Aussies Dominate Day 3

Centuries from both Micheal Clarke and Adam Gilchrist along with a memorable fifty from Glenn McGrath have placed Australia in a commanding position at the close of day 3.

The home side began the day on 4/197 with Martyn 59 not out and Clarke 31. The match was still very much in the balance and the Kiwis were keen for Aussie scalps.

The tourists picked up the wicket of Martyn early on, caught at a squarish third man top-edging a cut off the bowling of Martin for 70.

Gilchrist then came to the crease and looked determined to stay there, scoring just 9 runs off 39 balls at one stage before he began to open up shoulders and lift the run-rate.

Clarke at the other end was in magnificent touch, driving and pulling fours at will, reaching his first home century off 148 balls just before the lunch break.

Gilchrist followed suit in the second session, notching up his 12th test century off a quick-fire 130 balls.

The New Zealanders got the break-through they so desperately needed when Clarke fell to a deserving Vettori for a glorious 141, an innings which included 21 fours and a six.

Gilchrist fell just before the tea interval. However, the Kiwis had snared him too late, the Australian vice-captain had already smashed 13 fours and 4 sixes to reach a score of 126.

The tourists soon took the wickets of Warne and Kasprowicz cheaply to leave the Australians on 9/471, with Gillespie and McGrath at the crease. What the Kiwis didn’t expect was to see McGrath, a man renowned as a batting bunny, score an unbeaten fifty including a towering sweep 6 off Vettori.

Gillespie was a perfect support act, being solid yet still dispatching the bad balls to the fence for 4.

The pair saw out the day to see the Australian total close at 9/564 with McGrath 54 not out and Gillespie 43.


Progress Score: Stumps - Day 3

New Zealand 353 all out
JDP Oram 126, MS Kasprowicz 4/90, SK Warne 4/97
Australia 9/564
MJ Clarke 141, AC Gilchrist 126, GD McGrath 54*, CS Martin 4/141, DL Vettori 4/154

Australia lead by 211 runs, with one first innings wicket in hand.


Posted by Alex