Aus v NZ; First Test, Brisbane, Nov 5-9

[backfootpunch]

bad start for NZ, they needed taylor to stick around for at least an hour

hopefully neesham does better this time, personally i would have watling ahead of him in the order

[dan08]

It's all on Watling i think.

McCullum won't last long batting like this and i don't really back Neesham to fight it out.

[SaintPowelly]

bad start for NZ, they needed taylor to stick around for at least an hour

hopefully neesham does better this time, personally i would have watling ahead of him in the order

Was literally about to type that, can't work out why Neesham is ahead of Watling

[SaintPowelly]

Neesham goes home after this too, can't see him hanging around

[backfootpunch]

Thrilling stuff from mccullum

A crunching cover drive makes it three quick boundaries

[bigfluffylemon]

McCullum is clearly not going to die wondering.

The weight of history is very much against New Zealand here. If they make it to lunch it will be their longest ever 4th innings in Australia (in terms of overs bowled)

[backfootpunch]

Lyon vs mccullum is going to be interesting

[bigfluffylemon]

Australia won't mind McCullum flinging the bat around. They've got more than enough runs in the bank to buy his wicket. Keep letting him slog and eventually one will go to a fielder. There might be ten boundaries on the way, but with a 300 run cushion, who cares?

[dan08]

Australia won't mind McCullum flinging the bat around. They've got more than enough runs in the bank to buy his wicket. Keep letting him slog and eventually one will go to a fielder. There might be ten boundaries on the way, but with a 300 run cushion, who cares?

Out now. Don't want to criticise him as he did score 80 but it certainly wasn't the smartest of innings.

[bigfluffylemon]

McCullum and Watling gone, and unless the rain arrives you'd have to assume that is that. A questionable decision, but New Zealand only have themselves to blame for blowing two reviews on lbw decisions that were marginal calls at best. DRS is supposed to be for the howler, not the marginal call - unless as a batsman you know you hit it, you shouldn't be speculatively reviewing lbws - it should be pretty obvious that the ball was nowhere near the stumps.

Craig and Bracewell can hang around, but not for 70 overs. They'll only delay the inevitable.

Ah, no, apparently Bracewell can't hang around. Can New Zealand even survive until lunch, with the new ball due in one over?

[GarlicJam]

Ian Smith is not a happy camper. Having a go at all and sundry.

The way he has criticised Nigel Long for wrongly giving McCullum out is poor. Unbecoming of a commentator, imo.

[bigfluffylemon]

Scant consolation for New Zealand, but this is their best ever performance in a 4th innings in Australia, in terms of runs scored and overs batted.

[GarlicJam]

That partnership was a little bit of cheer for them.

Good test for Aus. It went as well as could have been hoped for. Everyone contributed signficicantly - except for Smith, his place in the team must be at risk.

[bigfluffylemon]

Ian Smith was pretty dirty yesterday too when Latham and Williamson both went to lbw decisions that replay showed was 'umpire's call' (and therefore perfectly fair decisions), but the ball was just clipping the stumps. It's true that had the umpires given them not-out then review would have upheld that too, but that's the point of umpire's call - due deference to the umpire's decision and recognition that the technology has a margin of error.

One could argue that Latham, Williamson, Southee and especially McCullum were a trifle unlucky, but a 200 run winning margin and New Zealand only taking 8 wickets in two innings says to me that this is a fair result.

[Toby F]

Ian Smith auditioning for a job on cricinfo. Sure it was the wrong decision with the benefit of slow motion and hot spot, but no one other than McCullum questioned it when it was given. Looked out, sounded out, wrong decision, but not the supposed howler that Smith is on about.

Any way, some good batting from McCullum and some imaginative footwork from Boult. Hope Southee gets up for the next test.