Australia warned over hunt for swing











 Andrew Wu


 Steve Smith's bowlers have generated plenty of reverse swing in the second Test.Photo: Getty Images











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 Adam Voges concedes Australia 
 are treading a fine line in their 
 handling of the ball as they strive to 
 use the dark arts of reverse swing 
 in their push for the No.1 Test 
 ranking.
 


 The Australians, on the verge of 
 breaking New Zealand in the 
 second Test, were again warned by 
 umpires for throwing the ball in on 
 the bounce from the field in an attempt
  to scuff up the ball and make 
 it more conducive to "go Irish".
 While the outfield at Hagley Oval 
 is lush, there are several abrasive 
 patches on the neighbouring wickets
  that a fielder can aim.
 Reverse swing was used with 
 great effect in the first Test and 
 was a major weapon for Australia 
 as James Pattinson landed several 
 telling blows in the final session on 
 Monday.
 Pattinson was given a "rocket" 
 from the coaches for his no-ball 
 that reprieved Brendon McCullum 
 on day one and responded by taking
  three top-order wickets.
 Such was the movement Australia's
  bowlers generated, a bemused 
 McCullum took the unusual step of 
 picking up the ball to inspect its 
 condition. He could have been given
  out handling the ball had the 
 visitors  appealed. The Black Caps 
 captain had earlier seen his attack 
 struggle to move the ball off the 
 straight for five sessions.
 "He was probably having a look 
 to see what it looked like, basically," 
 Voges said.
 "We've probably got it going 
 more than what they have. It can be 
 to do with the conditions as well, 
 the wicket is probably drying out a 




 bit more abrasive so the ball is 
 scuffing up a bit more but I'm sure 
 he was just having a look to see 
 what was happening."
 The Australians take great pride 
 in the way they look after the ball. 
 Once they identify it will not swing 
 conventionally they work to get it 
 reversing by polishing one side so 
 it is considerably smoother than 
 the other. The difference can be 
 accentuated if one side is significantly
  worn. Ball tampering is considered
  one of cricket's ugliest offences.

 "There's a line. I'm sure most 
 fielding teams will get as close to 
 the line as they can without overstepping
  it," Voges said.
 "That's the umpires' job - to tell 
 us when we're getting close. That's 
 what happened today and we kept 
 it up pretty well after that."
 Voges put the extra movement 




 Australia's bowlers were able to extract
  down to their higher speed.
 "That maybe exaggerates reverse
  swing a bit more and our 
 guys seem to be able to go a little 
 bit both ways, which maybe exaggerates
  it a bit more," Voges said.
 Pattinson  repaid the debt he 
 owed  from his no-ball on day one, 
 which gifted McCullum a life.
 He was jeered by the partisan 
 crowd after an emphatic appeal for 
 a return catch. Replays showed the 
 ball had hit the ground and deflected
  off McCullum's leg before ballooning
  to the bowler. Pattinson 
 even had the nerve to fire choice 
 words at the retiring star, who 
 made 25 in his final innings.
 Pattinson was given a spray by 
 the  coaching team on Saturday 
 night for overstepping to McCullum,
  who then made the fastest 
 century in Test history. "Yeah the 
 coach didn't miss him after play on 
 day one, and that's probably putting
  it nicely," Voges said.
 New Zealand finished day three 
 on 4-121, a deficit of 14, needing a 
 herculean innings from Kane 
 Williamson if they are to give Australia
  any meaningful final-innings 
 run chase.