Posted December 31

Anyone who thinks test cricket is for the seagulls should wake up this week. The Ashes test at the MCG was a wonderful example of the twists and turns of test cricket. The vilified England team snatched a precarious victory against all the odds to keep a chance of squaring the series. At the Basin Reserve the Clear Black Caps made sure of at least squaring their series with India, and by the way they played, probably winning it at Hamilton.

The MCG scene was just as thrilling as it was unexpected. The reward for England must be extreme because they have been on the back foot for most of their tour. One of their numbers is a Pom brought up in Australia but playing in English county cricket through his heritage. He is Alan Mullaly, considered by most Aussies as the world's worst batsman.

On that heroic last day at the MCG he came into bat with a record of five ducks in six innings. It was to a chorus of jeers and a round of abuse from the fast bowler McGrath, whose tongue often impairs his excellent bowling. He smote McGrath for 16 precious runs and when England finally won by 12, guess who was responsible?

Mullaly also bowled very well, with 2-20 from 10 overs and his fellow expat, Dean Headley, snared six wickets including four in six balls. Australia, cruising along at 130 for 3, suddenly found their star Steve Waugh stranded at one end while the tailenders collapsed in a heap. It was just so exciting and so hilarious to enjoy as the arrogant Aussies crumbled and disintegrated.

This was retribution big time, and our Black Caps enjoyed a little of their own next day. For years now the public has been nose-lead by a vicious media that puts our cricketers down. The NZ Council runs campaigns to try to make the media more positive, for their insidious effect is constant and widespread. One goes to the supermarket or the service station and strangers say "Cricketers losing again?"

No, I reply. As a matter of fact they have won their last five tests in a row at home. Earlier this year we won three successive tests, including the first in Sri Lanka. So the media now say they are sick of hearing excuses about lack of experience. All I can say is that our players still lack maturity but they are rapidly assuming it.

A great test at the Basin because it marked continuous positive cricket. At the start Simon Doull produced an inspired spell of swing bowling that belied his injury problems.

All the first seven wickets and a modest Indian total in ideal batting conditions. A stutter in our batting when we merely drew level with seven out, and then a record partnership between the two allrounders, Vettori and Nash.

A lead of 144 should normally be enough but the Indian batting stars are different. They peeled off the deficit and it was that determined player Nash who chipped out Tendulkar first ball after lunch. A critical call for there was never more than a partial recovery afterward.

Still 213 looks a solid task on a fifth day against a spinner like Kumble and a speed merchant known as Srinath. Overnight at 73 for 4 we scarcely had a price, especially after the nightwatchman went one run later early on the last day. The stage was set for the two Cantabs, MacMillan and Cairns. They took every possible single, they played their strokes and they put up another record partnership in style.

It was great that Cairns got out and Dion Nash was able to hit the winning four. He was not the man of the match for Doull deservedly won that. Nash was the colossus of the match for everything he did ensured victory for his team. It was a stupendous win and it means that New Zealand's Clear Black Caps can stand tall, knowing they have arrived.

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