Hussey restores Australia with a hundred
18 February, 2007
Australian captain Michael Hussey has produced one of his most important - and spectacular - innings to lift his team to a daunting 4-336 against New Zealand in the second Chappell-Hadlee match at Eden Park.
Hussey's 84-ball 105, his second century in three innings as captain, stunned the Kiwis and backed up coach John Buchanan's view that the Australians would regroup strongly from Friday's unprecedented 10-wicket defeat in the first match at Wellington.
No.5 Brad Hodge (97 from 86 balls) and specialist hitter Cameron White (42 from 19) ensured the final total was intimidating by cracking 84 runs in 47 balls at the end, Hodge unfortunate to be stranded in the 90s for the second time, having made 99 not out against the Kiwis in Melbourne during the tri-series.
Though Eden Park is a ground with numerous short boundaries and the pitch was good for batting, Australia's total was still a ground record, easily surpassing the 6-306 set by the Kiwis against Sri Lanka in 1983.
Shane Bond was again the best of the bowlers, taking 1-39, but he was bizarrely taken off for the final over so the far more expensive Daryl Tuffey (0-80) could bowl it.
Home captain Stephen Fleming sought a repeat of Friday's lowly Australian total by sending the tourists in to bat on a pitch tinged with green.
Bond again bowled a supremely impressive first spell, and Phil Jaques could find no answer to the bowler's pace and lateral movement, scratching around for 16 balls until he edged off the back foot to Fleming at slip.
Brad Haddin very nearly went next ball, when his skittish edge flew low and just evaded Fleming as he moved to his right.
Matthew Hayden began with a pair of well-struck drives from Tuffey, who looked well short of match rhythm, but had less luck against the others, and on 24 he shovelled Mark Gillespie to Daniel Vettori at mid off.
On recent form, a score of 2-52 in the 13th over could easily have deteriorated further, however Haddin and Hussey kept their composure and fired off a string of smart shots.
Having helped retrieve the innings, Haddin deserved a half century, but on 49 he was beaten in flight by Vettori and pushed a return catch.
Hussey and Hodge then accelerated, and did so in tremendous style clubbing sixes to all parts of the peculiarly-shaped park.
The pair were ruthless in exploiting the overs bowled by part-timers Craig McMillan and Lou Vincent, who were needed to fill the gap left by the injured Jacob Oram.
Importantly, they also forced Vettori to leak more runs than usual, taking him for 54 in his 10 overs.
Hussey passed 50 in 52 balls, then took only another 29 to reach three figures, moving from 85 to his century with a trio of sixes in one over from Vincent.
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