Cricket: New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was quick to praise Ricky Ponting's Australia side after the Black Caps were beaten by 213 runs in the second Test in Adelaide yesterday.
Chasing 464 for victory, New Zealand were bowled out for 250 in their second innings with Fleming branding the Australians' performance as "ruthless".
"It's obviously very disappointing to lose the series two-nil. But I think we are big enough and smart enough to admire the side we have just played and the cricket they have played," Fleming said.
"Once again we've learned some massive lessons. I personally haven't seen a bowling display or batting display as ruthless as that for some time. It was amazing cricket."
Despite watching his side completely outplay the visitors in the two Test matches, Australia coach John Buchanan felt the New Zealanders would be a much tougher prospect in the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series, which starts on Sunday at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.
"We'll see a different New Zealand side," Buchanan said. "The weaknesses they showed at Test level will be lessened at the one-day level."
Defeat was inevitable for the tourists after they lost four wickets before lunch on the fifth day to be 243 for nine, needing another 221 to win as they chased Australia's combined total of 714.
They lasted just six balls after lunch. Paul Wiseman added four more runs before Chris Martin (2) was caught by Ponting at short leg to leave the Kiwis all out for 250.
The Black Caps began the day on 149 for five and were left reeling by the loss of two wickets in six overs.
Jacob Oram (40) was first to fall after just three balls, caught behind, and was soon joined by Brendon McCullum (36) after he walked across his stumps and missed the ball to be given lbw by David Shepherd as New Zealand fell to 160 for seven.
James Franklin (13) fell to the final ball of the 69th over, caught behind.
Daniel Vettori (59) delayed the inevitable as he notched up his eighth Test 50, off 64 balls, before being caught by Jason Gillespie. The New Zealand batsman went for the drive but did not get hold of it and spooned the ball into the hands of a jumping Gillespie at mid-off to close the morning session.
New Zealand returned to the crease following lunch needing an historic stand from Wiseman (11) and Martin. It did not materialise.
In Harare, Zimbabwe enter today's second one-day international against England convinced they have a player capable of becoming one of the world's best all-rounders.
Despite playing only his 12th one-day international on Sunday, 18-year-old Elton Chigumbura lit up Zimbabwe's innings with a stunning 52 off only 47 balls, including six fours and a stunning straight six hit off Glamorgan seamer Alex Wharf.
That display followed similarly impressive performances during the ICC Champions Trophy tournament when he hit 57 against Sri Lanka at the Oval and an unbeaten 42 in the defeat by England at Edgbaston.
Those innings have convinced former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons, who has been coaching Zimbabwe since July, that he has another diamond on his hands, having also guided emerging West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo during his time as Trinidad coach.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, Rahul Dravid led the way and India's middle-order batsmen were quick to lend support as the hosts finished the third day of the decisive second Test against South Africa on top.
India closed on 359 for six, a lead of 54 on the Proteas' first-innings of 305 all out, and will be confident of building on their advantage.
Dravid started the day in tandem with Virender Sehwag, the opener who had finished day two on 82 not out.
Sehwag perished early, fending off a Makhaya Ntini short ball straight to Graeme Smith in the gully having added just six to his overnight score, but Dravid remained and built a patient but typically elegant 80.
He eventually succumbed after being fooled by Andrew Hall's reverse swing but, by then, the hosts were in control.
