Pacemen pick up the pace

BRETT Lee and the Australian fast men began the first Test with two not necessarily compatible ambitions: rediscover their menace and improve the lethargic over rate that caused a crisis in India.

By the end of New Zealand's first innings at the Gabba yesterday, commentator Tony Greig was spruiking memorabilia in anticipation of Lee's 300th Test wicket (prematurely, as it turned out) and the contentious decision to pick four fast bowlers had been vindicated.

The Australians did not send down a single over of spin in bundling New Zealand out for 156.

The seam-friendly conditions meant Andrew Symonds contributed an over of medium pace rather than off-spin, fellow all-rounder Shane Watson continued his forceful form with the ball and Mitchell Johnson, though unable to summon swing in the Brisbane humidity, produced a career-best haul of 4-30 on a day when 16 wickets tumbled.

The last time Australia employed four fast bowlers in a Test, against India in Perth in January, captain Ricky Ponting was slugged with a fine for a slow over rate after struggling to manage an attack that included an out-of-sorts Shaun Tait, and had to use part-time spinners Symonds and Michael Clarke as India secured a famous upset.

In Nagpur earlier this month, Australia fell nine overs behind at tea on the fourth day, and Ponting was pilloried for using his part-time bowlers at a time when Australia had a chance to push for victory — a decision that allowed India to stretch its lead well beyond the touring side's reach.

Having avoided a suspension for the opening Test of the Australian summer, Ponting made a concerted effort to improve the over rate and the hosts did not fall more than two overs behind during the Black Caps' innings.

Lee used a shorter run-up, Michael Hussey sprinted to deliver the bowlers' caps to the umpires, and Ponting hustled his players between overs, abandoning his habit of holding conferences between balls.

"Brett was getting back to his mark a lot quicker (and) we were leaving our hats on the boundary when we could, and I think it was just little things, getting between overs a lot quicker, everyone sticking together and making sure we did that," said Johnson, who missed a golden chance to seize a hat-trick and his first five-wicket haul with Kiwi bunny Chris Martin on strike.

Although it was the left-armer Johnson who hastened New Zealand's collapse, the most striking change was in Lee.

The 32-year-old went some way to putting his subcontinent struggles behind him with a fierce spell that Jesse Ryder will not forget. In one dramatic over, Ryder was spared by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (who flung himself in front of Matthew Hayden at first slip and spilled a catch), survived a leg-before-wicket shout and was struck a painful blow in the groin.

More purposeful at the top of his mark, he looked a different bowler from the man who laboured for eight wickets at a cost of 61 runs each in India. He captured opener Jamie How with a ball that shaped into his stumps, and thudded another into the pads of the potentially dangerous Ross Taylor, slowly raising his finger in imitation of umpire Rudi Koertzen to claim his 299th Test wicket.

Johnson's intervention meant he would have to wait at least another day to join Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee in the 300 club.