Sunday, November 30, 2008

Lee helps Australia thrash Kiwis

Second Test, Adelaide (day four, close):
Australia 535 bt New Zealand 270 & 203 by an innings and 62 runs

Brett Lee
Lee ended with nine wickets in the match as Australia eased to victory

Brett Lee took five wickets on day four of the second Test as Australia sealed a 2-0 series win over New Zealand with victory by an innings and 62 runs.

Lee struck four times to reduce New Zealand to 63-4 before Mitchell Johnson made it 84-6 in Adelaide.

Brendon McCullum provided an element of resistance with a typically explosive 84, including 14 fours and two sixes.

But Lee (5-105), Johnson (3-29) and spinner Nathan Hauritz (2-32) helped skittle New Zealand out for just 203.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting will be happy with the way his side bounced back from defeat in India.

But, especially from a batting point of view, New Zealand were extremely poor and Australia are sure to face stiffer opposition in the three-Test series against South Africa, which begins in Perth on 17 December.

The Black Caps will look to bounce back in their two-Test series against the West Indies, starting in Dunedin on 10 December.

Captain Daniel Vettori watched on as his team slumped to 83-5 before lunch, New Zealand self destructing in the face of Lee's probing line and length.

Aaron Redmond squirted the second ball of the day to Michael Clarke at point before Jesse Ryder scooped a cover drive to Andrew Symonds.

Ross Taylor departed after a leading edge handed Lee a simple caught and bowled then Ponting produced a stunning full length diving catch in the slips to remove Jamie How.

Johnson removed Daniel Flynn after the Kiwi played across the line before bowling Peter Fulton after the interval.

Vettori and McCullum briefly steadied the innings but when the captain was caught by Matthew Hayden at first slip off Hauritz, Australia's triumph was within sight.

McCullum and Tim Southee added 26 for the eighth wicket before the Kiwi bowler handed Hauritz a second wicket, caught at second slip by Ponting.

New Zealand reached tea 98 runs adrift at 167-8 but Iain O'Brien was trapped by Lee and Johnson bowled Chris as both were removed for ducks.


The world's three leading news agencies are not covering the series due to a dispute with Cricket Australia.

Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press have suspended all coverage of the 2008-09 season.

Their photographers and reporters did not supply material from within the ground. As a result, we cannot use pictures from the current match.

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