ADELAIDE, Australia, 26 November 2004 — Australia are looking to bury New Zealand under an avalanche of runs before unleashing the spin menace of Shane Warne to sweep their series against New Zealand in the second cricket Test getting underway at Adelaide Oval today.
The signs don’t look promising for the Kiwis, smashed by an innings and 156 runs inside four days after being skittled for a record-low 76 in their second innings last week, despite controlling the opening two days at the Gabba.
Adelaide is traditionally a bat-friendly wicket which takes turn later and with scorching hot weather forecast for the entire five days the emphasis will be on spin.
Warne, Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker with 549, will be Australia’s trump card, while the Kiwis will use two spinners, Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman.
Warne revels in the Adelaide Oval where in 10 Tests he has taken 41 wickets at 28.97. But the Kiwis warn about over-emphasizing his influence. “Warne got eight wickets in Brisbane, six of the tail... look, we can play him better, he’s the world’s leading wicket-taker, so he going to provide some skills,” Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming said yesterday.
“While it is a focus, it’s not the be-all end-all, there are other areas where we didn’t do so well in so we have to concentrate on them as well.”
Australia usually score heavily in Adelaide, not going under 400 in their first innings in their last five Tests here. Yet even though they amassed 556 in last year’s corresponding Test against India, they went down by four wickets after a sloppy second innings of 196.
“We respect the fighting qualities of the New Zealanders, they have achieved some good things over the last couple of years in both forms of the game,” Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said yesterday.
