Cricket: Battling Border

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 and 226-6

NZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

ALLAN BORDER, the captain, hit a determined, unbeaten 61 to dig Australia out of trouble in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Auckland yesterday. Australia ended the third day 141 runs ahead of New Zealand in their second innings with four wickets remaining.

Border came in to bat with Australia 160 for 5 - just 75 runs ahead. The most prolific Test run- scorer survived some high-pressure bowling from New Zealand, who took the wicket of the wicketkeeper Ian Healy in controversial circumstances. He was given out by the umpire Chris King 10 minutes before stumps as caught behind for 24. But television replays showed the ball hit his upper arm.

Earlier, David Boon hit his 24th Test 50, while Damien Martyn scored a Test-best 74.

(Third day: Australia won toss)

AUSTRALIA - First Innings 139 (D K Morrison 6-37).

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings

(Overnight: 206 for 8)

M L Su'a c Waugh b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

D K Morrison not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

W Watson lbw b Hughes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Extras (b7 lb10 nb5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Fall (cont): 9-224.

Bowling: McDermott 19-6-50-2; Hughes 24.5-6- 67-3; Reiffel 22-6-63-0; Warne 15-12-8-4; Waugh 14-6-19-1; Martyn 1-1-0-0.

AUSTRALIA - Second Innings

D C Boon lbw b Su'a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

M A Taylor st Blain b Patel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

J L Langer lbw b Patel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

D R Martyn c Greatbatch b Patel. . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

S R Waugh lbw b Patel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

* A R Border not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

] I A Healy c Blain b Patel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

M G Hughes not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Extras (lb3 nb8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Total (for 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Fall: 1-5 2-8 3-115 4-119 5-160 6-226.

To bat: P R Reiffel, S K Warne, C J McDermott.

Bowling (to date): Morrison 23-5-60-0 (nb4); Patel 28-7-87-5; Watson 11-4-25-0 (nb1); Su'a 15-3-47-1 (nb3); Harris 2-1-4-0.