New Zealand aim to wrap up series as Ponting called back by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	RT Ponting, SW Tait, BB McCullum
Event:	New Zealand in Australia 2008/09

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DateLine: 7th February 2009

 

Ricky Ponting's mid-season holiday has been cut short in an effort to end Australia's horrible one-day campaign, which threatens to include a Chappell-Hadlee Series loss to an under-strength New Zealand. In a surprise move the Australian selectors have recalled Ponting for Sunday's third ODI at the SCG, despite giving him a two-game break after the opening loss in Perth last weekend. The move reflects the team's desperate state as they try to fight back from a 2-0 deficit in the five-match contest. The situation is so bad that a defeat on Sunday would be only the second time in Australia's one-day history that the side has lost six matches in a row. Ponting's outfit has also slipped to third on the one-day rankings following a win-less streak that resulted in a lost series to South Africa. Ponting was rested from the second match in Melbourne on Friday, which Australia lost by six wickets, and the earliest he was expected to return was for Tuesday's contest in Adelaide. Michael Clarke, the stand-in leader, scored 98 in the first innings at the MCG.

 

New Zealand are on the verge of their biggest triumph over their Trans-Tasman brothers for years. The last time New Zealand were 2-0 up in the Chappell-Hadlee Series was in 2007 and they quickly wrapped up the series even though Matthew Hayden blasted a brutal 181. That was also when Australia lost five in a row and on that occasion they then went through the World Cup undefeated. While a victory is important to keep Australia in the five-game contest, it is also necessary to avoid matching the country's worst ODI losing streak of six, which came in 1996 when Mark Taylor was in charge.

 

New Zealand, who won by six wickets in Melbourne on Friday, don't care about the damage being done to Australia and will aim to regain the trophy after being swept aside in 2007-08. Even though the hosts are in a desperate situation, a series success would be an incredible achievement for Daniel Vettori's rebuilding outfit.

 

Shaun Tait sat out Friday's match and has left the squad due to a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury and he has struggled throughout the season with his body.

 

New Zealand have no reason to change unless Brendon McCullum's hip injury, which he sustained in the first week of the tour, continues to nag, but they will be reluctant to lose one of their most senior men. Gareth Hopkins, the standby wicketkeeper, played in Auckland's Twenty20 win on Friday and will wait for a call. Jeetan Patel and Vettori have worked well during the opening two matches and will look forward to assistance from the Sydney surface.