An exciting draw at the Gabba

By Malcolm Conn

BRISBANE, NOV. 12. The spirit of Test cricket's future was set alight at Brisbane's Gabba on Monday evening when Australia and New Zealand defied three days of rain to create one of the most spectacular draws in the game's history.

New Zealand came within 10 runs of chasing down an imposing target of 284 at five an over after opposing captains Stephen Fleming and Steve Waugh declared to set up a match that appeared to have drowned.

In all 459 runs were scored on Monday, the most in a Test day for 47 years.

The injury-riddled Kiwis chased bravely to finish on 274 for six in the gloom after the lights had to be turned on.

Waugh and Fleming both declared that they wanted Test cricket played no other way.

``We're here to play cricket, to entertain and enjoy ourselves,'' said Waugh.

``You want to try and win a Test if you can. I don't see any point in playing out for a dull draw.''

Fleming said the way the game was played is about breaking moulds. ``If we can create entertainment then I'm naturally for it when there's an opportunity to do it,'' he said.

``While we're disappointed not to win, we were exhilarated by the afternoon's cricket. It was fantastic, great to play and I'm sure pretty good to watch.

``I'm convinced it's the way Test cricket has got to go, entertainment wise.''

It was a spectacular chase, with Steve Waugh being forced to spread the field far and wide and Glenn McGrath testing the limits of what is an off-side wide to prevent New Zealand snatching what could have been an amazing victory.

Only when the brutal Chris Cairns was well caught on the boundary by Ricky Ponting for 43 from 38 balls, having twice belted Shane Warne deliveries to the top tier of the redeveloped northern stand, could the highly fancied Australians feel safe.

When Fleming (57 from 73 balls) was brilliantly run out by Waugh with 74 needed from 49 balls and Australia still requiring five wickets, neither side had looked capable of pinching victory.

No one told Cairns and Craig McMillan (23 from 22 balls), who took 31 from the next two overs, delivered by McGrath and Warne.

Earlier in the day the Kiwis were missing half their attack, Dion Nash and Shayne O'Connor, with recurring injuries, and their best top order batsman, Mark Richardson (57) was forced to bat with a runner after tea because of a hamstring strain.

Nash is being sent home with an abdomen strain to be replaced by unknown Christchurch fast bowler and policeman Shane Bond while O'Connor (knee tendinitis) and Richardson must prove their fitness before the second Test in Hobart, beginning in 10 days.

New Zealand faced an imposing target when contrasted with the history of New Zealand cricket. Just five times in their 288-Test history have the Kiwis successfully chased more than 200 for victory. All five were in New Zealand.

And only once had they managed more than what Waugh had set them on Monday to win-5-324 against Pakistan in Christchurch almost seven years ago. That was achieved at three an over.

Even England's charge to 4-315 for its remarkable fourth Test victory at Headingley in August came at 4.3 an over.

Waugh spread the field much more quickly than his deputy Gilchrist had done at Leeds when the captain was out injured. It was like a one-day setting with up to five men on the boundary when the Kiwis were barely half way to their target.

On Monday the Kiwis resumed somewhat precariously at 5-186 in their first innings, still needing a further 101 to avoid the follow-on but with the potent Cairns at the crease. Having already bludgeoned 25 at a run a ball on Sunday, he continued in that vein during a 95-run partnership in just 88 minutes with Nathan Astle.

But the ever more dangerous Brett Lee (5-67) ripped out Astle (66) then Cairns (61 from 70 balls) in the space of one run.

Then Waugh took a brilliant, one-handed diving catch in the gully to get rid of Adam Parore (11) to give a triumphant Lee five wickets after a poor tour of England.

It could have been six wickets from the very next ball when Warne dropped a difficult, one-handed chance diving to his left at first slip to gather a Daniel Vettori edge.

Vettori (3 not out) supported a brave but uncomfortable Nash (25 not out) to avoid the follow-on prompting Fleming to immediately close the innings two minutes before lunch.

Adam Gilchrist (20 in 16 balls) was promoted to open the batting in Australia's brief second innings and Matthew Hayden run himself out for 13 in pursuit of quick runs before Waugh declared at 2-84 inside an hour, continuing to revive a game which appeared destined for a watery grave.

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