November 26, 2001	Monday	Ramazan 10, 1422

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HOBART (Australia), Nov 25: New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 97 on a rain-interrupted fourth day to dampen Australian hopes of victory in the second Test Sunday.

The tourists required a further 162 runs to avoid the follow-on but looked well set to save the game going into the final day.

New Zealand were 197 for four at the close, with Fleming unbeaten on 71 and McMillan 51 not out.

Their stand bettered the previous fifth-wicket record of 92 for the Kiwis in Tests against Australia, set by Nathan Astle (66) and McMillan (45) in the first match of the three-Test series in Brisbane earlier this month.

Almost 10 hours of play — more than a day — have been lost because of rain in the first four days and only 51 overs were bowled Sunday as New Zealand added 126 for the loss of two wickets.

Earlier Sunday, Mark Waugh and Jason Gillespie had removed Astle (11) and Mark Richardson (30) respectively as Australia tried to enforce the follow-on.

Resuming at 71 for two in reply to Australia’s 558 for eight declared at the Bellerive Oval, the tourists lost Richardson lbw to Gillespie in the third over of the day at 76 for three.

Mark Waugh struck in the first hour with his second ball of the innings when Astle was caught at slip by Shane Warne at 100 for four.

The patient Fleming was on 29 at the fall of the fourth wicket and was stuck on 49 for 28 minutes and 19 balls before scoring his 31st Test half-century with a push to the on-side off Warne 15 minutes before lunch.

The 28-year-old New Zealand captain had batted for more than four hours and faced 183 balls for his 71 which included seven fours. McMillan, who had faced 129 balls in 160 minutes, hit six boundaries and reached his half-century with a five which included four overthrows.