Australia v New Zealand: First Test, Brisbane

First topic message reminder :

December 1-5, 2011 at Woolloongabba Ground, Brisbane

Start time: 1000 (0000 GMT, 1100 EDT)

So it's all about to start here tomorrow morning with Australia still favourites; despite the fact that there will be at least 3 debutants and New Zealand believing they have a very good chance of winning in Australia for the first time in 26 years. Either way it should be an entertaining match given Australia's series levelling performance in Johannesburg and New Zealand's slightly more settled line-up since their recent tour to Zimbabwe.

Pitch & Conditions:
There's always plenty of seam and bounce at the Gabba, and captains can be tempted to send the opposition in. The forecast is for thunder and rain on the opening day, while showers could also fall on the final two days.

Australia:
1 David Warner, 2 Phillip Hughes, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Brad Haddin (wk),
8 Peter Siddle, 9 James Pattinson, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Mitchell Starc

New Zealand:
1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Jesse Ryder, 6 Dean Brownlie, 7 Daniel Vettori,
8 Reece Young (wk), 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Chris Martin

Clarke seems to be destined to get his 17th Test match century.
Two big let offs.

Since Hussey's wkt, only 4 runs from 4 overs.

Clarke moves into the 90s, short ball and pulled it hard over midwicket to collect a boundary .

Another four and Clark on 97.

Aus 250 up. 250-5. Just 45 behind now.

Haddin, 25 balls for 2 runs, much more patience than the norm.

Clarke gets a single to move to 99.

Clarke going into lunch on 99no, Aus 254-5, 41 runs behind.

That session slightly in the Aussies favour.

Clarke, four, brings up his 17th Test century in style with a classic drive.
Good attacking century

Aus 258-5.

New ball immediately taken. NZ need a breakthrough.

Bracewell to Clarke, 4 leg byes, the ball slides down the leg side and Clarke, trying to glance it down, produces a deflection off his pads, four leg-byes.

This must be hurting Haddin, having to play this type of roll. 2 from 39 balls

Clarke dropped for the 3rd time. This time by Ryder.

NZ orchestrating their own downfall.

Catches win matches.

The new ball just missing the edge time and time again. Not a lot going NZ's way.

Bracewell to Haddin, four, wide delivery and Haddin frees his arms, slicing it over point to get a boundary .

NZ desperate for a wkt. Aus 280-5, just 15 in deficit.

Southee to Haddin, four. Haddin clears mid-off, pitched up and he drives that uppishly and firmly through the line to get a boundary.

Four more, Haddin getting into the groove now, pitched up on the off, driven confidently past mid-on.

Aus pass NZ's 295, Aus 296-5. And another 50 partnership.

300 up with a straight drive for four from Clarke.

Lucky innings from Clarke, but did well to grind out his 17th Test century.

Yep, not many get to 100 without giving at least one chance or getting some good fortune.

Southee short and wide and smacked for four by Haddin. Aus 319-5.

Clarke is a funny chap, sometimes he just looks way out of his depth but on others he really looks every bit a top class batsman.

Injury time out, Reece Young has been struck on the face and is bleeding.
Looks nasty.

The first time i make a comment on here this morning and i miss the injury. Hope it is ok, bleeding alot. Leaving the field

I broke my nose going for a skyed catch, straight through my hands and blood everywhere.

No sympathy from my team, because i dropped it

Yeah that happens doesnt it, they dont care how much it hurts

The black caps really need a wicket soon or these two could take the Aussies to a really big lead.

Their heads seem to have dropped a bit, they desperately need something to happen.

100 partnership, Aus 337-5.

Last over before tea?

Yep, time for me to put the kettle on too.

50 run lead for Aus. NZ have to come back after tea strongly, or they will be out of the game.

Been out for a few hours today but caught a glimpse of the score.

Great Master Class from Matty Hayden - still looks like he wouldn't be out of place on the Test arena.

Clarke holes out at deep square leg, caught Martin bowled Southee for 139.

Siddle now out - never looked comfortable at the crease. Taylor gets him at slip off the bowling of Vettori.

Haddin gets his 50 with a massive 6 over long on. 354/7 now with a lead of 59.

Aus all out for 427, a lead of 130 which could be handy. Pitch looks like it's beginning to turn so Aus won't want to chase much more than 150 in the last innings.

Good partnership between Clarke and Haddin has gotten Aus into the lead position, now can the bowlers find their lines more consistently than in the first innings? Nerves should have settled somewhat, and I doubt NZ will gift them quite so many free wickets (Guptil, McCullum, Taylor, even Vettori all just through their wickets away).

This has actually worked out perfectly for Aus, giving themselves about half an hour to the close of play. Perfect chance to get a wicket or two, maybe get a night-watchman in...

Slats picking up on what I said during the SA tour, this Aus side looks in far better mental shape (I talk of energy levels, he mentions they look "happy") than a year ago when they looked tired and jaded.

Good first over by Pattinson.

Yes Mike, even Ricky has been smiling.

It was near perfect batting conditions today - a few missed chances from NZ but Australia are in a very good position. Clarke took control and played some magic cover drives but eventually got out to a lazy shot.

Impressed with Haddin today. He played more responsibly and built a decent score with a few big straight hits and classical strokeplay.

Also, Starc... he seems to have a decent batting technique for a bowler.

At the close of Day 3

1st Innings NZ 295

1st Innings Australia 427
Clarke 139
Haddin 80
Ponting 78

Martin 3/89
Vettori 2/88

NZ 2nd Innings 10/1

Oz lead by 122 runs

Pattinson bowled a high quality spell last night. For me (I've seen him play a couple of times inc a T20 big bash last year) he has something about him. I think he was overcome by nerves somewhat in the first innings, yesterday was much more like what I could remember.

Starc's action looks a bit less consistent, but he does seem to have natural inswing. Both Starc and Pattinson looked compact and determined with the bat.

Just switched on expecting a good days play, but NZ have been blitzed by Pattinson, who has picked up another four wickets. Game over today i think. NZ 28-5.

Pattinson is the seventh bowler to take a five-for on debut in 2011

It's up to Ryder,Brownlie and Vettori to make sur NZ don't suffer an innings defeat. Good luck

A few boundaries from Ryder and NZ reach the 50 mark. NZ 54-5.

Great work from Clarke and Lyon (after a quick dart first ball a nicely flighted off-break which tempts Ryder into a daft shot). NZ now 6 wickets down.

good captaincy from Clarke, bringing Lyon on. And good bowling from Lyon too. Slightly suicidal innings from Ryder though, I'm all for counter-attacking, especially in that sort of situation, but it needs to stay sensible, and Ryder went beyond that there...

NZ have passed the hundred mark and at least look likely to avoid the follow-on. NZ 115-6.

Vettori gone, caught by Clarke and the part timer Hussey bags another victim. NZ 121-7.

Lunch on day 4, NZ 121-7.

NZ trail by 11 run's and barring miracles should be having an early bath by teatime.