I just played one of the best matches I've ever played in ICC. Thriller.
Australia in New Zealand: 3rd Test Match
New Zealand 388
Peter Fulton 147
Shane Bond 72
James Franklin 69*
Paul Rofe 4/71
Shaun Tait 3/104
Bond
He's on fire! Peter Fulton lead the way with a big century with the batsmen collapsing around him, then when he departed Bond and Franklin infuriated the Australian bowlers.
Australia 520/9 dec.
Michael Clarke 127
Ricky Ponting 91
Michael Hussey 79
Phil Jaques 65
Justin langer 58
Daniel Vettori 5/129
Jacob Oram 1/59
We got pumped.
New Zealand 333/6 dec.
Mathew Sinclair 72
Peter Howell 72
Shane Bond 51*
Paul Rofe 4/78
Brett Lee 2/74
Sinclair and Howell held the top order together, and then Bond..
He's in the batting form of his life. Shame it's the end of the season. WAG.
We gave Australia 202 to chase in two sessions. Very gettable, but I wanted to give us a chance at winning such a close series.
Australia 200/7
Michael Hussey 77
Ricky Ponting 49*
Daniel Vettori 3/54
Shane Bond 2/27
Hussey and Jaques got Australia away to an electric start, putting on 122 for the first wicket. Then the grand collapse started, with Australians getting out to the spinners left right and centre. All except Ricky Mother****ing Ponting.
Ponting was striking at better than a run a ball for his first 20, and keeping him off strike or getting rid of him became top priority. It was one hell of a close game, and when Vettori literally couldn't bowl anymore Bond was brought in and he struck, ripping out Gilchrist, who had begun to build a semblance of a partnership with Ponting.
Then Bond struck again, ripping out Lee, and it looked like Australia were about to be routed. Ponting marshalled the tail and worked Shane Bond and Bruce Martin around the park, inching Australia closer.
With two overs to go in the day Australia needed only two runs to win the match and the series. Bracken took guard, and Shane Bond flew down his run up, and bowled a beauty of an over. Bracken had no idea, but somehow he managed to survive his flirts with the edge and his raps on the pads. Bond bowled a maiden, and Ricky Ponting, 49*, was on strike for the final over. James Franklin was brought on, with Australia still needing two runs to win and New Zealand needing three wickets.
Franklin bowled, and Ponting could not find the gaps. The game ended in a draw, and what a game it was. The teams could not be seperated the entire series, and the 0-0 scoreline reflected the cricket perfectly.