Arnel superb, but little else to cheer about

BY SAM WORTHINGTON

A dream start to Brent Arnel's test debut was tempered by the fact New Zealand are staring at another long hard slog in the field today.

After a couple of late scratchings from the team sheet, the 31-year-old was finally handed his first black cap at the Basin Reserve yesterday and Arnel responded with a wicket in his first over.

The Northern Districts seamer lured Australian opener Phil Hughes into an ill-advised cut which was snapped up at first slip and left Arnel pinching himself.

"I was ecstatic, a dream come true, especially getting it so early," Arnel said.

"It was probably more a batsman error than my bowling but I'll take it."

Arnel showed no sign of nerves and impressed with a consistent line and length and just a touch of movement each way.

He finished his first day of test cricket with 2-70 from 20 overs, picking up the key scalp of Simon Katich for 79, caught lbw shuffling, as he always does, in front of his stumps.

"I had a little plan to go against Katich and I pulled it off so I was pretty happy. I just wanted to stay within myself and what I do in first-class cricket. I didn't want to come in and try to be anyone else or do anything different."

Despite a satisfactory debut, Arnel said the New Zealand camp were kicking themselves for allowing Australia to race from 163-3 at tea to a dominant 316-4 at stumps.

"We let ourselves down quite a lot actually. The first two sessions were exactly what we wanted.

"We knew going into that third session what we had to do and we didn't execute. We were pretty disappointed."

A late bloomer, Arnel made his first-class debut at 27 after choosing cricket over a promising basketball career.

He said there was a rush for flights to Wellington after he was named in the team and the Basin crowd got in behind him with an "Arnie" chant.

"A lot of people were waiting to see if I was in and they were jumping on the quickest flight.

"Hopefully my wife is here, I actually haven't seen if she is. I know my mother and stepfather are and my dad was coming down. There were a few other people here, a bit of support."

Australian centurion Michael Clarke was impressed with Arnel.

"He seems to nip the ball back in to the right-handers which is always awkward for someone like myself who likes to drive through the off-side," Clarke said.

"I think it's very hard to have too much expectation on somebody making their debut and I guess there would be a bit of pressure playing against Australia as well. But I thought he started really well."

- © Fairfax NZ News