further wincing from the tourists.
But with Chris Martin at the wicket it did not take Australia long to secure the win, Johnson bowling the Black Caps’ batting bunny for another duck. It was the sixth time Martin had registered ducks in both innings of a Test match, a world record.
Scoreboard
NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 270 (A.J. Redmond 83; B. Lee 4-66).
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 535 (B.J. Haddin 169, M.J. Clarke 110, R.T. Ponting 79, M.E.K. Hussey 70).
NEW ZEALAND (2nd Innings, overnight
35-0):
A.J. Redmond c Clarke b Lee 19
J.M. How c Ponting b Lee 28
J.D. Ryder c Symonds b Lee 3
L.R.P.L. Taylor c and b Lee 1
P.G. Fulton b Johnson 7
D.R. Flynn lbw b Johnson 9
B.B. McCullum not out 84
D.L. Vettori c Hayden b Hauritz 13
T.G. Southee c Ponting b Hauritz 11
I.E. O’Brien lbw b Lee 0
C.S. Martin b Johnson 0
EXTRAS (B-7, LB-8, NB-13) 28
TOTAL (all out, 74.1 overs) 203
FALL OF WKTS: 1-39, 2-55, 3-58, 4-63, 5-76, 6-84, 7-105, 8-131, 9-181.
BOWLING: Lee 25-5-105-5 (12nb); Clark 10-5-22-0; Johnson 15.1-7-29-3; Hauritz 24-11-32-2 (1nb).
RESULT: Australia won by an innings and 62 runs.
UMPIRES: B.R. Doctrove (West Indies) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: B.N.J. Oxenford (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Brad Haddin.
MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Michael Clarke.
FIRST TEST: Brisbane, Australia won by 149 runs.—Agencies