BRISBANE, Nov 21: New Zealand collapsed to an innings and 156-run defeat in the first cricket Test here on Sunday, demoralised by a crushing Australian innings lead and routed by the world champions' inspired bowling.
The Kiwis, on top after the first two days, never recovered after Australia surged back from 128 for four chasing 353 to score 585 and seize a decisive 232-run innings lead.
Man-of-the-Match Michael Clarke (141) and Adam Gilchrist (126) shared in a record 216-run partnership for the sixth wicket and tailenders Glenn McGrath (61) and Jason Gillespie (54) posted Test-best scores in a 114-run last-wicket stand to wrest control from the Kiwis.
New Zealand were routed with Nathan Astle top-scoring with 17 in their lowest innings in a Test in Australia. New Zealand's previous lowest Test innings was 121 in Perth in 1980-81.
Test cricket's leading wicket-taker Shane Warne captured 4-15 off 10.2 overs to take his world record tally to 549. McGrath started the ball rolling with the first three wickets and finished with 3-19 off eight overs and Gillespie claimed 2-19 off 10 overs.
The Kiwis were in trouble from the opening over with Mark Richardson prodding at a McGrath swinger and edging a catch to Gilchrist. McGrath, his confidence brimming after his batting heroics, claimed Mathew Sinclair to a dubious lbw decision by Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar for a duck and skipper Steve Fleming went in McGrath's fifth over, caught at third slip by Justin Langer for 11 after scoring a duck in the first innings.
Warne struck with a lbw decision on Scott Styris for seven and at lunch the Kiwis were 42 for four off 18.1 overs. It got no better after lunch with Astle offering Warne his 100th Test catch off Michael Kasprowicz and first-innings centurion Jacob Oram was the unluckiest of the Kiwi batsmen in the mode of his dismissal.
He attempted to sweep Warne on eight but the ball ballooned to Matthew Hayden at slip to leave the tourists at 55 for six. Wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum was out to a howler of a decision by West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, who gave him out caught behind even though he did not connect with the ball.
McCullum walked away from the wicket without a murmur as the Australians rejoiced around him. Craig McMillan had a brief confrontation with Gilchrist after a loud appeal for caught behind was not given by Bucknor, but next ball he was out for nine, lbw to Gillespie.
Warne wrapped up the Test victory with Daniel Vettori caught at slip by Hayden and Chris Martin lbw for a duck. McGrath and Gillespie carried on their demoralising century last-wicket partnership for a further half-hour earlier Sunday with McGrath advancing his overnight tally by seven runs before he was caught by Astle off Martin.
It took the 34-year-old fast bowler until his 102nd Test and 11 years to claim his first-ever Test half-century and he batted for 139 minutes with five fours and a six. Gillespie also raised his first Test 50 with an unbeaten 54 off 155 balls with seven boundaries.
Martin finished with 5-152 off 39.5 overs with off-spinner Daniel Vettori claiming 4-154 off 50 overs. The second and final Test starts in Adelaide on Friday.
Scoreboard
NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 353 (J.D.P. Oram 126 not out, M.S. Sinclair 69, M.S. Kasprowicz 4-90, S.K. Warne 4-97).
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 564-9):
J.L. Langer lbw b Vettori 34
M.L. Hayden lbw b Mills 8
R.T. Ponting c Astle b Martin 51
D.R. Martyn c McMillan b Martin 70
D.S. Lehmann c McCullum b Vettori 8
M.J. Clarke b Vettori 141
A.C. Gilchrist c Styris b Martin 126
S.K. Warne lbw b Vettori 10
J.N. Gillespie not out 54
M.S. Kasprowicz c Mills b Martin 5
G.D. McGrath c Astle b Martin 61
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, W-1, NB-8) 17
TOTAL (all out, 153.5 overs) 585
FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-85, 3-109, 4-128, 5-222, 6-438, 7-450, 8-464, 9-471.
BOWLING: Martin 39.5-7-152-5 (4nb); Mills 26-8-99-1; Styris 8-1-33-0; Oram 25-4-116-0 (4nb, 1w); Vettori 50-9-154-4; McMillan 5-1-23-0.
NEW ZEALAND (2nd Innings):
M.H. Richardson c G'rist b McGrath 4
M.S. Sinclair lbw b McGrath 0
S.P. Fleming c Langer b McGrath 11
S.B. Styris lbw b Warne 7
N.J. Astle c Warne b Kasprowicz 17
C.D. McMillan lbw b Gillespie 9
J.D.P. Oram c Hayden b Warne 8
B.B. McCullum c G'rist b Gillespie 8
D.L. Vettori c Hayden b Warne 2
K.D. Mills not out 4
C.S. Martin lbw b Warne 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-4) 6
TOTAL (all out, 36.2 overs) 76
FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-7, 3-19, 4-42, 5-44, 6-55, 7-69, 8-72, 9-72.
BOWLING: McGrath 8-1-19-3 (3nb); Gillespie 10-5-19-2; Kasprowicz 8-2-21-1 (1nb); Warne 10.2-3-15-4.
RESULT: Australia won by an innings and 156 runs.
UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and S.A. Bucknor (West Indies).
TV UMPIRE: P.D. Parker (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Michael Clarke.
SECOND TEST: Adelaide, Nov 26-30. -Agencies