Australia reap records from Eden Park

Australia reap records from Eden Park
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

AUCKLAND, MARCH 15: Australia won a record-equalling eighth consecutive Test match and spin-king Shane Warne became his country's greatest wicket-taker as New Zealand were beaten by 62 runs in the first cricket Test here on Wednesday.

Australia dismissed New Zealand for 218 runs at Eden Park after the Kiwis were chasing an improbable 281 runs in the fourth innings to win the Test.

The victory gave Steve Waugh's team an eighth consecutive Test victory equalling the record set by Warwick Armstrong's Australian team in 1920.

It was also a record day for master legspinner Warne, who passed fast bowling great Dennis Lillee's 16-year-old Australian record with his dismissal of Kiwi tailender Paul Wiseman to clinch the Test with his 356th dismissal.

Warne, playing in his 82nd Test, finished with figures of 2-80 and it looked as though he would not get the chance to break the record in this Test with wickets falling to his teammates.

Off-spinner Colin Miller captured career-best Test figures of 5-55 and express bowler Brett Lee took 2-36.

But skipper Waugh threw the ball to Warne in a bid to take off the pressure of breaking the record. The blond-headed tweaker broke through with his third ball of his 21st over after Wiseman, attempting to sweep, got a top edge to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for an easy catch.

The Australian players rushed to the celebrating Warne and clapped him from the field.

It was Australia's first win at the Eden Park in 23 years after losing their last three Tests at the Auckland ground. Greg Chappell's team last won here by 10 wickets in 1977.

New Zealand set out on the final day after the fourth day had been washed out without a ball bowled at 151 for five and requiring 130 more runs to pull off an amazing victory.

The odds were stacked on Australia's side and they got a quick breakthrough in the day's second over when Chris Cairns hit Miller to Steve Waugh head-high at mid-wicket and he was out for no addition to his overnight score of 20.

Craig McMillan played a determined innings and he and Adam Parore temporarily gave New Zealand faint hope of overhauling Australia with their 44-run partnership before Parore was dismissed 12 minutes after lunch for 26.

Breet Lee was brought into the attack and he induced Parore to hit to a diving Steve Waugh for his second catch of the day and leave the Kiwis at 195 for seven and still 86 runs short of the target.

But the game was all but over when Australia removed McMillan, who hit the highest score of the Test of 78 before he edged Lee to Warne at first slip with the score at 204.

Daniel Vettori, who was later named Man-of-the-Match for his match haul of 12 wickets, was out for a duck, snapped up by Warne low down at slip giving Miller his fifth wicket.

The hosts faced a forlorn task with the last two batsmen at the crease and still needing 77 runs to win. And in typical dramatic Warne style, he had the last word snaring Wiseman for his record and prolong Australia's winning sequence.

The second Test of the three-match series begins at Wellington's Basin Reserve on March 24.

Scoreboard

Australia (1st innings): 214
New Zealand (1st innings): 163
Australia (2nd innings): 229

New Zealand (2nd innings; 151-5): MJ Horne c Langer b Miller 11, CM Spearman lbw b McGrath 4, MS Sinclair lbw b Miller 6, SP Fleming c Gilchrist b Miller 8, NJ Astle b Warne 35, CD McMillan c Warne b Lee 78, CL Cairns c S Waugh b Miller 20, AC Parore c S Waugh b Lee 26, DL Vettori c Warne b Miller 0, SB Doull not out 5, PJ Wiseman c Gilchrist b Warne 9; Extras: (b7, lb7, nb2) 16. Total (all out, 73.3 overs) 218
Fall of wkts: 1-15, 2-25, 3-25, 4-43, 5-121, 6-151, 7-195,8-204, 9-204, 10-218
Bowling: McGrath 23-8-33-1 (2nb), Lee 12-4-36-2, Miller 18-5-55-5, Warne 20.3-5-80-2

Result: Australia won by 62 runs.