Cricket: Easy for Aussies as rookie Pattinson wrecks New Zealand innings

The 21-year-old younger brother of one-cap England paceman Darren Pattinson earned man-of-the-match honours for his match-winning spell with the ball. He reduced New Zealand to 28 for five with an irresistible spell of pace bowling, setting up Australia for a nine-wicket win.

New Zealand managed to scrape together 150 all out in their second innings, but Australia swiftly chased down the 19 runs they required for victory, for the loss of Phil Hughes.

Martin Guptill started the day by smashing the first ball from Peter Siddle down the ground for four, but that would be the last of New Zealand’s early forward progress. Pattinson was thrown the ball and was immediately into the rhythm that yielded him one for one from four overs on the third day. His second ball was a steep riser, zeroing in at Guptill’s ribs and the tall right-hander could only fend the ball to Usman Khawaja at short leg. Kane Williamson was completely beaten by his first ball, but was not lucky enough to miss the next, instead edging a full outswinger low to Ricky Ponting at second slip. Kiwi skipper Ross Taylor was the next to feel the pain, driving at his first ball and nicking to Brad Haddin to deliver Pattinson his third wicket of the over.

“To get Ross Taylor first ball was a big wicket for me and something I’ll cherish the rest of my life,” Pattinson said at the presentation ceremony.

Having dismissed Brendon McCullum late on day three, Pattinson all of a sudden had four for one from five overs. He could not make it a hat-trick but went close with a delivery which whistled past Jesse Ryder’s off stump.

“I got it nice and full but it just wasn’t on target,” Pattinson said.

The Kiwis saw out three overs without losing another, and Ryder even had a pair of boundaries to get the scoreboard moving, but then Pattinson chipped in again in his third over, nicking out nightwatchman Doug Bracewell to take his figures to five for seven.

New Zealand had been 121 for seven at lunch and managed another 29 to avoid an innings defeat. Chris Martin was the last man to fall, holing out to Mitchell Starc for his 31st career duck. Nathan Lyon chipped in with three for 19 to help roll the Black Caps tail, taking his match figures to seven for 85. Australian opener Hughes was the only batsman to fall in the run chase.

While Pattinson landed the heavy blows, it was an accumulation of punches that brought Australia an unassailable 1-0 lead heading into the final leg of the two-game series. Their first innings of 427 was the product of exceptional batting from the experienced middle order, with skipper Michael Clarke notching 139 and under-pressure veterans Ricky Ponting (78) and Brad Haddin (80) chipping in handily.

“Nice start to the summer,” said Clarke. “It was a great performance today and James Pattinson was outstanding. Our whole performance throughout this Test match was spot-on.”

For the Kiwis, only Daniel Vettori and Dean Brownlie will head to Hobart for the second Test with their heads held high, having put on a record 158-run sixth-wicket stand to lead New Zealand to 295 in the first innings.