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It’s every spinner’s nightmare when a batsman comes after you and Nathan Hauritz never knew quite what to do. But he showed on Friday with his 2-63 in New Zealand’s 6-262 on day one of the second Test at Adelaide Oval that he has learned enough to be a factor at the top level.
Hauritz, 27, took five wickets on debut in Mumbai against India four years ago but then fell so far down the pecking order he was dumped by Queensland.
Even now he’s only second-choice spinner for his new state NSW behind Beau Casson, who made his Test debut earlier this year.
In a bizarre chain of events, Australia’s Jason Krezja injured his ankle at training on Wednesday and was unable to play on Friday, giving rival off-spinner Hauritz his second Test appearance.
Hauritz managed to injure himself in a fielding mishap just after tea on Friday and spent the final session icing his left ankle, but is hopeful of returning to the bowling crease on Saturday.
New Zealand won the toss and began with high hopes, reaching 1-101 at lunch.
But opener Aaron Redmond (83) and highly rated No.4 Ross Taylor (44) were the only batsmen in the top six to pass 30 after Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss on what looked a good batting strip.
Vettori will resume on 12 with Brendon McCullum on 30.
Redmond’s exit caught on the boundary was a key moment and a victory for the new Hauritz.
“Definitely after the Test (in India) my confidence … I was really high,” Hauritz said on Friday.
“(But back in Australia) I think I really got found out as a spin bowler.
“Any time I was put under the pump I didn’t really know how to react.
“The confidence did drop when I got dropped (by Queensland).
“Having the opportunity to play down in New South Wales really turned my philosophy on spin bowling around. Getting the opportunity all the time to bowl and to bowl early.
“It has taught me a lot about the craft.
“I’ve still got a lot to learn but I’m definitely a lot different bowler to what I was four years ago and it’s great to be a part of that.”
Hauritz was given another such opportunity on Friday, bowling three overs before lunch for 29 runs but fighting back to be Australia’s only multiple wicket-taker.
“It is pretty nerve-wracking to start off,” he said.
“When a batsman goes after you like that you just have to take stock and still believe in yourself that you are still going to get him out.
“There wasn’t much turn or anything like that so my greatest weapon was drift and change of pace out there.
“In the end it was a little bit slower to get him and he played the wrong shot and that’s what we were working on.
“It was a strange chain of events, being 12th man last week (for NSW) and theN being picked in this.
“It definitely took me a little while to work out what was all going on.”
The tourists lost three wickets in the middle session after Jesse Ryder (13), Redmond and Peter Fulton (29) fell to loose shots.
Redmond threw his maiden Test century away with a sweep to deep mid-wicket after hitting 14 fours and two sixes.
Taylor was lbw to Stuart Clark (1-56) soon after tea to a dubious decision by South African umpire Rudi Koertzen.
SCORE – New Zealand 6-262 make tough work of ideal conditions.
MAN OF THE MOMENT – Aaron Redmond. His 83 was the most confident Kiwi batting effort all tour yet his dismissal, swinging Nathan Hauritz into the deep when greater care would have reaped a century, summed up the visitors’ unfulfilled day.
KEY MOMENT – Ross Taylor’s demise, lbw to the slow moving finger of umpire Rudi Koertzen. To the the naked eye the ball appeared to strike him high and Hawkeye confirmed what Koertzen unaccountably failed to notice.
STAT OF THE DAY – Two. The number of Australian spin bowlers to be waylaid by a rolled ankle in the past three days.
QUOTE OF THE DAY – “It’s pretty funny. Jason rolling his ankle and myself rolling mine.” – Hauritz on his blackly comedic return to the Test side.
SUMMARY – An unblemished pitch and an uninspired Australian attack was not enough to stop New Zealand from impeding their own progress with poor shot selection. A better batting line-up, like India’s, might have finished at 4-350.
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