Here’s a wrap on day one…
Updated
STUMPS: Australia are 124-4 chasing New Zealand's 162
That’s Day One of the second Test dusted… and possibly days four and five too.
After a slow and steady start where New Zealand eased their way to 47-0, things happened very quickly. Josh Hazlewood (5-31) went on a tear, removing four of the top five Black Caps either side of lunch to send the home side into a spiral at eight down for 107. Some late swashbuckling from Tim Southee and Matt Henry added a handy 55 and saved New Zealand’s blushes but a first innings 162 was a poor show on a good wicket.
But again Tim Southee’s men rallied. Smart, sharp bowling by Matt Henry led the way. He collected the key wickets of Khawaja (16), Green (25) and Head (21) while debutant Ben Sears got things started by extracting Steve Smith for 11. It left Australia wobbling at 124-4 but with only 39 runs to run down tomorrow and build a lead. They have Marnus Labuschagne (45 not out) and Nathan Lyon (1 not out) poised to do just that tomorrow.
Hang around for the match report coming imminently and tune in to our coverage tomorrow where Rob Smyth and Martin Pegan will steer you through the action. Over and out!
Updated
36th over: Australia 124-4 (Labuschagne 45, Lyon 1) Hooked for four! Lovely shot by Labuschagne. Sears tried to intimidate him but it backfired. Marnus takes a single from the second. That gives nightwatchman Lyon four Sears deliveries to survive. Having batted 17 times in the top seven and whacked a fighting 41 in the previous Test, Lyon is certainly capable. Finally, the Black Caps bring in a short leg but Lyon lets the first two go, bats back the third and leaves the last delivery of the day. That’s day one done!
35th over: Australia 119-4 (Labuschagne 40, Lyon 1) With under 10 minutes left in the day, Labuschagne decides to get medical attention for a blow to the thumb. Umpire Marais Erasmus knows what he’s up to though and is hovering with the hurry-ups. He can’t delay the inevitable Henry over though and edges through slips to the boundary on the first delivery. Almost does it again on the third but Glenn Phillips at gully dives to stop it. They run a single which gives the GOAT three deliveries to survive. Lyon insouciantly turns the first ball he faces for a single and Labuschagne does likewise to the last. Too easy. Where was the pressure to keep Marnus on strike and expose Lyon?
Updated
34th over: Australia 112-4 (Labuschagne 34, Lyon 0) Once again in this series, wickets have fallen in a clatter. Head’s demise brings it 14 dismissals in a day! And the day isn’t over yet. Labuschagne has shut up shop, blocking Sears’ first two balls but he can’t resist the fuller third, driving deftly down the ground for a boundary. Will Marnus trust Nathan Lyon to see out a full over from Matt Henry? He can’t score from the fifth but gets a single from the last to retain strike.
33rd over: Australia 107-4 (Labuschagne 29, Lyon 0) What a shame for Australia. What a wicket for New Zealand. Nathan Lyon strides out as the nightwatchman and straight away there’s an appeal for caught behind down the legside. Not out. Henry’s spell has been epic – he has 3-32 from 12 overs.
Updated
WICKET! Head c Blundell b Henry 21 (Australia 107-4)
Live by the sword? Die by the sword! Travis Head is gone! He tried to swipe Henry to the fence and instead got a feathered edge on a ball going down legside. The dangerman is gone and New Zealand have struck again just when Australia were scruffing this game.
32nd over: Australia 107-3 (Labuschagne 29, Head 21) Labuschagne is enjoying the Travis Head show as much as the rest of us. He nips out of his crease for a fast single and settles in for the fireworks. Head delivers in style, giving Sears the Axeman’s Jazz and cutting him hard to the boundary. Brilliant batting. Head now has 21 from 16 deliveries and is turning this Test back in Australia’s favour. They now trail by just 55.
Updated
31st over: Australia 101-3 (Labuschagne 28, Head 16) Six from Head! What a shot. It wasn’t that short from Henry but Head was committed to the heave and he swung it high and hard into the crowd at midwicket. That was amazing. He goes after the fourth ball too. Bang! It’s another boundary this one a brutal swipe that bounces twice before hitting the hoardings. Suddenly Head is 16 from 14, Australia’s total is over 100 and New Zealand look a bit befuddled.
Updated
30th over: Australia 91-3 (Labuschagne 28, Head 6) Head hits out! Doesn’t collar it cleanly but gets two runs through the covers. New Zealand will like their chances of a fourth wicket here. Although Travis Head averages over 50 at home in Australia his record drops to 35 on tour. Ben Sears and his 139kph pace doesn’t worry him too much in this over as Head squirts the final ball for three to retain strike.
29th over: Australia 86-3 (Labuschagne 28, Head 1) Head almost chops on! It was the first ball he;’d faced but he chased it hard and got a dangerous inside edge. Lucky! Head manages to glide a single from the next to put Labuschagne in the firing line. He whips a boundary fine straight away. Enterprising batting from Marnus! Henry, with 2-22, is varying his pace, spearing it in at the pads so that type of shot won’t disappoint him.
28th over: Australia 81-3 (Labuschagne 24, Head 0) Masterful bowling by Matt Henry brings Travis Head to the middle. The maverick middle-order mauler from Adelaide has been struggling for runs of late but it’s not for the want of trying. Runs or not, Head will attack so, with 40 minutes left in the day, something amazing is going to happen here. This will be a battle royale to end day one.
WICKET! Green b Henry 25 (Australia 81-3)
Bowled! Great bowling by Matt Henry. The Black Caps were struggling and Southee took himself out of the attack and inserted his strike weapon. Straight away it’s paid off. Green was back and forward in the crease, swishing and missing. Finally Henry pinned him, beat him and bowled him!
Updated
27th over: Australia 81-2 (Labuschagne 24, Green 25) New Zealand need something here and it might as well be Matt Henry. First ball of his new spell Henry he gets Green swishing. Again the No 4 is advancing down the wicket to throw the bowler off his length but where he looked imperious against Southee, now Green looks all at sea.
26th over: Australia 81-2 (Labuschagne 24, Green 25) Five dots then BANG! Labuschagne leaned into the rigging and cuts Southee hard to the boundary behind point. Magic shot from Marnus who is building nicely.
Thomas Burke reckons “Labuschagne is batting like William H. Macy in Fargo. Things are closing in and the bailiffs are knocking on the door.”
Updated
25th over: Australia 77-2 (Labuschagne 20, Green 25) Kuggeleijn thunders in and unleashes a vicious bouncer that provokes another helicopter heave from Labuschagne. It looks awful but gets him a single. Green looks getter to his 130kph short ball, swinging it to the midwicket fence like a tracer bullet. Great shot by the big man. And now finesse from Green as he works Kuggeleijn off his holster and down to the fine leg boundary. Australia now trail by 85 runs and, at this rate, will knock them off tonight.
Updated
24th over: Australia 68-2 (Labuschagne 19, Green 17) Southee sticks at it for a seventh over in to the breeze but he looks a bit tired (100 Tests will do that to you) and his figures have swollen to 0-25. Labuschagne takes him for a single.
23rd over: Australia 67-2 (Labuschagne 18, Green 17) Kuggeleijn has two slips and a gully for Labuschagne but Marnus drops and runs for a quick single to give Green a look. He likes what he sees and wallops the final ball into the covers but it’s well fielded and saves another boundary. This Australian partnership is now up to 35 from 54 balls.
22nd over: Australia 64-2 (Labuschagne 16, Green 16) Southee has switched ends and is now pushing upwind and uphill. That’s a captain leading by example for you. His speed has dropped from high-to-mid 120s as a result and Green licks his lips, skipping across to on drive the second ball down the ground to the boundary. Next shot is even better! A middle stump line from Southee gets carved away for another Green four through midwicket. Magnificent shot! Big Cam moves to 16 from 24 with his fourth four.
21st over: Australia 56-2 (Labuschagne 16, Green 8) Blonde bomber Kuggeleijn returns and Labuschagne is enjoying this challenge. He likes a bit of heat in the kitchen does Marnie (just not in his toastie) and Kuggeleijn gets him playing and missing outside off. Marnus gets his eyes over the next one and nods thanks to the bowler for a testing maiden.
Updated
20th over: Australia 56-2 (Labuschagne 16, Green 8) Sears to Labuschagne. The debutant has been tidy after snaring the wicket of Steve Smith with his third ball in Test cricket. Entering his sixth over he has 1-12 and is summoning good pace and shape. Until Green rises up to his full two metre height and smokes him square for a boundary.
Updated
19th over: Australia 51-2 (Labuschagne 15, Green 4) Bowling change. Scott Kuggeleijn comes into the attack and his headhunter to Labuschagne first up draws a loose aerial swipe from the batter and a single. Kuggeleijn’s second ball is wide and the keeper can’t stop four byes. He gets it right on the third delivery but Green, as he did so cleverly in the first Test, is stepping down to muddle the lengths and negate the threat of lbw. Kuggeleijn digs the fourth ball in short and Green twisted his hips to pull but kept his torso straight to fend. Wise policy. Kuggeleijn has the ball spitting.
18th over: Australia 46-2 (Labuschagne 14, Green 4) There’s an easterly breeze gusting across Hagley Oval and it’s helped Ben Sears lift his pace to 136kph. The 26-year-old from Lower Hutt Wellington has impressed at T20 level and looks a good prospect in the long form as New Zealand try to fill the huge void left by recent retiree Neil Wagner. Green pays due respect to Sears’ fifth over, playing out a maiden
17th over: Australia 46-2 (Labuschagne 14, Green 4) Tim Southee wants a dip at these two fresh batters. The Black Caps captain returns for a second spell after his 0-10 from four overs earlier. Labuschagne greets him with a punch through covers that yields two runs. He pulls heartily at the fourth but it can’t penetrate the infield. The sixth certainly does! Lovely work by Labuschagne as he punishes a Southee ball that strays slightly to legside, lashing it to the fence behind square leg.
16th over: Australia 40-2 (Labuschagne 8, Green 4) Cameron Green is the new man at the crease and he gets off the mark slightly streakily with an unconvincing edge off Henry that runs past gully to the rope. Soft hands saved the big allrounder there. That and the confidence that comes with scoring an unbeaten 174 off 275 in the previous Test. Good over by Henry but I fancy it’ll be the last in his fine spell.
15th over: Australia 36-2 (Labuschagne 8, Green 0) The Black Caps went to drinks elated. Once again they have scalped the Australian batting and put both openers back to the pavilion cheaply. Labuschagne isn’t worried it seems. He gets onto his toes to tap Ben Sears’ second delivery through covers for his second boundary. Sears sends one through at eyeline but Marnus is cool as a grilled camembert sanger on ice.
WICKET! Khawaja b Henry 16 (Australia 32-2)
Khawaja’s stumps are rattled again! It was Henry’s final ball of the spell and all Uzzie had to do was survive. Instead he leaned into the legside to send a straight ball to fine leg for a single and badly misjudged it. The ball jagged back, grazed the pad and hit timber. New Zealand are fighting back at Hagley Oval!
Updated
14th over: Australia 32-1 (Khawaja 16, Labuschagne 4) Driven for four! Henry is starting to tire now and he put the first ball of his seventh over a fraction full. Khawaja stepped out and smacked it. Excellent response by the bowler through as he slides one past Khawaja’s groping blade. Now he traps him bang in front. Huge appeal. Umpire says no and I reckon there was an inside edge on it. Southee thinks so too. He doesn’t review. And just as well. Snicko shows a feathered edge. Great call by the master official Marais Erasmus in his final Test as a standing ump. Another appeal but that one is just down legside.
Updated
13th over: Australia 28-1 (Khawaja 12, Labuschagne 4) Labuschagne lashes Sears first ball to the boundary. Shot! Must’ve caught wind of the toastie roasting I was giving him. Sears does better on the next five though, finding late swing to pin the Australian No 3 in his crease.
After Steve Smith paused play to extinguish a glinting behind the bowler’s arm that only he could see, Rowan Sweeney hit send on a bold, if slightly supernatural, prediction:
“Smith’s eyes are superhuman at spotting things. If Bigfoot is ever to be seen by human eyes, he’ll be discovered on or around the sight screen, at Adelaide Oval, by S Smith.”
If his own big foot had got further across the line against Sears, Smudge would still be batting
12th over: Australia 24-1 (Khawaja 12, Labuschagne 0) Henry is targeting Khawaja’s ribs, using the bounce of this wicket to cramp the batter’s style and get him hopping about the crease. Uzzie has had enough. He gets served a short one and snaps, lacing it through the onside with a gorgeous pull shot to the boundary. Australia tail by 138.
11th over: Australia 20-1 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 0) Marnus has slipped from No 1 batter with a bullet to No 13 in the world. I blame his peculiar habit of toasting a ham and cheese sandwich and then, rather than consuming it hot, refrigerating it for later. A good toastie is a hot homage to fromage but what Marnus does is, according to many, “not of this planet” and a “crime against humanity”. After a strangled appeal for a catch down the legside, Sears bowls out a maiden to barmy Marnie.
Updated
10th over: Australia 20-1 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 0) That wicket by the debutant Ben Sears may just be the spark the Black Caps need to launch their counter-strike. They now have the struggling Marnus Labuschagne at the crease fresh from his double-failure in the first Test. Sears squared him up on the final ball of his first over. And now Henry does the same to Khawaja – twice! Unfazed, Uzzie tickles the sixth ball off his toes and runs two.
WICKET! Smith lbw Sears 11 (Australia 18-1)
Shocker by Smith! He leaned across the line but the ball was straight and true. Sears gets his first Test wicket and Australia’s new opener is back in the sheds with his head hanging in shame. Poor batting by the master!
Updated
9th over: Australia 18-0 (Smith 11, Khawaja 6) Ben Sears to bowl his first over in Test cricket. Good luck young fella! He strays onto the pads with his first delivery in the big time and Smith whips him away off his pads for a lovely boundary. Personally I’d rather that as my first ball in Test than a dull dot. Sears gets the next one on line through and gets that dot. And he gets a wicket on his third! Smith didn’t play a shot at all and it hammered into the pads on an off stump line and the umpire raises his finger. We will have a review here…. and the vision backs the man in the middle. Out!
Updated
8th over: Australia 12-0 (Smith 7, Khawaja 4) Henry slides his first delivery down leg at 130kph and only a sprawl by keeper Blundell saves it running to the rope. A bye. Khawaja leans into the fifth ball and runs two. Henry has 0-3 from four overs today.
7th over: Australia 11-0 (Smith 7, Khawaja 4) Finally a boundary! Southee put it on a fuller length and Smith stepped out and met it on the up driving sweetly to the rope. He pulls awkwardly for a single as the run rate surges to 1.6.
6th over: Australia 6-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 4) Henry finds movement again and gets Khawaja hopping again but he still can’t make him play. Three balls and no dulcet tone of leather on willow yet. Fourth ball gets us the dull thunk of ball on pad but that’s it. Another maiden.
5th over: Australia 6-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 4) Almost an inside edge onto the stumps! Southee jagged it back on Khawaja and the opener had to hop to keep it down. Southee tries it again but this one strays owider and Uzzie taps it away for three through cover. He has rocketed to four from 14 since I gave him the hurry up last over. Smith isn’t exactly flying either. He’s got two from 16 and the run rate is 1.2.
Updated
4th over: Australia 3-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 1) Watching Khawaja bat lately makes me pine for David Warner. Much easier to admire a tortoise plodding to glory when there’s a jackrabbit running riot at the other end. But he finally works a single behind point from his 12th delivery. There was two runs in that but Khawaja walked it to retain strike.
3rd over: Australia 2-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 0) Southee has Smith in early trouble here. Lots of bounce, lots of movement from the new ball. Smith wafts his light saber over the passing ball before slotting it back into its scabbard, working through a dozen twitches and then facing up. Southee is scrambling the seam and it’s scrambling Smith’s brains.
Australia have the ascendancy but the Kiwis won’t give in…
2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 0) Henry crashed Khawaja’s castle in the first innings of the first Test. Let’s see how the local boy does today? Uzzie isn’t a man to rush an innings. He doesn’t go near the first four despite the fifth going perilously close to his off stump. A maiden.
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Smith 2, Khawaja 0) After 100 Tests and 378 Test wickets, Tim Southee gets to take the new ball whenever he damn well pleases. Here he comes to Smith and straight away he’s on line, drawing movement in the air that draws Steve Smith even further across than usual. Soft hands to the next gets Smudge two behind square. But now he’s spotted something behind the bowler’s arm. It’s a glint on the dashboard of the groundsman’s dune buggy. An empty tinnie of Moa Motueka IPA perhaps?
Hagley Oval in Christchurch is the home of the great Sir Richard Hadlee, the one true king of Kiwi quicks. He rang the bell this morning to get us underway in this Test and he rang Australia’s bell 33 times in the 1985-86 series…
New Zealand all out 162.
That was bad for the Black Caps but it could have been worse. If not for some furious tail wagging by Tim Southee and Matt Henry who put on 55, the home team might have been done ‘n’ dusted for just over 100 runs. Instead they got to 162 – a respectable total but still a severely under-par one given the ripe batting conditions this Hagley Oval surface offers. Certainly, New Zealand made a great fist of the first hour as they got to 47-0. But either side of lunch Hazlewood tore them to pieces with sublime bowling. Mitchell Starc chimed in with three wickets (including two in two balls) and Cam Green and Pat Cummins got one apiece. Can the Kiwi Assassins aim up against an Australian top-order that isn’t really firing? We’re about to find out…
WICKET! Henry c Carey b Hazlewood (New Zealand 162-10)
Hazlewood gets five! In true Lance Cairns tradition, Henry gave it a heave and it looked close but no one appealed but Cam Green at gully. Not only has he got the wingspan of an albatross, he’s got bionic hearing. Sure enough, Snicko showed a murmur. Got ‘im!
46th over: New Zealand 162-10 (Henry 28, Sears 0) Here’s young Ben Sears on debut. Probably didn’t expect to be batting in the second session but he gets to watch from the non-strikers end while Henry takes on Hazlewood who is hunting five. Has he got it? There’s an appeal from the bowler. Umpire didn’t budge but Cameron Green heard something and Golden Boy Green gets his way as Cummins calls in technology to adjudge. And he’s right. A faint edge gets the Bendemeer Bullet his five-for!
WICKET! Southee c Hazlewood b Cummins 26 (New Zealand 162-9)
Cummins finally breaks that stubborn ninth-wicket partnership and snares his first scalp of the Test. Southee was riding his luck and he swung hard but it rushed in at 140kph and Josh Hazlewood judged the outfield catch beautofully, lunging forward to take it with both hands.
45th over: New Zealand 155-8 (Southee 26, Henry 28) Fast and full from Cummins. But again Henry works him away for a single with ease. A yorker – finally! But Southee digs it out and gets another run to bring up the 50 partnership. What a ripper it’s been too. Now Southee adds another three to the tally, whacking the Prince of Penrith (apologies Nathan Cleary) down the ground. It takes a good slide from Starc to save the boundary. Henry takes another single from the fifth but wants more from the sixth. He swings hard and catches a top edge. Hazlewood makes good ground to get under it. Out!
44th over: New Zealand 155-8 (Southee 21, Henry 27) The Southee-Henry partnership is now worth 43. Er, make that 47 as Josh Hazlewood gets carted by Henry down to the third man rope for four. Strewth! This is getting a mite embarassing for Australia. And yet Hazlewood responds with a bouncer. How about a slower ball, Hoff? A slider in the channel? An inswinging nipper? Hey, he’s only got 4-31…
43rd over: New Zealand 150-8 (Southee 21, Henry 22) Enough is enough, says Captain Pat. Starc slinks off to the boundary and the skipper charges in. But a change of bowler can’t bring a change of momentum as Southee leans into a short ball and dispatches it over the midwicket fence. Six! And a spectator in the deck chair has gone arse over elbow trying to take/ avoid the catch. Yeesh! Next ball Henry rides his luck even further, skying a catch which lands safely inside the ring. 150 up for the Black Caps!
42nd over: New Zealand 140-8 (Southee 12, Henry 21) Cam Green gets a chance to make amends for his 10-ball third over with another at Matt Henry. Nothing short this time but lovely shape as Henry drives at a straight one and almost edges. He steps back to heave the next delivery onto the onside so Green follows him down leg and Henry instead works it off his hip down to fine leg. Four! Australia going for plenty. Cue the conversation about how Cummins’ fast bowling cartel bowls to the tail.
41st over: New Zealand 136-8 (Southee 12, Henry 17) Starc pings in a wide one outside off first up and Southee climbs into it and takes two down the ground. A 141kph bumper aimed at the silver fern on his helmet puts the Black Caps skipper back in his place. Not for long though as Starc sprays another wide and short and Southee slashes it to the rope behind point. Shot! Here he goes again. Yet another stray delivery in the hot slot and the 100-Tester gives it the treatment. Another four and another 10 run over for the Kiwis. Big Tim batting with vim!
40th over: New Zealand 126-8 (Southee 2, Henry 17) With 1-7 from his two overs, the Green Machine is humming. There are high revs on the first delivery to Henry but it short and wide down legside. Second delivery is short and straight, sailing over Henry’s head. Finally we get a ball in the offstump channel and Henry flashes but flashes hard and it flies through the gap between second slip and gully for four. And again! Surely you put a third slip in now Pat? That’d be Green’s gully position were he not bowling. Sure enough Postman Pat gets the mail and brings in a third slip. Henry responds by edging wide of gully this time for two runs. Ten from the over!
39th over: New Zealand 116-8 (Southee 2, Henry 7) Strange end to the last over as Southee slashed at a short ball from Green and Carey co-erced his skipper to review. It was miles from the bat. Here’s the hat-trick ball from Starc…. fast, full, into the pads… but down legside. Ah well. After that anti-climax comes another as Henry punches big Mitch for four through covers to get off the mark. Strokes a handsome two past mid-on from the next delivery too, if you don’t mind. Then a single. Runs flowing for New Zealand! Unfortunately wickets are tumbling too. Southee slashes at the fifth, misses by a Christchurch mile. Another swing and a miss to the last.
38th over: New Zealand 109-8 (Henry 0, Southee 2) Tim Southee comes to the middle in his hundredth Test with his side in all sorts of strife. That flurry has finished me off, here’s Angus Fontaine to take you through the rest of the day. His first act will be to call Mitchell Starc’s attempt at a hat trick! Thanks for tuning in – goodbye!
WICKET! Blundell c Carey b Green (New Zealand 107-8)
Another glove down the leg side is caught by Carey. Blundell has to go. It’s a Kiwi implosion at the Hagley Oval!
It was the end of the over. Breathe.
37th over: New Zealand 107-7 (Blundell 19, Henry)
Updated
WICKET! Kuggeleijn lbw b Starc 0 (New Zealand 107-7)
Mitchell Starc is on a hat trick! He goes past Dennis Lillee with Test wicket number 356 and immediately chalks up number 357 by pinning Scott Kuggeleijn with a toe crushing yorker! Two in two and a chance at a Test hat trick incoming…
Updated
WICKET! Phillips c Carey b Starc 2 (107-6)
Blundell square drives Starc for a couple and then climbs into a short ball but hits it straight to the fielder at midwicket. A yard either side was four. The single brings Glenn Phillips on strike. Gone! An attempted pull shot sees the all-rounder get a glove through to Alex Carey. New Zealand falling in a heap in Christchurch!
36th over: New Zealand 103-5 (Blundell 19, Phillips 1) Cameron Green is summoned into the attack. He had very little work to do in Wellington, with the ball in hand that is. Thwack! Blundell latches onto a short ball and plays a brilliant pull shot through square leg for four. The hundred comes up for New Zealand, the’ve got it all to do for the rest of the day.
35th over: New Zealand 98-5 (Blundell 15, Phillips 0) Close! New Zealand nearly lose another – Starc sprays one a bit wide of off stump and Blundell throws the kitchen sink, pipes and stop cock at it. The edge flies a yard short of the looming Cameron Green at point.
34th over: New Zealand 96-5 (Blundell 13, Phillips 0) New Zealand look a bit stunned. After winning the first hour obdurately they’ve surrendered the impetus to Australia. Yikes! Blundell nearly chops on to give Hazelwood five – that was far too close for comfort. A full ball is driven through point for a couple, New Zealand eke-ing their way to three figures.
They’re muttering under their breath, and at a fair distance from Sir Richard Hadlee, in the member’s area at Hagley about if Josh Hazlewood is the modern-day Richard Hadlee. They might have a point too #NZvAus
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 8, 2024
33rd over: New Zealand 89-5 (Blundell 6, Phillips 0) Blundell clips Cummins off his pads for a welcome boundary. Brief respite from the mire. A single brings Phillips on strike. Cummins spears one into his thigh and I think it missed the protection. Show no pain Glenn! He does though, grimacing at the end of the over.
32nd over: New Zealand 84-5 (Blundell 1, Phillips 0) New Zealand’s best player in Wellington last week arrives at the crease. Welcome Glenn Phillips. He takes guard in a Kane Williamson shaped hole in the middle. Hazlewood completes the over. To say he’s got his dander up would be an understatement.
Updated
WICKET! Williamson lbw b Hazlewood 17 (New Zealand 84-5)
Blundell uses a delightfully retro old Kookaburra. It could be the Ridgeback or maybe even the Bubble. Childhood memories of Alec Stewart twirling away with that between deliveries in the 90s. Blundell gets a lesser spotted single to rotate the strike. Hold on… could be a HUGE wicket here! Hazelwood jags one back into Williamson and it pins the bearded one right in front. Umpire Nitin Menon raises the finger! Has he hit it? Williamson sends it upstairs but does not look confident. Sure enough there is no edge and four reds – OUT! Hazelwood snares Kane Williamson!
A clinic from Josh Hazlewood#NZvAUS
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 8, 2024
Updated
31st over: New Zealand 83-4 (Williamson 17, Blundell 0) Cummins is too short once again to Williamson. He’s too good a player to miss out when runs are few and far between. Cut for four. Cummins readjusts and sends down four dots at box height. Williamson plays late with soft hands to see out the over.
30th over: New Zealand 79-4 (Williamson 13, Blundell 0) Hazlewood has been sublime today. He has 3-18 from ten overs. I don’t think I can recall a bad ball (Unless I was distracted by my Walnut Whip binge…) Tom Blundell is the new batter. New Zealand need a partnership.
WICKET! Mitchell c Carey b Hazlewood 4 (New Zealand 79-4)
Daryl Mitchell off the mark with a doozy. Hazlewood is driven on the up down the ground for four. What a response! Hazelwood brings his length back a touch and the ball climbs and moves away late on Mitchell who follows it and gets a thin edge through to Carey. Corker of a ball to get early in your innings, Mitchell knows as much, a rueful glance over to Williamson as he departs.
29th over: New Zealand 75-3 (Williamson 13, Mitchell 0) Cummins drops short and Williamson doesn’t miss out – a cut shot has enough legs on it to just beat a chasing Nathan Lyon to the boundary rope.
28th over: New Zealand 71-3 (Williamson 9, Mitchell 0) Hazlewood lands it on a pocket square outside off stump. Mitchell is up to it, positive in footwork and solid in defence. Another maiden. Frugal start to the session.
Ian Smith wasn't happy with Rachin Ravindra's dismissal in the last over before Lunch.@imarAust #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/lCw9oEFd3R
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) March 8, 2024
27th over: New Zealand 71-3 (Williamson 9, Mitchell 0) Cummins to start from the other end, bowling to Kane Williamson. Two titans of the modern game going head to head. A tussle ensues. Cummins is full and in the channel on off stump. Williamson is solid in defence. After six balls they call it a truce. A maiden.
26th over: New Zealand 71-3 (Williamson 9, Mitchell 0) Hazlewood to Mitchell, first ball of the session. Beats him with a beauty. Starting as he left off, just outside off stump with a hint of away movement.
Josh Hazelwood has four balls to finish in his over after snaffling Ravindra on the stroke of lunch. Let’s play!
Looks a beautiful day in Christchurch. Afternoon session about to begin. Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell will beat the crease for the Kiwis and they are going to have to have a scrap on.
Spectators in Christchurch are permitted to stand right on the edge of the wicket square during the lunch break and get a fantastic view of the pitch.
— 🏏Flashscore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) March 8, 2024
Junior cricket is also played on the outfield on most weekends.
They do things differently (better) in New Zealand!#NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/VkvWx9TfaH
I really enjoyed Tanya’s piece on day one in Dharamshala. You will too:
Lunch: New Zealand 71-3
Josh Hazlewood the pick of the bowlers, he has 2-14 off 7.2 overs. The visitors will enjoy their sustenance that bit more. New Zealand safely negotiated the first hour but as is often the case, the Aussie bowling line up found a way.
WICKET! Ravindra c Khawaja b Hazlewood 4 (New Zealand 71-3)
Loosey Goosey! Ravindra falls in the final over of the session! A really loose drive to a wide and full Hazlewood delivery sees him nick to the safe hands of Khawaja at 1st slip. Ravindra is livid with himself, as well he might be. A poor shot. Australia follow him off the field – the final act of the session complete.
Updated
25th over: New Zealand 71-2 (Williamson 9, Ravindra 4) A patient Williamson waits for Starc to stray too straight and picks him off the pads through midwicket for three. Ravindra gets a meaty edge wide of point and the batters scamper another three.
24th over: New Zealand 65-2 (Williamson 6, Ravindra 1) A nervous looking Ravindra gets off the mark with a flick off his pads to fine leg. Sun beating down in Christchurch now. Williamson hangs back in the crease and turns his wrists on a length ball into the on side. One more to the total.
23rd over: New Zealand 63-2 (Williamson 5, Ravindra 0) Williamson gets on the front foot and drives Starc away for a couple through the covers. Ten minutes or so til lunch, Australia will be very happy with their morning’s graft if they winkle another out before then.
22nd over: New Zealand 61-2 (Williamson 3, Ravindra 0) Gut punch for Tom Latham who looked so good this morning. Hazlewood got a ball to just straighten enough and it really was the thinnest scratch on the bat. Top bowling, Latham didn’t do much wrong. Rachin Ravindra is the new bat. He’s such an exciting talent. Don’t do that though! A flat footed waft outside off nearly sees him perish off Hazlewood’s final ball.
WICKET! Latham c Carey b Hazlewood 38 (New Zealand 61-2)
Tiny feather of an edge through to Carey and Latham has to go!
Updated
21st over: New Zealand 61-1 (Latham 38, Williamson 3) Shot! Tom Latham drives Starc away handsomely through the covers for four. That boundary takes Latham to sixth place on the all time Test run scorers list for New Zealand. The man at number one is stood at the non-strikers end. Four more! A thick but controlled edge from Latham runs away wide of gully.
20th over: New Zealand 52-1 (Latham 29, Williamson 3) Latham drops and runs into the covers to bring Williamson on strike. Oooft! Marsh beats him with a full ball that nibbles past the edge. Goes full again and Williamson drives away in compact fashion to pick up three runs. Fifty up for New Zealand.
19th over: New Zealand 47-1 (Latham 27, Williamson 0) In walks Kane Williamson in his 100th Test match. The Hagley Oval rings with applause. Half an hour until lunch, crucial passage in this match coming right up.
WICKET! Young c Marsh b Starc 14 (New Zealand 47-1)
Young gets a leading edge off Starc and it is a great grab from Mitch Marsh at third slip!
Updated
18th over: New Zealand 47-0 (Latham 27, Young 14) Mitch Marsh find his radar and joins the dots. A maiden. This just made me laugh. Cameron Ponsonby is well worth a follow or whatever it is you do these days? A fine writer and budding broadcaster. Decent left-footed five-a-side footballer too. Engine.
All left-arm wrist spinners are moronspic.twitter.com/Qa7T5HiDj9
— Cameron Ponsonby (@cameronponsonby) March 7, 2024
17th over: New Zealand 47-0 (Latham 27, Young 14) Mitch Starc comes back into the attack and whangs down a wild ball that soars away over Carey and away for five wides.
16th over: New Zealand 41-0 (Latham 26, Young 14) Will Young tucks in! Mitchell Marsh is into the attack and he serves up a short and wide loosener that Young pounces on. The batter stands tall and punches from his tippy toes away through point for four.
There's something wonderfully relaxing about Tests in NZ @Jimbo_Cricket.
— Gary Naylor 85 (@garynaylor85) March 7, 2024
I think it's the level of cooperation on show: hard, but fair cricket with more smiles than snarls; crowds trusted to find their own space on the banks; and respectful applause for friends and foes alike.
Updated
15th over: New Zealand 36-0 (Latham 26, Young 10) Cummins would have wanted at least one wicket in the first hour after winning the toss and sticking the Kiwis in. Latham has looked good whilst Young has been becalmed and had that let off from Travis Head at short leg.
This pitch is a belter. I think Pat may have misread it badly when electing to bowl first. #NZvAUS
— Sulli (@SulliAU) March 7, 2024
Will you tell him or should I?
14th over: New Zealand 35-0 (Latham 26, Young 9) Young clips Lyon away for a single and that’s the sole action of the over. Time for a walnut whip Drink! I meant a drink.
13th over: New Zealand 34-0 (Latham 26, Young 8) Cummins continues, stitches together a maiden. A quiet first hour at the Hagley but the home side will be happy with their work.
Updated
12th over: New Zealand 34-0 (Latham 26, Young 8) Nathan Lyon on for an early twirl. I hate to use the phrase but that feels like a moral victory for the Kiwis. Indeed, this is the earliest a spinner has ever been deployed at the Hagley Oval. Latham greets him with a paddle for four.
Fran in Stroud sends a lovely, wistful message along the wires:
“For some reason, matches at the Hagley Oval always make me think of England’s match there in late March 2018. Jack Leach’s debut, and a Bairstow 100, but otherwise not an especially memorable match I don’t think.
Usually, following a Test match in Australasia implies freezing December nights at home while the Ashes is played out in baking heat. But this was very different. Spring was in full flow in the UK and our cricket season itself just round the corner. Listening to the commentary on TMS from Christchurch was dreamy as they described the beautiful parkland setting and the cool of the New Zealand autumn just coming in. The vision of it just stayed with me somehow.
From memory, the start of play was at three different times in the UK through the course of the Test, as they left their daylight savings time and then we went into BST over the weekend. It feels like such a treat to still have Test cricket going on, with this series and the series in India. Even though I don’t have the stamina to follow coverage through the night. It’s my favourite sporting thing, and I wonder how much longer we’ll have it for.
Thanks for your OBO. Have a good one!”
11th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Latham 21, Young 8) Cummins to Young. A single eked behind square. Latham has looked much the more in form of the two openers and he rolls his wrists on a controlled pull shot to pick up three into the leg side. DROP! Travis Head spills Young at short leg, it was a diving chance but Head got a good hand on it and it slipped out of his grasp and onto the turf. A let off for Young.
Mike Jakeman is feeling his age.
“Hi James, It seems astonishing to me that Tim Southee and Jonny Bairstow have played the same number of Tests. I’m fairly sure that Southee made his NZ debut in 1991, while spiky young tyro Bairstow is still finding his role in the England side.”
Southee made his Test debut in 2008, four years before Bairstow. Jonny has missed something like 52 Test matches in that time too.
10th over: New Zealand 25-0 (Latham 18, Young 7) Shackles be gone! Tom Latham unfurls a delicious cover drive, on the up, and it traces away all along the baize for four.
9th over: New Zealand 21-0 (Latham 14, Young 7) Three maidens in a row. Cummins on the button. Pressure cooker starting to hiss quietly.
8th over: New Zealand 21-0 (Latham 14, Young 7) Miserly stuff from Hazlewood, not giving an inch or a sniff of anything to hit. Maiden.
Marais Erasmus’ last Test! A few years ago I did a piece speaking to quite few of the elite Test umpires ‘The Men in White Coats’ – it was all men back then. Anyway, to a man they all said how much Marais Erasmus was their favourite colleague. Players, fans and other officials will be said to see him hand in his badge and gun shades and ball-clicker.
We are never ever getting back together pic.twitter.com/v7A87cwDXI
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) March 7, 2024
Updated
7th over: New Zealand 21-0 (Latham 14, Young 7) Cummins replaces Starc after just three overs from the top end. Lack of swing perhaps? Or a change of ends maybe? Searing insight? Young plays a loose shot at a length ball and luckily for him only connects with the fresh Christchurch breeze. Settle down William. A maiden to start from the Aus captain.
I’ve just polished off six (miniature, I’m not a monkey, ape animal) walnut whips. Self loathing due to peak in about two minutes.
6th over: New Zealand 21-0 (Latham 14, Young 7) Five dots from Hazlewood, the tall seamer is in the groove. Bop! Latham is on his toes and gets his reward for being watchful, the last ball of the over is a smidge too full and is driven down the ground for four.
Updated
5th over: New Zealand 17-0 (Latham 10, Young 7) A quieter six balls after the special last over from Hazelwood. That was McGrath esque. Metronomic. Masterful.
Updated
4th over: New Zealand 14-0 (Latham 9, Young 5) A single off the inside edge to Latham brings Young on strike and he clips Hazlewood for two through midwicket. Confident start this from the home side. Oooft. Beaten. Hazlewood pitches it on line with the off stump and moves it away late, a whisper from the edge. And again! A carbon copy. Not much Young can do with that. Three times! Hazlewood has it on a string, Young just nods and strolls away to square leg. Last ball of the over… beats him again! Connect Four! What an over from Josh Hazlewood.
Updated
3rd over: New Zealand 11-0 (Latham 8, Young 3) Starc is straight, looking to get one to spear into the pads. Young keeps him out and clips for two into the leg side off the last ball of the over.
A perfect ground, Hagley Oval. Bit of breeze, some sun getting through. Cricket time. #NZvAus pic.twitter.com/N5KhhZ4NgS
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 7, 2024
2nd over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 8, Young 1) Josh Hazlewood shares the new orb. Will Young is watchful, allowing the ball to pass through and defending off the front foot when required. A nudged single off the last ball sees him get off the mark/pinch the strike.
“Evening James”
And to you, South London’s Andrew Cosgrove. Maybe we are on the same street?
“Don’t listen to Wignall. He’s right about gibbons, but baboons very definitely are monkeys. I don’t have anything to contribute to the cricket discussion (yet).”
What about a funky gibbon? Billy Gibbons? I’m being a daft apeth.
1st over: New Zealand 8-0 (Latham 8, Young 0) Mitchell Starc begins with the new ball. There’s decent carry and some nice movement in the air too. Tom Latham - face daubed in white zinc – opens the face and runs a length ball wide of gully for four. New Zealand are away. Shot! Nothing more than a defensive push from Latham to an attempted yorker from Starc, the ball evades mid off and runs away for four. Two boundaries off the first over, plenty in it for bat and ball.
Richard Hadlee rings the bell and gives a hearty wave, he looks trim and fit, almost like he could do a job with the new ball.
Geoff Wignall has put me and my preamble firmly in our place.
“Sorry James, but neither gibbons nor baboons are monkeys. They’re apes.”
I stand corrected… said the man in the orthpedic shoes.
The players emerge under cloudy blue skies for the anthems. Ben Sears looks like a nice bloke. Well, of course he does.
Batting first at Hagley Oval after a toss win for Pat Cummins. Ben Sears (Cap #287) to make his Test debut and Tim Southee and Kane Williamson become the fifth and sixth New Zealanders to play 100 Tests 🏏 Follow LIVE in NZ from 11:00am with @TVNZ+, DUKE, @SENZ_Radio. #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/Gvg3BAEWWY
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 7, 2024
“Love these Tests!” enthuses Daniel Kalucy in the OBO mailbag. “Perfect timing for those working the late night euro bar job. Which is obviously why they’re held!”
Absolutely. I’ll have a Guinness Dan, and chuck in some of Jamie Dornan’s chiselled good lucks for good measure why don’t ya? Oh and a bag of bacon fries. Do you have them?
So, New Zealand will have the chance to post a score and set up the game. They’ll have the small matter of Australia’s gun bowling line up steaming in on a green top to negotiate first thing.
Best coin toss ever! You could have heard a pin drop as the entire ground went dead quiet. No exageration - zero noise. Followed by a groan from kiwi supporters. #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/rddxMAVKun
— Anthony Sherratt (@AnthonySherratt) March 7, 2024
Updated
Teams:
Australia unchanged once again. New Zealand have replaced the injured O’Rourke with the debutant seamer Ben Sears.
New Zealand 1 Tom Latham, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Tim Southee (capt), 11 Ben Sears
Australia 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Steven Smith, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood
Australia win the toss and will... bowl
Pat Cummins calls correctly and sticks the Kiwis in.
Ten minutes or so until the toss. More than enough time to dig into this piece about Steve Smith’s velcro mitts and the joy of catching. Written by some quill wielding oik called James Wallace?
Me either.
It is bright and clear in Christchurch. The pitch has a green hue but don’t be fooled too much by that, it’s normally a belter for the first few days at least. Kiwi bowler Ben Sears looks set to make his debut. Poor old Mitchy Santner.
No real intensity in Mitch Santner’s training this morning. Looks like New Zealand are sticking with Scott Kuggeleijn with Ben Sears making his debut #NZvAus pic.twitter.com/OOsOP77FG1
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 7, 2024
Tim Southee is excited to see what debutant Ben Sears can bring at Test level ⚡️https://t.co/DEmIYWuHWw | #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/vK6QYvz1sd
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 7, 2024
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the day one OBO of New Zealand v Australia from Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.
“It is nice to get the monkey off the back” said Ireland’s Test captain Andrew Balbirnie a few days ago after his side notched up their first victory in the format with a six wicket win over Afghanistan at Abu Dhabi’s Tolerance Oval.
Ireland’s historic victory came at the eighth time of asking, which is actually pretty darn quick in the grander scheme of things. Seven losses though was enough for Balbirnie to be summoning the imagery and heavy burden of the primate in his post match press conference. Which begs the question: if seven losses on the trot is a monkey (or an ape!) – a medium sized gibbon rather than a burly baboon say – then what exactly is one victory over your neighbouring rivals in the last 30 years?
Last week’s 172 run loss to Trans-Tasman rivals Australia only added to New Zealand’s woeful record against their beefier bigger brother. Since their five wicket win in Auckland way back in 1993, the Kiwis have conquered those in baggy green on one solitary occasion – an arse nipping seven wicket win in Hobart in 2011. Forget monkey, New Zealand have a hulking great albatross complete with green and gold bill tethered round their necks, squawking with glee and defecating down their back*.
The next five days will see New Zealand get their last chance of sticking one back to Australia in Test cricket for at least a couple of years and what better way to do it than in the game where former and current captains Kane Williamson and Tim Southee reach their 100th Test match?
Australia are vulnerable in the batting department, the spotlight particularly is on a chronically out of form Marnus Labuschagne and a sputtering Alex Carey. The bowling though? Australia’s bowling attack is ridiculous. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon have been good enough to bail a mis-firing batting card out time and again over the home summer.
There’s plenty to get into then as we tick around to the teams and toss in Christchurch. Play starts at 11am local/9am AEDT and 10pm here in London. Jim here on the tools for the first half of the day before Angus Fontaine tags in later on. Please do Email or tweet @Jimbo_Cricket with your musings and missives. Righto, let’s take the plunge, shall we?
*Apologies if you are reading this with your muesli, it is post watershed where I am in the UK. Squawk!
Updated
