Cricket: Border puts Australia on victory trail

New Zealand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .533-6

ALLAN BORDER scored an assured century on his 150th Test appearance to put Australia in sight of victory in the third Test against New Zealand at Brisbane yesterday. Border's 105, his 27th Test century, helped Australia to 533 for 6 and put his side on course for a declaration early today.

With two days remaining, New Zealand are 300 in arrears and facing their second successive innings defeat in the three-Test series.

'We want to get the runs on the board and put them under pressure,' Border said. 'It's important to bat them out of the game and put a little bit more wear and tear on the wicket. That should help our spinners, Shane Warne and Tim May.'

Playing in front of his home crowd, Border sacrificed his wicket after tea in search of quick runs before today's declaration. Charging down the wicket, he lofted the pace bowler Richard de Groen but failed to clear the boundary with his drive and was caught by Dipak Patel at long-on.

The wicketkeeper Ian Healy became the first batsman on Australian soil to be given out by the third umpire. After watching a video replay, Darrell Hair pressed the red light indicating Healy's dismissal after De Groen followed up his own bowling to break the stumps.

(Third day: New Zealand won toss)

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 233 (A H Jones 56; C J McDermott 4-39, S K Warne 4-66).

AUSTRALIA - First Innings

(Overnight: 241 for 3)

D C Boon c Blain b Doull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 * A R Border c Patel b De Groen. . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 S R Waugh not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 ] I A Healy run out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 S K Warne not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Extras (lb11 nb8 b6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Total (for 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533

Fall: 1-80 2-102 3-227 4-277 5-436 6-465.

To bat: T B A May, C J McDermott, G D McGrath.

Bowling (to date): Morrison 28-2-79-0; Cairns 33-7-117-1; Doull 33-5-105-2; De Groen 39-14-84-1; Patel 33-4-125-1; Jones 2-0-6-0.