Martin and Guptill clean sweep Hughes
Plays of the Day from the fourth day of the second Test between Australia and New Zealand in Hobart
Brydon Coverdale at the Bellerive Oval
12-Dec-2011
It was 'c Guptill b Martin' for Hughes, again • AFP
The anti-climax
New Zealand had not won a Test against Australia since March 1993, and they had not enjoyed victory on Australian soil since November 1985. So when the umpire Nigel Llong raised his finger to give Nathan Lyon lbw to Tim Southee, the New Zealand played were understandably elated. But Lyon asked for a review - rather forlornly - and the main questions appeared to be whether there was an inside edge or if the ball was sliding down leg. However, Eagle-Eye surprisingly showed the ball pitching outside leg - when Southee was coming over the wicket - and Lyon was reprieved. For the record, Eagle-Eye is produced by a New Zealand-based company. But in the end, Doug Bracewell rattled Lyon's stumps and the review was quickly forgotten.
New Zealand had not won a Test against Australia since March 1993, and they had not enjoyed victory on Australian soil since November 1985. So when the umpire Nigel Llong raised his finger to give Nathan Lyon lbw to Tim Southee, the New Zealand played were understandably elated. But Lyon asked for a review - rather forlornly - and the main questions appeared to be whether there was an inside edge or if the ball was sliding down leg. However, Eagle-Eye surprisingly showed the ball pitching outside leg - when Southee was coming over the wicket - and Lyon was reprieved. For the record, Eagle-Eye is produced by a New Zealand-based company. But in the end, Doug Bracewell rattled Lyon's stumps and the review was quickly forgotten.
The inevitable
Phillip Hughes, caught Guptill bowled Martin. That was how the scorecard had read for each of the first three innings of the series. A joke was doing the rounds that scoresheets were being handed out at Bellerive Oval with those details pre-printed. And it didn't seem to matter where Guptill was fielding: in Brisbane it was at gully, in the first innings in Hobart it was at second slip. And so it proved again in the second innings as Hughes edged a wonderful Martin delivery that seamed away and was snapped up at second slip by Guptill. "If P Hughes is shaving tomorrow and gets a nick," the ABC radio commentator Kerry O'Keeffe said, "M Guptill will appear from the medicine cabinet with a band-aid."
Phillip Hughes, caught Guptill bowled Martin. That was how the scorecard had read for each of the first three innings of the series. A joke was doing the rounds that scoresheets were being handed out at Bellerive Oval with those details pre-printed. And it didn't seem to matter where Guptill was fielding: in Brisbane it was at gully, in the first innings in Hobart it was at second slip. And so it proved again in the second innings as Hughes edged a wonderful Martin delivery that seamed away and was snapped up at second slip by Guptill. "If P Hughes is shaving tomorrow and gets a nick," the ABC radio commentator Kerry O'Keeffe said, "M Guptill will appear from the medicine cabinet with a band-aid."
The near steal
Perhaps the catch got Guptill a little over-excited. When Usman Khawaja edged behind soon afterwards, the ball was sailing straight towards Ross Taylor at first slip when his view was nearly obscured by Guptill, who hurled himself to his right from second slip. Guptill leapt like a goalkeeper and almost got his hand to the ball, but luckily for New Zealand Taylor was not put off and clutched the take cleanly.
Perhaps the catch got Guptill a little over-excited. When Usman Khawaja edged behind soon afterwards, the ball was sailing straight towards Ross Taylor at first slip when his view was nearly obscured by Guptill, who hurled himself to his right from second slip. Guptill leapt like a goalkeeper and almost got his hand to the ball, but luckily for New Zealand Taylor was not put off and clutched the take cleanly.
The kick of joy
Taylor collected another catch soon afterwards when he snared the opposing captain Michael Clarke, who edged Doug Bracewell to first slip. Taylor's celebration suited the momentum that was building behind New Zealand at the time: he launched a rugby style kick of the ball as he sensed he had a chance of becoming the first captain to lead New Zealand to a Test victory in Australia since Jeremy Coney.
Taylor collected another catch soon afterwards when he snared the opposing captain Michael Clarke, who edged Doug Bracewell to first slip. Taylor's celebration suited the momentum that was building behind New Zealand at the time: he launched a rugby style kick of the ball as he sensed he had a chance of becoming the first captain to lead New Zealand to a Test victory in Australia since Jeremy Coney.
The ovation
Ricky Ponting's dismissal wasn't one of which he'll be proud: a strangely mistimed drive that lobbed up to cover and was easily caught. Ponting walked off the Bellerive Oval to a standing ovation in what could well be his last international appearance at the ground. Unfortunately, there were only a couple of thousand spectators on hand to give Ponting his reception. The crowds had been disappointing for the whole match, and Monday was no exception.
Ricky Ponting's dismissal wasn't one of which he'll be proud: a strangely mistimed drive that lobbed up to cover and was easily caught. Ponting walked off the Bellerive Oval to a standing ovation in what could well be his last international appearance at the ground. Unfortunately, there were only a couple of thousand spectators on hand to give Ponting his reception. The crowds had been disappointing for the whole match, and Monday was no exception.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo