NZ happy by winning a test against Aussies

New Zealand celebrated "an early Christmas" Tuesday with

front-page media praise for a rare cricket victory over Australia and disbelief that chief wicket taker Doug Bracewell was not man of the match.

"Ho Ho Hobart, Christmas cheer for Black Caps", trumpeted The Press, the New Zealand Herald hailed "Doug the destroyer, six of the best" and the Dominion Post described Bracewell as the "Wizard of Oz".

The New Zealand Black Caps had been largely written off by their own fans following their nine-wicket thrashing in the first Test which extended a 26-year winless run in Australia.

But the dramatic seven-run win in the second Test in Hobart to level the series spun the sentiment around.

Captain Ross Taylor's remark that the historic win "was for the New Zealand public an early Christmas present" was pounced on by the media as the victory slogan."Christmas cheer for Black Caps," said The Press as Radio New Zealand rated the drought-breaking win as "one of the most remarkable" in New Zealand's cricket history".


Bracewell struck when New Zealand were on the ropes with Australia only requiring 82 runs with eight wickets in hand to take the match. Three wickets in 15 balls to remove Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey on his way to match figures of 6-40 thrust the 21-year-old speedster into the limelight in only his third Test.


The Press hailed him as a "budding superstar" and the Dominion Post said the match turned on Bracewell's "magical spell" to secure New Zealand's first triumph in Australia since 1985 when Richard Hadlee was in his prime. "The result doesn't suddenly make New Zealand world beaters. But it does show what is possible with skill, perseverance and heart," wrote Herald columnist David Leggat.

But the celebrations carried criticism that match-winner Bracewell was overlooked as man-of-the-match in favour of Australian century-maker David Warner. The award was decided by a public phone-in vote instead if the traditional selection by a panel of experts and 60 percent voted for Warner. "That's just ridiculous," tweeted former Black Iain O'Brien comparing a century for the losing side against a six-wicket bag for the winning team. Another former international Andre Adams added a touch of sarcasm with his tweet saying he supposed "Doug's spell of 6-26 off 9 didn't have any impact".

Philip Hughes needs to score: Clarke

Phillip Hughes may have to return to state cricket to rediscover his touch after another batting failure in Australia's shock second Test loss to New Zealand, skipper Michael Clarke said on Monday.

The opener's Test future once again looks uncertain ahead of the India series after he fell early on the fourth day as Australia collapsed to 233 all out, handing the Kiwis a seven run victory at Bellerive Oval. Hughes was again found out outside off-stump and was caught in the slips for 20 off Chris Martin's bowling for the fourth straight innings.

His poor form - the struggling left-hander scored 41 in four innings against the Kiwis - will intensify pressure on his spot ahead of the Test series with India, which starts at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.

While Hughes' technique flounders, opening batting partner David Warner built a strong case for his retention by carrying his bat through the second innings with an unbeaten 123. Clarke indicated that Hughes could try to cure his shattered confidence with a spell for his home state New South Wales.

"He's obviously really disappointed like all the batters are for the way we played today, but Hughesy is probably most disappointed he's been getting out the same way," Clarke said.

"He needs to find some runs, it's as simple as that. If he's not making them for Australia, he's going to have to go to back to New South Wales and find them there."

Should he be dropped for the India Test opener, Hughes will have to find form in the helter-skelter of the Twenty20 Big Bash League with no four-day Sheffield Shield matches listed until early February.

"There's no four-day cricket now for NSW either, unfortunately, we go back and play Twenty20 cricket so if that's the case for people to get dropped from this team they're going to have to play Twenty20 cricket to score some runs," Clarke said.

"I'm not sure how it's going to work, so you'll have to be picked in the Test team from the Big Bash. "He needs some runs, but he's not the only one. I want to make that very clear."

Clarke was asked at his post-match news conference if he would be confident taking the beaten Hobart Test team into the Boxing Day blockbuster against India.

"If the selectors decide this is the best 11 players to win the game on Boxing Day then I think it would be, but it's something that obviously needs to be discussed over the next few days," he said.

"To be honest the last thing I've been thinking about over the last few days is selection, I've been trying to get my head around winning this Test match, but now... no doubt I will be on the phone talking with the selectors about what the best squad is."

Clarke said inconsistency was frustrating the Australian team, with just three wins in eight Tests under his captaincy.

"You're seeing some really good patches of individual excellence and as a team we're playing really well in patches, but then you see the other side as well where we're letting ourselves down with very poor performances," he said. "We're inconsistent at the minute which is giving us all a pain in the backside."

Warner hits century

David Warner hopes he has finally laid to rest the notion that he is only a Twenty20 specialist after scoring his maiden Test century in Australia's second Test loss to New Zealand on Monday.

Warner has made his fortune belting runs in the shorter form of the game but was almost a national hero as he carried his bat in an unbeaten 123 off 170 balls as Australia went down by seven runs to the Kiwis at Bellerive Oval.

The diminutive 25-year-old left-hander became only the 10th Australian opening batsman to bat right through an innings and the first since Simon Katich's 131 against New Zealand in Brisbane three years ago. Warner joins the select company of Australian Test greats Mark Taylor, David Boon, Ian Redpath, Bill Lawry, Bill Brown and Warwick Armstrong.

He hopes he has ended talk that he is a Twenty20 typecast now that he has a Test century in only his second Test match and is expected to face India in the Boxing Day opening Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"As a kid growing up you 100 percent want to keep striving to get that baggy green (cap) and now I've got it I want to hold on to it as long as I can," Warner said. "I want to keep doing that and I've always wanted to prove to people that I can play the longer form."

"Now it's overwhelming what I've done today and I've just proved to people that I can play the longer form."

Warner reached his century when he tucked Doug Bracewell behind square leg for two shortly after lunch and excitedly greeted his achievement with a leap into the air and a kiss on his helmet.

"To achieve a milestone like that is always fantastic, but at the end of the day we lost and it's disappointing more to be out there and eight runs to go and not get across the line," he said.

Warner was a little sheepish to be awarded the man-of-the-match ahead of Kiwi match-winner Bracewell on the strength of a poll of Australian television viewers.

"I was a bit surprised. Obviously Doug bowled very well and credit to him, he bowled fantastic and on a losing side you don't often see a man of the match but at the end of the day I've just got to take that through the voters," he said.

Warner is now expected to keep his Test spot with NSW teammate Phillip Hughes coming under increasing pressure after getting out again edging to the slips. "Obviously, there were patches there where I played at some balls where I didn't really need to," Warner said.

"I'm only still learning so at the end of the day whatever game I next play I have to be a bit more cautious and be a bit more tight in my defence and hopefully I can keep playing my natural game."

Doug Bracewell wind up Aussies

Seamer Doug Bracewell bowled New Zealand to a sensational seven-run victory over Australia in the second Test in Hobart on Monday for the Kiwis' first win in Australia for 26 years.

The Black Caps captured eight wickets for 74 runs for a dramatic victory midway through the fourth day of an extraordinary Test match at Bellerive Oval.

Seamer Doug Bracewell finished with six for 40.

Bracewell finished with 6-40 off 16.4 overs in a match-winning performance to stun the Australians, who appeared on track for victory at 159 for two chasing 241 runs to win.

Struggling Hughes 'needs runs' says Clarke
Warner's Test century buries T20 typecast

But the Australians folded spectacularly and David Warner's unbeaten maiden Test century went in vain as wickets tumbled around him and Nathan Lyon was bowled by Bracewell in the 64th over to claim victory.

It was the Black Caps' first victory in Australia since 1985 as they tied the two-Test series after comprehensively losing the first Gabba Test by nine wickets.

"We believed in ourselves that we could win this match. We knew we had to fight, we had to play a lot better than we did in Brisbane," skipper Ross Taylor said.

Bracewell turned the match around with the wickets of Ricky Ponting (16), Michael Clarke (0), Michael Hussey (0), James Pattinson (4), Mitchell Starc (0) and Lyon (9).

"He bowled outstandingly well for a young guy, 21, and to come in only his third Test and to get Ponting, Clarke and Hussey, that's something to tell your grandkids about," Taylor said of Bracewell.

Clarke said his team were proving too inconsistent with their third defeat in eight Tests under his captaincy.

"You're seeing some really good patches of individual excellence and as a team we're playing really well in patches, but then you see the other side as well where we're letting ourselves down with very poor performances," he said.

"We're inconsistent at the minute which is giving us all a pain in the backside."

Warner carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 123 off 170 balls with 14 boundaries to cement his Test position after fellow opener Phillip Hughes was out again cheaply.

Warner surprisingly was preferred to Bracewell as official man-of-the-match in a television viewers' poll.

Wickets continued to fall around Warner with Brad Haddin snapped up by Ross Taylor in the slips off Tim Southee and Peter Siddle taken at third slip off Southee for two.

Bracewell removed Pattinson and Starc within three balls to have the Black Caps one wicket away from victory after Australia had lost seven wickets for 40.

Lyon survived two tense reviews for lbw as Warner went after the runs against a spreadeagled field before Bracewell finished the game when he bowled Lyon.

Ponting's possible final Test innings in his home state finished in a whimper after he was given a standing ovation to the wicket.

Test cricket's third-highest runscorer spooned a catch to cover after playing back to Bracewell and was out for 16 after scoring just five in the first innings.

Clarke was caught at slip by Taylor and Hussey was out first ball lbw after a review went in bowler Bracewell's favour.

Hughes's Test future again looked uncertain after he was out in the day's second over with no addition to his overnight score of 20.

It was the fourth straight time Hughes was caught by Martin Guptill in the slips off Chris Martin's bowling in the series.

His latest batting failure -- 41 in four innings against the Kiwis -- will intensify the pressure on his spot ahead of the Test series with India, starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.

While Hughes's technical deficiencies outside offstump continued to hound him, Warner built a strong case for his retention, possibly partnering Shane Watson against India.

Usman Khawaja again failed to go on after getting a start and went to drive Trent Boult only to give an edge to Taylor at first slip. Khawaja made 23 off 48 balls.

Heel bone injury to Cummins

Australia's teenage pace sensation Pat Cummins will likely miss the bulk of the home Test series against India with a bone stress heel injury, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old fast bowler suffered the injury during his man-of-the-match debut in last month's second Johannesburg Test against South Africa.
It was initially thought to be bruising but new scans have revealed a bone stress problem and Cummins is unlikely to bowl again until early to mid-January, CA said.

India begin their four Test series against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day with further Tests in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide throughout January.
"By the end of last week it was apparent to all of us managing him that he was progressing slower than expected for a soft tissue injury of the heel," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said on Wednesday.
"As such we arranged for him to see a foot specialist and had further scans that have identified a bone component to his injury that was not evident on the original scans. We now believe that Patrick has a bone stress injury as well as the fat pad injury (soft tissue injury)."
Kountouris said Cummins was not likely to resume bowling until after the opening two Tests against India.
The third Test against India is in Perth from January 13-17 and the fourth and final Test at Adelaide Oval from January 24-28. Cummins still has his sights on playing some role in the Test series.
He told reporters he did not have a date for his return to cricket but he aimed to play in the subsequent Twenty20 series against India and tri-nation one-day series also involving Sri Lanka, and possibly even some Test cricket.
"Hopefully the one-day series and the Twenty20," he said. "Maybe I'll even be back in the Test."
The teenager played down concern about the more serious diagnosis and was planning to rest until the Christmas period, when he will again test out his heel. "It will only make a few weeks' difference," he said.
"We thought there might have been something more to it because it took a bit longer to heal. Obviously, it's disappointing but hopefully it doesn't make too much of a difference."
Cummins was acclaimed as Australia's newest pace bowling star when he captured six for 79 in South Africa's second innings to set up an exciting two-wicket win in the Johannesburg Test last month.
But he has not played since and was rested from last week's first Test win against New Zealand at the Gabba.
The youngster's setback continues to drain Australia's fast bowling stocks following Mitchell Johnson's foot surgery last week which will sideline the left-armer for five months.

New Zealand eyes on 2nd test against Australia

New Zealand will try to heap the pressure on out-of-form Australian opening batsman Phillip Hughes as they seek to level the series with victory in the second and final Test starting Friday.
The heat is off former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin after good performances in the home side's comprehensive nine-wicket victory over the Black Caps in the first Gabba Test.

Ponting hit 78 and Haddin 80 in the first innings after speculation on their Test futures following a run of low scores, but the spotlight has now shifted to left-hander Hughes and his technical flaws outside off-stump.
Hughes has passed 36 just twice in his past 17 Test innings and with all-rounder Shane Watson (hamstring) and Shaun Marsh (back) on track to return from injuries in the Boxing Day Test against India, the opener's position appears vulnerable.
His six-ball failure on Sunday as Australia reeled off the 19 runs for victory in their second innings, highlighted his weakness. His average has dived from 69 after three Tests in 2009 to 36.
There have been calls for Usman Khawaja to move up the batting order to opener and make room for uncapped allrounder Dan Christian, who has been added to the Australian squad following a side strain to fast bowler Ben Cutting.
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor could not disguise his relish when asked if he wanted Hughes to play in the Hobart Test. "I�d love him to be in the team," Taylor said after the Gabba Test.
"We had a lot of video footage of all the Australian players and Hughes got caught at second, third slip and gully a lot in the Ashes and in South Africa. That was definitely an area we wanted to target, and with the way Chris Martin bowls, he bowls across the left-hander."
Martin claimed Hughes's wicket twice at the Gabba, both times caught by Martin Guptill in the slips.
Senior Australian batsman Mike Hussey believes Hughes should continue playing his natural attacking game. "I just think it's important for him to keep a real clear mind and to keep playing his way," Hussey said.
"He's had success playing his way. He's still put together some really good scores for us in difficult conditions in Sri Lanka (126) and South Africa (88). He works extremely hard and he knows the areas he needs to work on."
Australia remained unbeaten at the Gabba since 1988 with their emphatic victory over New Zealand, who are without a Test win in Australia since 1985.
"We don�t play as much Test cricket as some of the other nations but we need to learn quicker than we are at the moment," Taylor said. "That�s the ultimate goal, to apply pressure for as long as possible and absorb it as for as long as possible as well."
Australia unearthed another match-winning fast bowler in 21-year-old James Pattinson, who took five for 27 to help rout New Zealand for 150 in their second innings at the Gabba.
Michael Clarke has welcomed the inclusion of Christian in the squad. "He gives us options and that's what we're looking at in regards to the wicket in Hobart," Clarke said.
"We don't know what we're going to get. It is always nice to have another option in regards to your bowling."
Australia have never lost a Test in the total of nine played at Hobart's Bellerive Oval, although the Kiwis have drawn twice in three Tests at the ground.

Daniel Christian added in Australian squad for 2nd test against NZ

Daniel Christian was added Monday to the Australian squad for this week's second and final Test against New Zealand in Hobart as the home side look to wrap up a series win.
The South Australian allrounder, yet to make his Test debut, was included following a side strain injury to paceman Ben Cutting while injured Shane Watson, Pat Cummins, Ryan Harris and Shaun Marsh were not considered.
Australia go into the match starting on Friday leading the series 1-0 after Sunday's emphatic nine-wicket victory over the Black Caps in the Gabba Test inside four days.

Debutant paceman James Pattinson turned in a man-of-the-match performance with 5-27 in New Zealand's second innings of 150 to set the Australians just 19 runs for victory. "It is disappointing for Ben that he will be sidelined for some weeks with a side strain, but this provides an opportunity for Daniel, who has been performing well as an allrounder for South Australia," chief selector John Inverarity said.
"The balance of a team is always enhanced by the presence of an energetic allrounder who is in good form."
"Michael Clarke and his team are buoyant after their convincing victory in Brisbane," Inverarity said.
"James Pattinson's performance on debut will provide a great boost not only to the team as a whole but to those who are new to the team in particular."
Australia team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said opening batsman Shane Watson was making good progress after a right hamstring injury and was on track for the Boxing Day Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Teenage paceman Cummins, man-of-the-match in Australia's two-wicket win over South Africa in Johannesburg last month, is still recovering from a left heel injury.
Harris is set to resume bowling this week after recovering from a pelvic injury, while Marsh is progressing well after a lower back injury sustained in South Africa.
Kountouris said Cutting, who was in the squad for the first Test but left out of the starting eleven, injured his left abdominal muscle in a side strain injury playing a domestic Sheffield Shield game for Queensland on Friday.
Left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson had surgery last week for a left foot injury and is expected to be out of action for five months.
Australia squad - Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Dan Christian.

Pattinson helped Aussies to win over NZ

Debutant paceman James Pattinson spearheaded Australia to a crushing nine-wicket victory in the first Test against New Zealand inside four days at the Gabba on Sunday.
Pattinson snared five for 27 including three wickets in four balls to help rout the Black Caps for 150 off 49.4 overs and leave Michael Clarke's Australians needing just 19 runs for victory.

David Warner hit three fours off four balls to get the winning runs for the loss of Phil Hughes' wicket to take a 1-0 series lead to Hobart next Friday.
Pattinson narrowly missed a hat-trick in his debut Test as he ripped through the New Zealand top order to put Australia on the path to victory.
The 21-year-old fast bowler took 5-7 in seven overs as he skittled the Kiwis.
Spinner Nathan Lyon chipped in with three for 19 to finish with seven wickets for the match as the Australians were set just 19 runs to win.
Pattinson, bowling a full length at searing pace, removed Martin Guptill (12), Kane Williamson (0) and skipper Ross Taylor (0) in the space of four balls in his opening over of the day.
Guptill could not keep down a lifter and popped an easy catch to Usman Khawaja at bat-pad to start the rot.
Williamson was out two balls later, edging to Ricky Ponting at second slip and Taylor was out next ball snicking to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to leave Pattinson on a hat-trick in his debut Test match.
Jesse Ryder barely survived Pattinson's hat-trick ball, a 150 km/h yorker to finish his fifth over with figures of 4-1 and leave New Zealand clinging on at 17 for four.
Damien Fleming is the only Australian to have taken a hat-trick on his Test debut, against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 1994.
England's Maurice Allom and New Zealander Peter Petherick also captured hat-tricks on Test debut.
Nightwatchman Doug Bracewell became Pattinson's fifth victim, falling to a full delivery on offstump and was caught behind by Haddin for two, leaving the Black Caps at 28 for five in the 13th over.
Pattinson, who was selected for the first Test after just nine first-class matches, surpassed his previous best first-class figures of 4-52 for his state Victoria.
Captain Michael Clarke introduced the offspin of Lyon in the 22nd over and Ryder was lured into a false shot to Mike Hussey at mid-off.
Ryder hit six fours in his 36 in 63 minutes but the Kiwis badly needed someone to occupy the crease.
Warner's first ball in Test cricket almost claimed a wicket when Brownlie on 34 was put down by a diving Pattinson on the deep mid-wicket boundary minutes before lunch.
But Vettori fell when he attempted to cut part-timer Hussey to Clarke at slip for 17 with two balls left to lunch.
After lunch Lyon grabbed the wickets of Tim Southee and Chris Martin while Peter Siddle removed Dean Brownlie for 42.
Hughes was dropped before he was caught next ball at third slip off Chris Martin as Australia took just 14 balls to hit the winning runs.
Warner smashed Bracewell for successive boundaries to seal the win.

New Zealand should improve themselves: Ross Taylor

Skipper Ross Taylor said Sunday well-beaten New Zealand had to work harder to be competitive against Australia to save the two-Test series in Hobart later this week.
The abject Black Caps were routed for 150 in their second innings and trounced by nine wickets in the first Gabba Test inside four days with debutant James Pattinson giving a man-of-the-match performance with five for 27.
It was a poor showing by the eighth-ranked Kiwis, spilling crucial catches to allow Australia to score 427 in the first innings and then capitulating before the pace onslaught of 21-year-old Pattinson.

The Kiwis have to quickly regroup ahead of Friday's second and final Test of the trans-Tasman series at Hobart's Bellerive Oval, if they are to return home with any positives ahead of their next series against Zimbabwe next month.
"You've got to give credit to James Pattinson, he put the ball in the right areas enough times for us to nick it," Taylor said.
"But we've still got to be harder on ourselves as a batting unit. Not only this morning but on the first day there were some soft dismissals and Australia didn't have to work that hard for their wickets."
Taylor, who had a poor match with scores of 14 and a first-ball duck, said before the start of Sunday's play his team still felt they were in the contest at 10 for one.
"We've just got to be harder on ourselves. We know Australia are going to come at us hard again in Tasmania. We need to play a lot better than we played today," he said.
Of his own form, Taylor said: "It's a lot easier as captain. When you're a player you can probably go a little bit insular, but as a captain you've got to lead from the front.
"This is not going to be the last Test match that I don't score any runs in.
"I've been in this situation before, you still need to back yourself. There's another Test match and we're not out of this series, we can still draw it."
After the loss, the Black Caps said they had added seamer Brent Arnel to their squad.
"We feel it's important to add a bit of bowling depth," coach John Wright said. "Brent has been bowling well at home and offers us another seam option.
"The conditions in Hobart are likely to be slower so he comes into the frame."

Warner doing comeback against ; Haddin is vice captain

Big-hitting David Warner is set to make his Test debut after being named on Saturday in the squad to take on New Zealand, as selectors also brought in a fresh pace attack to counter a string of injuries.
Warner, who is best known for his explosive form in shorter forms of the game, replaces all-rounder Shane Watson, who, along with Mitchell Johnson, Patrick Cummins, Ryan Harris and Shaun Marsh, has been ruled out due to injury.

The reshaped squad now includes pace trio James Pattinson, Ben Cutting and Mitchell Starc.
National selector John Inverarity said the absence of the injured players gave the newcomers a chance to come into the squad and perform on the international stage.
"Although injuries to those key players are not ideal, this provides an opening for these promising young players to come into the Australian squad and further their development," he said.
Inverarity said while it was the first time Cutting, 24, had been included in an Australia squad he had impressed as the leading wicket-taker in the domestic Sheffield Shield competition.
Michael Beer and Trent Copeland, who were part of the South Africa Test squad, have missed selection for the team that takes on New Zealand in Brisbane starting on Thursday.
Because of the absence of Watson, keeper Brad Haddin has been appointed stand-in vice-captain.
"Brad is an experienced member of the squad, has had leadership responsibilities in the past and we believe those qualities will make him a good vice-captain for this match," Inverarity said.
Squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Phillip Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (vice-captain), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Ben Cutting. (12th man to be named).