SYDNEY, 20 October 2003 — Ray Price captured six wickets to lead an unexpected Zimbabwe fightback in the second Test yesterday before a late batting collapse handed the initiative back to Australia.
Price ripped through the Australian lower order to finish with career-best figures of six for 121 and restrict Australia to 403.
That left Australia with a first innings lead of 95, but Zimbabwe quickly wiped out the deficit before bad light stopped play early at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
However, they spoiled their brave comeback by losing three late wickets to end the day on 151 for four, a lead of just 56 with two days to go. Price, the nephew of golfer Nick Price, had earlier brought the Zimbabweans back into the match with his six-wicket haul.
The 27-year-old was a late bloomer to sport. He caught meningitis as a child and was partly deaf for many years but inherited a strong work ethic from his famous uncle Nick and his father Tim, who was also a top golfer.
Australia started the day on 245 for three in reply to Zimbabwe’s 308 and quickly set about building a lead before Price, a left-arm spinner, suddenly applied the brakes by dismissing the captain Steve Waugh for 61, then his deputy Ricky Ponting for 169.
He had Waugh caught at short leg shortly after the skipper had posted his 48th Test half century, then removed top-scorer Ponting with a ball that deceived him and rolled off his bat and through his legs on to the stumps. Australia lost a third wicket before lunch when Zimbabwe skipper Heath Streak bowled dangerman Adam Gilchrist for 20 with a perfect inswinging yorker to claim his first wicket of the series.
Price then returned to mop up the tail after lunch, claiming the scalps of Simon Katich (52), Brad Hogg (13) and Brad Williams (seven) to finish with five wickets for the day and six for the innings, his best return in Test cricket.
