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Aussies Lee and Gillespie bowl out Zimbabwe

Brett Lee bowls for Australia during the third day of play in the test match between Australia and Zimbabwe played at the WACA ground in Perth, Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

Australia forced Zimbabwe to follow-on after the tourists were dismissed for 239 runs in the first cricket test at the WACA on Saturday.

Fast bowlers Brett Lee (3-48) and Jason Gillespie (3-52) bowled out the tourists at tea on the third day to give the world champions a chance to force an early victory.

Trailing Australia's formidable 735 for six declared by 496 runs, Zimbabwe faces a heavy defeat in its inaugural test in Australia.

Zimbabwe lost its last six wickets for 40 including four wickets to the second new ball.

Lee and Gillespie snared two wickets each as the last four wickets fell for eight runs from 231 for six. The new ball attack was complemented by medium paceman Andy Bichel (2-62) and legspinner Stuart MacGill (2-54).

Opener Matthew Hayden top scored for Australia with a record 380 runs to topple West Indian Brian Lara's 375 runs, and post test cricket's highest individual innings.

Zimbabwe collapsed following an hour-long seventh-wicket stand of 31 runs between skipper Heath Streak (9) and his vice captain Tatenda Taibu (15).

When Zimbabwe resumed on 157 for four after lunch, Bichel took two wickets in the space of four deliveries to ruffle a Zimbabwe comeback. Craig Wishart (46) and Craig Evan (22) put on 76 runs for the fifth-wicket before falling in quick succession.

Earlier, resuming on an overnight 79 for one, Zimbabwe lost three wickets for 26 runs in the pre-lunch session following a 43-run stand between opener Trevor Gripper (53) and Mark Vermeulen.

Referee bans Graeme Smith

South African captain Graeme Smith was banned on Saturday for one limited-overs international and fined 50 percent of his match fee, while medium-fast bowler Andrew Hall was suspended for a one-day and two test matches.

The International Cricket Council's match referee, Clive Lloyd, also fined Pakistan batsman Yousuf Youhana 50 percent of his match fee.

All three players were charged with breaching the code of conduct during the second one-day international in the ongoing five-match series. ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed brought forward the charges based on video evidence of an incident during the match in Lahore. The ICC said Hall elbowed Youhana intentionally on his follow through as the Pakistan batsman tried to complete a run. Both players were then involved in a heated argument, which Smith joined and used abusive language, it said.

"The provisions of the code are there to ensure that the game is played in the right spirit and the penalties imposed reflect the fact that on this occasion these players acted in a manner that was not consistent with their obligations as professional cricketers," Lloyd said. "They need to be aware at all times that it is part of their professional duties to convey the right image to the public, particularly young fans, and that such behavior will not be tolerated," he said.
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