Lee sends Kiwis flying

Lee sends Kiwis flying
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Hamilton, March 31: Australia's Brett Lee claimed his second five-wicket haul in his meteoric Test career to help bowl New Zealand out for 232 on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test on Thursday.

The tearaway strike bowler fought back from a 17-run mauling by Chris Cairns in one over to finish with 5-77 off 23 overs.

At stumps, New Zealand got an early breakthrough when Matthew Hayden, resurrected to the opener's position at the expense of Greg Blewett after a three-year gap, was out for two in the five overs Australia had to survive in the twilight.

At close, Australia were four for one with Michael Slater on two and nightwatchman Shane Warne yet to score.

Lee bowled with plenty of fire and enthusiasm in hot conditions to back up captain Steve Waugh's faith in him and fought back from a four-boundary mauling by Cairns, to gain revenge by dismissing the prodigious-hitting Kiwi for his fifth wicket.

Lee had rocked the Kiwi top order claiming Mathew Sinclair (19), Nathan Astle (0), Stephen Fleming (30) and top-scorer Craig McMillan (79).

Australia's premier pace bowler Glenn McGrath grabbed 4-58 off 21.5 overs to take his career Test wicket haul to 286.

Once again New Zealand's top order let down the side, after being sent into bat, with the Kiwis teetering at 53 for four after the opening 90 minutes. But healthy partnerships between Fleming and McMillan of 78 and Cairns and McMillan with 77 got New Zealand back to 208 for six before the last four wickets fell for 24 runs.

McMillan looked in aggressive touch with 14 fours off 145 balls before he fell to Lee playing needlessly to a delivery purposefully pitched wide of his off-stump to be one of Adam Gilchrist's five catches of the innings.

Cairns looked set to take off from where he had left in the second innings of the last Test when he clouted Lee for 17 in one over.

But Waugh kept Lee in the bowling attack and the New South Walesman gained his revenge on Cairns 30 minutes later when the all-rounder holed out to a diving Damien Martyn at third man for 37 off 92 balls with six fours.

It was all downhill after that for New Zealand.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand (1st Innings): M Horne c Gilchrist b McGrath 12, C Spearman c Gilchrist b McGrath 12, M Sinclair c Warne b Lee 19, S Fleming lbw b Lee 30, N Astle lbw b Lee 0, C McMillan c Gilchrist b Lee 79, C Cairns c Martyn b Lee 37, A Parore (not out) 12, P Wiseman b Warne 1, D Tuffey c Gilchrist b McGrath 3, S O'Connor c Gilchrist b McGrath 0; Extras (b5, lb7, nb13, w2) 27. Total (all out in 82.5 overs) 232

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-42, 3-53, 4-53, 5-131, 6-208, 7-212, 8-224, 9-227

Bowling: McGrath 21.5-8-58-4, Lee 23-8-77-5, Warne 20-5-45-1, Miller 11-4-28-0, Martyn 7-4-12-0

Australia (1st innings): M Hayden c Parore b O'Connor 2, M Slater (not out) 2, S Warne (not out) 0. Total (for 1 wicket in 5 overs) 4

Fall of wicket: 1-3

Bowling: Cairns 3-1-3-0, O'Connor 2-1-1-1.