Catch up on all of the action from day three at Hagley Oval:
STUMPS: Australia 77-4, trailing New Zealand by 201 runs
Well, what a day of Test cricket we were treated to! 12 wickets fell during the day – you’d have to conclude it was a bowlers’ day out there. Cummins was at his brilliant best with the ball and Lyon’s contribution late in the innings was vital to clean up New Zealand’s tail and stop their lead from getting out of control.
Australia would have seen 279 as a very achievable target, but after losing four quick wickets this afternoon, some of that confidence will have waned. New Zealand were in the driver’s seat after those four wickets fell, but Marsh and Head have just leaned over from the passenger seat and started to take the wheel with a good fightback late in the day. Both started fairly aggressively, before tapping the brakes closer to stumps and slowing things down, aware of the importance of not losing another wicket today.
From here the game is anyone’s. It will be a tough slog for Australia, but they have a winning mindset and will definitely see it as possible. New Zealand needs wickets, but if Henry and Sears can keep bowling the way they did today, with the support of Southee and Phillips to give them a break and not leak too many runs, they can definitely get this win.
New Zealand have not beaten Australia at home for 31 years, so there is plenty of motivation for this team to finish this match off and come away with the win. We are poised for a huge day of play tomorrow – make sure you join us here and don’t miss a minute of the action!
24th over: Australia 77-4 (Marsh 27, Head 17) This looks like it will be the last over of the day and the captain is bowling it. He would dearly love a wicket to close out the day and give his side all the momentum going into tomorrow. Marsh rotates the strike straight away and Southee bounces Head next ball. Head ducks under it, but he definitely looks the more under pressure of the two batters out there. He just misses feathering an edge through to the keeper next ball – it’s a really nice delivery from Southee with a scrambled seam. Head gets behind the ball better next ball and plays defensively. Southee takes the pace off for the last ball of the day and Head runs a leg bye to finish things off.
23rd over: Australia 75-4 (Marsh 26, Head 17) Phillips resumes and Head determinedly blocks the first two balls of the over. New Zealand has fielders in very close, trying to put pressure on Head and force a slip up. It’s a high pressure situation as we inch towards stumps and New Zealand seem to sense a wicket coming. Marsh sees out the over nicely with a single.
22nd over: Australia 73-4 (Marsh 25, Head 16) Another over for Southee – you’d imagine these two bowlers will see out the day now with only 10 minutes or so left to play. Henry is still off the field and Mitchell Santner is the substitute fielder. Southee is bowling consistently and Head and Marsh are batting more conservatively as the day gets later, not wanting to lose their wickets so close to stumps.
Tom Burke has some more thoughts for us, which is definitely something worth discussing. He writes:
“Hi Megan,
Steve Smith opening the batting has failed against the West Indies and New Zealand. This gambit strikes one as hubris. The Aussies need to reconstruct their batting line-up as a matter of urgency.
Regards,
Tom
Glasnevin”
I’m inclined to agree – I was all for giving him a shot, but it doesn’t seem to have paid off thus far. Does this open the door for Cam Bancroft?
21st over: Australia 71-4 (Marsh 23, Head 16) Phillips is bowling his first over of the day, hoping to extract some of that spin that Lyon found earlier. Head won’t let himself be tempted into playing some of those big shots that cost New Zealand against Lyon, he is watchful and gets off strike with a careful single.
20th over: Australia 69-4 (Marsh 22, Head 15) Henry is off the field after bowling nine overs straight and Tim Southee bowls his fifth over. He wasn’t as menacing as Henry or Sears in his first spell, but he was economical, so maybe he can dry up some runs here and tempt the Australians into throwing away their wickets. If that’s the plan, he executes it well, just one run from the over.
19th over: Australia 68-4 (Marsh 22, Head 14) Sears bowls his sixth over of the innings – he’s still getting plenty of speed in his deliveries, up around that 140km/hr mark. Marsh takes him on, playing with the swing of the ball to drive it past deep point for four.
18th over: Australia 58-4 (Marsh 18, Head 8) Henry resumes for a ninth over in this spell – how much can New Zealand squeeze out of him this afternoon? Head plays a nice leg glance around the corner for four past fine leg – he is looking a little more comfortable now. Henry throws in a short ball that cramps Head up, but he manages to play it well enough to get off strike. Wayne Satchell has come back to me with some more thoughts on today’s play:
“Hi Megan, We need a partnership and cannot rely on the bowlers to get the runs required and there is two days to play! Maybe another century last wicket stand again?”
That would certainly be an exciting finish!
17th over: Australia 58-4 (Marsh 18, Head 8) Marsh goes hard after Sears from the first ball and only manages a bottom edge, but he’s struck it hard enough to send it flying over the slips cordon and to the boundary for four. Head chips in with his own edge, but it too falls safely and runs off to the boundary. Australia are picking up a little bit of momentum, but it looks anything but comfortable.
16th over: Australia 48-4 (Marsh 13, Head 3) These two Australian batters aren’t known for their patience, so it will be interesting to see their approach here. Both are aggressive players – should they play their natural game and keep taking risks, or do they need to be a little more cautious, which can come with risks itself? I’m interested to know your thoughts. Marsh gets lucky with an edge flying through the slips for four and later in the over snags another couple of runs through an inside edge, before finishing the over with a well-timed straight bat shot for three.
15th over: Australia 38-4 (Marsh 4, Head 2) There’s about 45 minutes left to play today, so still plenty of time for things to happen. Sears bowls this first over after drinks and makes things happen immediately, seeing the back of Green. Marsh isn’t interested in playing the patient game, he gets off the mark with a four and avoids getting a pair for this match. Tom Burke has some deep and meaningful thoughts for us this late Sunday afternoon in his email entitled ‘Spiritual Ennui’:
“Hi Megan,
The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis is freaking me out but New Zealand beating Australia would represent a new dawn for civilization.
Regards
Tom”
I think that new dawn may be well on its way Tom.
WICKET! Green b Sears 5 (Australia 34-4)
Wow, what a spell this has been from Sears. Green tries to leave the ball, but he can’t get out of the way and it ricochets into the stumps.
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14th over: Australia 34-3 (Green 5, Head 2) Henry bowls another over – with these two bowling in partnership at the moment, life is difficult for the Australians. They’re both bowling quickly and accurately. Head gets off the mark with a nicely played flick off the front foot for two. Drinks are on the field.
13th over: Australia 31-3 (Green 5, Head 0) Naturally Sears continues with his spell after a wicket in his first over and a maiden in his second. His bouncer makes Green duck – and he has to duck quick significantly to get under it, being the giant human he is. Green plays patiently and late in the over he finds a single. He looks content to be patient, but it’s been a hard thing to pull off thus far, as the ball is doing so much.
12th over: Australia 30-3 (Green 4, Head 0) Another over for Henry – New Zealand are threatening from both ends at the moment. Khawaja has been patient, he knows that this partnership is vital to Australia’s chances, but he can’t evade a very good delivery from Henry and he has to head back to the pavilion and Australia are in trouble. Head hasn’t been in the most amazing run of form lately, but it is up to him and Green to steer Australia out of trouble here now. Jitu Burman isn’t sure they can do it, they’ve got in touch by email to give us their prediction:
“Australia perhaps may lose by a slight margin.”
WICKET! Khawaja c Southee b Henry 11 (Australia 30-3)
Not good news for Australia as now Khawaja can’t get his bat away and the edge finds Southee in the slips for a very good catch. A fantastic spell from Henry so far.
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11th over: Australia 30-2 (Green 4, Khawaja 11) Sears bowls his second over of this innings – he’s generating plenty of speed out of this pitch. Green is watchful to start the over, wary of falling into the same trap that Labuschagne found himself ensnared in. He sees out the over and it’s a maiden for Sears.
10th over: Australia 30-2 (Green 4, Khawaja 11) Henry continues – he has been looking dangerous every ball he bowls so far. New Zealand certainly have their tails up – they are so energetic in the field and diving after every ball. Green finds the gap down the ground – it’s not hit hard enough to find the boundary, but they get back for three. Khawaja strikes it a little bit more sweetly down the ground and he does manage to find the boundary.
9th over: Australia 23-2 (Green 0, Khawaja 6) Sears comes into the attack for the first time today with his jumpy action. He very nearly gets Labuschagne, but Mitchell drops the catch in the slips and it’s a very lucky let off for Labuschagne – as we are by now accustomed to seeing. Sears backs it up with another good delivery and soon after, Labuschagne’s luck runs out. Sears takes the catch himself and brings Green to the crease much earlier than he would have hoped. Green survives the end of the over and gets off the mark with an inside edge.
WICKET! Labuschagne c&b Sears 6 (Australia 22-2)
A dropped catch by Mitchell made Sears determined to do it all himself – he makes no mistake and takes a good, low catch to dismiss Labuschagne cheaply.
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8th over: Australia 21-1 (Labuschagne 6, Khawaja 6) Wayne Satchell has got in touch by email with some questions:
“Will Australia win this test? Openers Smith and Khawaja have to have patience and concentration and build a opening partnership as there is two days to get the runs. Labuschagne scored 90 in the first innings which was a welcome return to form after a horror run and Green is showing his potential in this series! Can they make it 2 zip?”
Things certainly look less certain after that Smith wicket – the patience Wayne mentioned has dissipated and now we must see if Labuschagne can continue his form from the first innings. Henry nearly gets Labuschagne first ball, it comes within millimetres of his bat’s edge. Henry is up and about and it will be tough period for Australia as we get towards stumps. Eventually Labuschagne gets off the mark with a four, timed well past long on.
WICKET! Smith lbw Henry 9 (Australia 15-1)
Smith is bitterly disappointed with that one and reviews, but more in hope than anything else. Three reds light up and the decision stands.
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7th over: Australia 15-0 (Smith 9, Khawaja 6) A nice pull shot from Khawaja to start the over, but he can only manage a single from it. A ball catches the edge of Smith’s bat and looks panicked at slips, but it falls safely and then he plays a nice drive for three.
6th over: Australia 11-0 (Smith 6, Khawaja 5) I’ve been sent an email prediction, which I’m hesitant to put on the record here for fear of enacting the commentator’s (live blogger’s) curse. But ultimately I’ve decided it’s not my prediction, so here were go from budabbott who simply says:
“100 for Smith. Aussies win by 5 wickets”
Are they correct? Only time will tell. This is a good over from Henry, just the one from it.
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5th over: Australia 10-0 (Smith 6, Khawaja 4) Southee continues his spell. Some confusion in the middle of the over with the running and Smith almost gets caught out of his crease, but dashes back in time. It looked like a nervous start to the innings, but both Smith and Khawaja have settled a little now.
4th over: Australia 7-0 (Smith 5, Khawaja 2) Henry bowls another over and the first ball just misses the edge of Smith’s bat. The second catches Smith on the pads and there’s an appeal, but it’s safely outside the line. They appeal again next ball, which is again outside the line – rinse and repeat. Finally an overpitched delivery gives Smith an opportunity and he whips it through deep midwicket for four.
3rd over: Australia 3-0 (Smith 1, Khawaja 2) Southee resumes to Smith, who comes right across his crease to flash at the ball. Eventually he finds his way off strike with a single and Khawaja sees out the over.
2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Smith 0, Khawaja 2) Khawaja gets his first look at the bowling now and it’s Henry who opens from the other end. There’s a big appeal for caught from the first ball, but the umpire isn’t interested and New Zealand decide not to review. Replays show that it hit Khawaja’s arm, so it’s a good decision not to review. It’s very good areas from Henry, forcing Khawaja to leave on multiple occasions. Eventually Khawaja goes after a straight one and finds a gap in the field and he manages to get himself – and Australia – off the mark.
1st over: Australia 0-0 (Smith 0, Khawaja o) Here we go with the fourth innings – unless something very silly happens, we will have a winner out of this match. Smith takes strike to start and Southee opens the bowling in his 100th Test match. It’s a maiden from Southee – a good over to start.
New Zealand all out for 372
New Zealand fought back well at the end of the last session and had some good periods early in this session, but Australia found a way to keep taking wickets. Lyon was very good when he came on – he leaked some runs, but made up for it with three vital wickets. Australia now require 279 runs to win – they have more than two days in which to do it, but whether they can avoid losing wickets is the real question. There has been a bit in this pitch late, so New Zealand would put themselves in with a great chance of snatching a win. It’s all happening at Hagley Oval – don’t go anywhere!
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WICKET! Kuggeleijn c Green b Lyon 44 (New Zealand 372)
Kuggeleijn gets greedy and wants to smack his way to 50 in one ball, but Lyon is having none of it and Green takes an easy catch to send him back to the pavilion.
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108th over: New Zealand 372-9 (Kuggeleijn 44, Sears 0) Another Cummins over and Kuggeleijn immediately gets himself off strike and throws Southee to the wolves. And straightaway he has to go for a duck, bringing the debuntant Sears to the crease. Sears looks decidedly uncomfortable to be facing Cummins, but he survives the over,
WICKET! Southee c Carey b Cummins 0 (New Zealand 372-9)
Southee can’t get out of the way of the ball and Cummins traps him sensationally, with Carey taking a great catch behind the stumps to see the back of the New Zealand captain.
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107th over: New Zealand 371-8 (Kuggeleijn 43, Southee 0) Lyon resumes and gets his first look at Kuggeleijn, who plays watchfully and gets himself off strike after blocking out a couple. Lyon tempts Henry into throwing away his wicket and the captain Southee comes to the crease and blocks out the over.
WICKET! Henry c Hazlewood b Lyon 16 (New Zealand 371-8)
Henry has been finding the boundary with ease, so as soon as he gets on strike to Lyon again he goes for it again, but Hazlewood is lying in wait and takes a comfortable catch a metre inside the rope.
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106th over: New Zealand 370-7 (Kuggeleijn 42, Henry 16) Cummins resumes and Henry picks up another four – this one is a streaky inside edge that does not look intentional, but they’ll take the runs whichever way they come. Carey can’t stop a ball that flies off Henry’s pads for four leg byes and the lead continues to build. On the last ball of the over, Henry plays a much more deliberate shot that also finds the boundary. It’s disappointing for Australia after taking that wicket – they need to find a way to fight back.
105th over: New Zealand 358-7 (Kuggeleijn 42, Henry 8) The perfect start to Lyon’s spell brings Henry to the crease. He blocks the first ball he faces, then takes a big swing and plays the ball in the air, but it falls safely and Hazlewood can’t stop it reaching the boundary. Buoyed with confidence, he rocks back and cuts one through the off side for a second consecutive four. Lyon bowls a quick one next ball that beats everything and swings the momentum back a little.
WICKET! Phillips b Lyon 16 (New Zealand 349-7)
Lyon comes on to bowl and immediately takes a wicket! Phillips’ eyes light up and he swings hard, but the ball sneaks under the bat to clip the top of off stump. That’s the start Australia were looking for after tea.
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104th over: New Zealand 349-6 (Kuggeleijn 42, Phillips 16) We’re back from tea and will keep rolling on until stumps now. Let’s see which team are best able to use the break to their advantage. Cummins starts with a cracker of a ball (as per usual) that jags back and just misses Kuggeleijn’s bat. Kuggeleijn hits one for four late in the over and Cummins responds with a dot with excellent line and length.
While you’re having your tea, please enjoy this beautiful ball from Pat Cummins to take the wicket of Rachin Ravindra in the last session.
Seriously good bowling #NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/aLhgLpIUt8
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 10, 2024
TEA: New Zealand are 345-6 and lead by 251 runs
The start of this session looked like it belonged to Australia, but New Zealand quickly settled and fought back hard. They will be pleased to have got the lead up above 250 and will look to push that to 300 in the final session of the day. Australia needs quick wickets to stem this flow of runs and give themselves the opportunity to win this game. They have plenty of time, but do not want to give themselves too big of a fourth innings chase. The game is in the balance and it’s a fascinating battle!
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103rd over: New Zealand 345-6 (Kuggeleijn 38, Phillips 16) Hazlewood resumes and looks to capitalise on the pressure Cummins built in the previous over. He slides one just past Kuggeleijn’s bat, which just misses both the bat and the stumps, but next ball the batter gets bat on ball with a pull shot for four, bringing up the 250 lead for New Zealand. Hazlewood responds with a bouncer, which the batter ducks under, before getting one of those pesky quick singles to get off strike.
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102nd over: New Zealand 340-6 (Kuggeleijn 33, Phillips 16) Cummins has brought himself back as tea approaches. He bounces Kuggeleijn first up, who ducks under it, though he looks a little uncomfortable. Australia are struggling to contain the singles at the moment, the batters are ready to drop and run almost every time they get bat on ball and little by little, their lead creeps up. Cummins manages to almost put a stop to that and eventually entices Phillips to flash at a ball once he gets him on strike. It’s a play and miss, and it looks like he was very lucky that he did miss.
101st over: New Zealand 339-6 (Kuggeleijn 32, Phillips 16) Hazlewood resumes and Kuggeleijn immediately tries to go after him, but he doesn’t time it well and it dribbles away for a single – it highlights the difference between Hazlewood and Starc’s bowling at the moment. Hazlewood is bowling a more difficult length and the batters are finding it harder to pick it up. Phillips takes a ball to the body late in the over after a ball nips back off a good length, but he recovers quickly.
100th over: New Zealand 336-6 (Kuggeleijn 30, Phillips 15) An appeal early in the over for caught behind, which is given, but there’s a successful review and Kuggeleijn gets yet another lifeline and immediately responds with two consecutive fours – the first is uncontrolled past third, but the second is well-timed through deep midwicket. Starc is leaking runs here and New Zealand are building a decent lead.
99th over: New Zealand 327-6 (Kuggeleijn 21, Phillips 15) Hazlewood takes over from Green at the other end and he attempts to tidy up the scoring after Starc’s loose finish to the previous over. Kuggeleijn tries another big swing after a few balls of settling in, but he mistimes it and next ball he has to settle for a scrambled single against the tighter line and length that Hazlewood has brought.
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98th over: New Zealand 325-6 (Kuggeleijn 20, Phillips 14) Starc has replaced Cummins. The batters are cautious to start – we’re not seeing those same big swings from the past couple of overs. They are watchful while they find Starc’s rhythm. But late in the over, Kuggeleijn has found that rhythm and hits it for six over deep backward square, before a poor delivery next ball – a full toss outside off – gives the batter another chance and he takes four more runs.
97th over: New Zealand 314-6 (Kuggeleijn 10, Phillips 13) Green is looking so close to getting a wicket on almost every ball he bowls at the moment. The ball goes within a whisker of hitting the stumps on the second ball of the over, but the very next ball, Kuggeleijn smacks one over long on for six. This feels like the very circumstance in which Dan Liebke’s ‘free dot’ rule should apply. Nevertheless, it’s a successful over for New Zealand, who are looking back on track.
It should be against the law to score runs against Bumrah after being made to look so foolish the previous delivery. The opposite of a free hit. #INDvENG
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) March 7, 2024
96th over: New Zealand 306-6 (Kuggeleijn 3, Phillips 12) Ball tracking shows us that the LBW appeal in the previous over was too high and would have been missing the stumps, so a good call not to review. Cummins is bowling his 20th over of the innings and midway through the over, Phillips finds a ball he likes and swings hard enough that the streaky edge flies to the boundary.
95th over: New Zealand 300-6 (Kuggeleijn 2, Phillips 7) Green nearly takes another wicket with the first ball of this over, but this time Labuschagne in the slips can’t keep hold of it and Kuggeleijn gets a lifeline. Green is finding good length this over, but can’t quite find the line to tempt the batter to swing at it after that first ball. There’s an LBW appeal on the last ball, but the umpire isn’t interested. It’s a maiden for Green in quite an eventful over.
94th over: New Zealand 300-6 (Kuggeleijn 2, Phillips 7) In all the excitement of last over, I neglected to mention my fantastic colleague Angus who has seen you through the first part of today’s play. I’ll be with you until stumps and hopefully we can all enjoy some more of that excitement together. Cummins resumes his spell and is looking threatening (with his bowling only of course, he’s far too charming and adorable to ever look threatening as a person). New Zealand bring up the 300 with a quick single, but they have a way to go in building their lead to a defendable total.
93rd over: New Zealand 297-6 (Kuggeleijn 1, Phillips 5) Well Green couldn’t even give me one ball to settle in! Starts with a wicket – it was a poor shot from Blundell, but a brilliant catch. It’s now been 3-20 since lunch and New Zealand are not looking as confident as they were this morning.
WICKET! Blundell c Labuschagne b Green 9 (New Zealand 296-6)
Green comes on to bowl and immediately Blundell throws the bat at a wide ball and Labuschagne takes a fantastic catch. Green is in disbelief – there’s an umpire review, but it can’t save Blundell and he has to go.
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92nd over: New Zealand 296-5 (Blundell 9, Phillips 5) Here cometh Cummins. He enters his 18th over with 3-40 but knowing he and his pace cartel may only have 10-15 overs when this new ball is at its best. If New Zealand can withstand this assault for an hour and get their tail to wag they can march toward 300 and favouritism to win the Test.
Time for me to settle into spectator mode and hand the new-ish ball to Megan Maurice to steer you home to stumps. Thanks for your company and see you on the morrow!
91st over: New Zealand 296-5 (Blundell 9, Phillips 5) Glorious from Hazlewood! Almost unplayable bowling as he zeroes in on a length. Fast, full, unrelenting. Just a couple of streaky singles from the over but New Zealand are on the back foot for the first time today.
90th over: New Zealand 295-5 (Blundell 8, Phillips 4) The fightback is on! Cummins smells blood. He has two new batters at the crease and he’s going after them. Rushes another past the edge of Phillips and then draws a loose shot which rattles away for four. That’s okay. Both these batters are aggressors so we’ll see some action here. New Zealand’s lead is up to 201. But is that enough?
WICKET! Ravindra c Carey b Cummins 82 (New Zealand 286-5)
Cummins strikes first ball! He attacked Ravindra’s off stump and the young man stepped out to drive then withdrew when it rushed on him. It slid off-line, squared Ravindra up and drew the edge. Beautiful, inspirational bowling from Captain Pat!
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89th over: New Zealand 282-4 (Ravindra 82, Blundell 8) Good shot down the ground by Blundell but Cummins, who has stopped plenty of drives there all day, mistimes his dive and it gets through and runs to the rope. Hazlewood bottles his lightning and reduces his pace with a sublime slower ball to finish and almost gets an edge. That’s the majesty of the medium pacer right there.
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88th over: New Zealand 282-4 (Ravindra 82, Blundell 4) Great bowling by the Hoff. He’s been patiently building pressure and he kept his cool after Daryl Mitchell’s one-two punch to deliver a knockout response. Can Mitchell Starc get in on the action too? Not in this over, straying onto Blundell’s pads and getting worked for three. Surely Cummins enters the attack with this new batter at the crease?
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WICKET! Mitchell c Carey b Hazlewood 58 (New Zealand 278-4)
Mitchell slammed two fours to win the early battle. But Hazlewood, calm and classy as always, slid back of a length on the next to win the war. A lovely ball draws a faint edge and Carey pouches the catch. Big breakthrough for Australia! Can they roll on?
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87th over: New Zealand 278-3 (Ravindra 82, Mitchell 58) It’s over 87 – traditionally a bad luck number for Australian cricket. Sure enough, Mitchell thick edges Hazlewood on the half-volley past the outstretched arm of Steve Smith at slip for a streaky boundary. Mitchell takes a mighty heave at the next one and gets another edge, this one flying over point. But Hazlewood wins the long game, drawing a nick on the next ball!
86th over: New Zealand 270-3 (Ravindra 82, Mitchell 50) Peach from Starc! He put it on a beautiful length outside off stump and Mitchell twitched, watching it slide just past the edge. After a profligate start to the session, Australia have bowled 21 balls for one run. Mitchell cuts into that record by gliding one past backward point for two and takes a single for his fifty. Well played, Daryl! His half-century is from 94 balls and Ravindra celebrates his partner’s feat with a brutal cut shot to the boundary. Ouch!
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85th over: New Zealand 263-3 (Ravindra 78, Mitchell 47) It’s the first time since 1997 Australia has given eight bowlers a whirl. And Steve Smith – who debuted as a bowler in 2010 – isn’t one of them! Crazy-brave Cummins captaincy? Or a feather in the Black Caps of New Zealand? Hazlewood is into his 20th wicketless over but gets one to jag back and Ravindra inside edges short of Carey. Another maiden from the Hoff. He’s trying hard for his captain here and has his speed is up to 134kph.
84th over: New Zealand 263-3 (Ravindra 78, Mitchell 47) Starc returns. Can his line? Better start to this over, full and fast. Mitchell edges the second ball short of slip and dangles the next wider. Mitchell drives but Cummins reels it in at mid-off. Mitchel has looked a different player. But a wider ball brings a wafty drive and Australian tails go up. Is Starc setting him up here? Fifth ball is wider still – too wide to play at. Starc keeps his corker yorker on ice on the last, content with a maiden.
83rd over: New Zealand 263-3 (Ravindra 78, Mitchell 47) A test for Pat Cummins’ captaincy here. New Zealand well on top and Ausstralia struggling with the new ball. But he’s unleashed two huge yawns at mid-on so looks unfazed. Hazlewood gets the new pill to lift a little on his third and Ravindra flashes and edges just short of slip. That’s better. The Hoff has his line right – full and tight as a frog’s freckle at 132kph.
82nd over: New Zealand 262-3 (Ravindra 78, Mitchell 45) Short and wide. A typical Starc start. And then CRACK! Ravindra square drives him to fence. Lovely shot! Almost another boundary from the next but Pat Cummins dives well to stop the runs. Oh dear. Next one is aimed at third slip. Wide x 3! Pitch it up! (And Mitch it up ie. bowl a yorker!) Mitchell eases a single. A frustrating start to Starc’s spell, one Australia can ill afford. They have given away 19 runs from their first three overs after lunch.
81st over: New Zealand 255-3 (Ravindra 73, Mitchell 45) New ball time! And Josh Hazlewood gets the fresh cherry. Deserves it too after his wonderful 5-31 in the first dig. But now he needs to use it wisely. Australia desperately need wickets. This Mitchell-Ravindra partnership has reached 100 and New Zealand’s lead is 161. Just the one no-ball from the over. Can Mitchell Starc do better?
80th over: New Zealand 254-3 (Ravindra 73, Mitchell 44) The eighth bowler in the Australian attack is… Marnus Labuschagne. Clearly Marnie chewed his skipper’s ear off over lunch begging for a six-ball reward for his 90 runs in the first innings. And his first ball is a BOUNCER waaaayy over Mitchell’s head. Jeers from the crowd. Cheers when Mitchell runs a single to the non-strikers end. No one wants to get out to Marnus. Another bouncer! Marnus on the attack! Next ball is top edged but Hazlewood didn’t pick it up on the boundary and it falls safely. Marnus almost jagged Ravindra there! Labuschagne does have 13 Test wickets to his name and a best of 3-45. He won’t better those figures today me thinks as Ravindra swats him down the ground for four. A snarling bouncer to finish but it’s a second no-ball to go with the wide. And finally a dot to end a nine-ball, nine-run over. So endeth (we hope) the Marnus Labuschagne Experiment. Not a bad band name, that…
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79th over: New Zealand 245-3 (Ravindra 68, Mitchell 43) Australia want a new ball and Travis Head is the hurry up man. Two singles from his over take the lead past 150.
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Not a cloud in the Christchurch sky as players take the field for the second session. Time to start again.
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LUNCH: New Zealand are 243-3 and lead by 149 runs
Great session for New Zealand. They lost the wicket of Tom Latham but piled 109 runs onto their lead and go to the break sitting pretty. Daryl Mitchell has shaken off his skittish form and charged to 42 runs from 70 balls with four boundaries and a six. Rachin Ravindra has gone with him with a lovely 67 from 121 with seven boundaries.
Australia have tried most of their bowling options with minimal success. But they have a new ball due to them after the break and if they get it talking and capture a cluster of Black Cap wickets they are right back in this Test. However, if the home side hang tough and survive, they can take their lead over 200. That would still test Australia but this demon-deficient Hagley Oval pitch a chase in excess of 300 is required I reckon.
Are the Kiwis closing in on their first home victory over Australia in 31 years? Or will a fresh cherry after lunch get this fast and furious Australian pace attack back in the pink? We’ll break for a hot half-hour while both sides dare to dream.
78th over: New Zealand 243-3 (Ravindra 67, Mitchell 42) Top edge! Green dug it in hard and fast and Ravindra flashed equally hard. It caught the splice and ballooned over slips and down to the fine leg rope. Good aggressive bowling and batting there but dicey stuff in the shadows of lunch. Ravindra played a loose shot to lose his wicket before the long break in the first innings. But he survives the over and goes to lunch intact.
77th over: New Zealand 238-3 (Ravindra 62, Mitchell 42) Another wildcard! Cummins brings in Travis Head for a whirl. Head has 12 Test wickets at 31 and a best of 4-40 but possesses an uncanny knack for cracking partnerships. Mitchell suspects he’s more arse than class though and skips down to crack a floaty third ball down the ground for four.
76th over: New Zealand 233-3 (Ravindra 61, Mitchell 38) Straight away Cam Green’s elevated pace draws an inside edge from Mitchell. They run a single. Now we’ll have a battle between the two prodigies of trans-Tasman cricket as Ravindra faces up. But it’s a looser ball down legside and Ravindra gets enough on it to send it to four at fine leg. Green counters with a slower ball that draws an uppish drive and the sniff of a caught-and-bowled. But it’s too far left of even Green’s wedgetailed wing span.
75th over: New Zealand 227-3 (Ravindra 56, Mitchell 37) Lyon keeps it to a couple of singles in his 14th over. New Zealand’s lead has edged to 133. Cameron Green has been warming up with a few mighty windmills at gully. What can Golden Balls deliver?
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74th over: New Zealand 225-3 (Ravindra 55, Mitchell 36) Marsh hasn’t troubled the speed gun beyond 124kph so far and as he strains for more, Mitchell works him for a couple of smart doubles, the first through midwicket the second past square leg.
73nd over: New Zealand 220-3 (Ravindra 55, Mitchell 32) Curious switch in momentum here. The torrent of runs has slowed to a trickle as Marsh and Lyon deliver maidens and single-run overs. Are Australia turning the screws? Or have New Zealand got lunch on their frontal lobes?
72nd over: New Zealand 220-3 (Ravindra 55, Mitchell 31) Better over by Mitchell M here after his nine-run rust shucker in the last. He beats Ravindra with a couple and delivers a handy maiden.
Simon McMahon must’ve found out I’m from Clan McLaughlin on my mother’s side and has nominated this tearjerker as equal to Mitch Marsh’s AB Medal moment: “Angus, I’m guessing you’ve got some Scottish blood in you. I think this was the moment the British public at large really took to Andy Murray. Also Jimmy Anderson when Alastair Cook retired from Test cricket. Once you can fake sincerity you’ve got it made.”
71st over: New Zealand 220-3 (Ravindra 55, Mitchell 31) A dirty dozen overs to come with this old ball and New Zealand have clearly decided to make their move. Their lead is up to 126 so Lyon is hustling through his overs to get that fresh cherry to the cartel. Just one from this rapid-fire over.
70th over: New Zealand 219-3 (Ravindra 54, Mitchell 31) Time for a change, says Pat. Let’s bring on The Bison. Mitchell Marsh replaces Mitchell Starc’s attack on Daryl Mitchell. But amidst the Mitch Maelstrom is Rachin Ravindra and he swats Marsh’s full first ball through the line for a lovely four to notch his fifty. Takes a single from the third which leaves Mitchell to clip a four off his right pocket. Nine from the over.
FIFTY! Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand 214-3)
Lovely shot to Mitch Marsh’s first ball and that’s a fine half-century from the fresh prince of New Zealand’s batting line-up. It came from 96 balls at a strike-rate of 55.
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69th over: New Zealand 210-3 (Ravindra 49, Mitchell 27) Swept for four! Lovely shot by Mitchell who has taken my earlier sleight on his batting personally. – and potently. He’s now up to 28 at a strike rate over 68 the fastest knock of the innings so far.
68th over: New Zealand 203-3 (Ravindra 47, Mitchell 22) Starc strays, Renshaw misfields and Mitchell finds a gap behind point for three runs. That’s 200 up for the Black Caps. Ravindra taps another two to backward point. Runs starting to flow for New Zealand. Big swipe at the fifth but Head has moved back and keeps it to a single. The Ravindra-Mitchell partnership is now 48 from 72 balls.
67th over: New Zealand 197-3 (Ravindra 44, Mitchell 19) Down the ground! Good shot by Ravindra who has decided to take Lyon on. The GOAT was searching for drift but the Black Cap No 4 was onto it early and sent it into the fence on the bounce. New Zealand have their lead up to 103 now.
66th over: New Zealand 188-3 (Ravindra 40, Mitchell 18) Starc attacks! Ravindra counters! There’d been a lot of parry and thrust for five balls and then Starc dug one in. But it didn’t get the lift he’d hoped for from this benign Christchurch wicket and Ravindra climbed into it and swung hard. But he too didn’t nail the execution and it fell short of the boundary rope.
65th over: New Zealand 189-3 (Ravindra 37, Mitchell 19) Lyon leaks a run but otherwise keeps Mitchell guessing. Things have slowed a little here. Blistering pace at one end and guileful spin at the other have New Zealand second guessing themselves.
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64th over: New Zealand 188-3 (Ravindra 37, Mitchell 18) Starc delivers a maiden. In the absence of swing or movement off the pitch, he’s plumbing a fuller length today. Might be warming up for one of his trademarkcorker yorkers.
63rd over: New Zealand 188-3 (Ravindra 37, Mitchell 18) Lyon likes his chances here. In the absence of spin he’s started floating it into what amounts to rough. He beats Mitchell on the third but Daryl responds brightly on the rebound, jumping out to strike a lovely six down the ground. A reverse sweep sees Smith diving to his right at leg slip again. Was that a catch?
62nd over: New Zealand 181-3 (Ravindra 36, Mitchell 12) BANG goes Daryl Mitchell! Starc put it full and wide and there’s no movement out there yet so Mitchell stands and delivers, driving for four down the ground. Great shot by Mitchell D off Mitchell S.
61st over: New Zealand 177-3 (Ravindra 36, Mitchell 8) Cummins gets Lyon on the line. Mitchell does well to reverse sweep the second delivery for a single that scythes along the patchworked turf here at Hagley Oval. Ravindra tries a different tactic, stepping back and driving down the ground with a high elbow for a single. Mitchell revisits the reverse sweep on the fourth but Steve Smith is in a leg slip trap and he starts moving the instant Mitchell unfurls the stroke and saves four as he bats it down. Freaky skills from Smudge.
60th over: New Zealand 174-3 (Ravindra 35, Mitchell 6) Top edge! But it falls into space and Ravindra survives. That was a sweet nut from Cummins and the young Black Cap prodigy second-guessed himself midway through the hook shot. Again the intent was attacking. Ravindra is a batter who backs himself. Timid he ain’t. So he banks a boundary, his third of his 72-ball innings.
59th over: New Zealand 165-3 (Ravindra 31, Mitchell 6) Need a spark? Bring on Starc. And straight away big Mitch draws a swish and a mish from Rachin Ravindra. Beautiful ball first up from the man who moved past Dennis Lillee on the wicket-takers list in the first innings. Ravindra sends his own form of congratulations for that feat – a sweetly laced drive down the ground for four.
58th over: New Zealand 165-3 (Ravindra 26, Mitchell 6) Almost a run-out! Non-striker Ravindra set off for the single and Mitchell – who makes a habit of over-compensating for a lack of runs with an overload of decibels in his calling – sends him back.
Simon McMahon has chimed in: “Evening Angus. Just watched the Mitch Marsh speech for the first time, and I’m not crying. It’s just raining on my face. We need more of that, please. What a guy. Still rooting for New Zealand, though.”
Let ‘em flow, Simon. Happens to the best of us while making a lasagna.
57th over: New Zealand 163-3 (Ravindra 26, Mitchell 4) Mitchell gets a well-legged two after working Hazlewood off his toes. Now Ravindra angles his bat and slides two down to third man. After snaring 5-31 from 1`3 overs in the first innings, Hazlewood’s figures are now 0-43 from 18 in the second. New Zealand lead by 69.
56th over: New Zealand 157-3 (Ravindra 23, Mitchell 1) Alex Carey is breathing a little easier. His fumble of Latham last night has only cost his side a handful of runs and he was key to Cummins reviewing that double-noise the skipper detected. Now Daryl Mitchell is at the crease playing and missing. I know he’s a senior man in this side – 32-years-old – but he’s only got 22 Tests to his name and he’s looked very ropey all series.
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WICKET! Latham c Carey b Cummins 73 (New Zealand 155-3)
Cummins strikes! He got the ball to rear and move back a little and it caught Latham fending. There were two noises detectable straight away and the umpire said ‘Yeah but nah’ but Cummins reviewed and there was a wee smidge of bat on it before it defloected onto the thigh pad. Early breakthrough for Australia!
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55th over: New Zealand 155-2 (Latham 73, Ravindra 22) Misfield by Australia! That was the normally impeccable Marnus Labuschagne in close and his fumble on the fly delivers three to Ravindra. Now Latham gets three too, driving Hazlewood through mid on. Ravindra is into the 20s now but we know he can go big…
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54th over: New Zealand 149-2 (Latham 70, Ravindra 19) Cummins is zeroing in on the timber here, varying his pace, looking to catch Latham lbw. Not much movement to be detected thus far. How soon before we see Nathan Lyon introduced I wonder? He has only bowled six overs in this innings so far. Cummins delivers a maiden.
53rd over: New Zealand 149-2 (Latham 70, Ravindra 19) If Josh Hazlewood was disappointed by Carey dropping Latham last night he didn’t let it show. Cool as ice, he winced and spun on his heel to go again. Now he’s charging hard, keen to snuff Latham’s second life before it unspools too much farther. It all goes to plan for five balls as the batter stays pinned in his crease by smart length bowling. But Latham leans into the slightly fuller and straighter final delivery and clips it the fence for four.
52nd over: New Zealand 144-2 (Latham 66, Ravindra 18) Statement of intent here from Pat Cummins. He keeps Starc on ice and takes the opening spell himself. The captain bowled magnificently last night to extract Kane Williamson. But straight away Ravindra accepts the challenge, rising on his toes to the second ball and slashing it to the rope. Runs a single on the next. Latham is the senior man in this partnership but Ravindra is the danger for Australia. Young, aggressive, with a gimlet eye and a full arsenal of strokes, he could extend this 50-run lead very quickly.
51st over: New Zealand 138-2 (Latham 65, Ravindra 13) Josh Hazlewood must’ve miscounted his run-up. He starts the day with a no-ball, very uncharacteristic by The Hoff. Ravindra runs a quick single and gets a bonus run into the bargain as Mitchell Marsh’s run-out attempt ricochets awkwardly off the stumps. Now an edge! But Ravindra’s soft hands send it on the bounce to Steve Smith at second slip. He readjusts his mark, taking a half-step forward. Australia will still be smarting from Alex Carey’s diving fumble last night that spared Tom Latham. How much will it cost them?
Pundits are picking this as a batting day. The Hagley Oval wicket shows few signs of cracks and still has tinges of green. There’s a “wee nor’easter” sliding in but the skies are blue and cloudless. Mitch Marsh says its been a good cricket wicket for two days so far. "Who can break the game open for Australia? “Me, hopefully!”
As Josh Hazlewood marks out his run-up for the first over of the day, here’s another squiz at Marsh’s now-legendary Allan Border Medal speech…
Blue skies and light breezes here at Hagley Oval. Australia will come out swinging in a bid for early breakthroughs. New Zealand will look to knuckle down to survive this first session hoping to make hay later in the day. Batting conditions are improving by the hour so the Black Caps need to supercharge this slender 40-run lead to give Australia a chase big enough to get their nerves jangling and their mind playing tricks on them.
Merv Hughes – 212 wickets from 53 Tests – is at the ground today sporting his trademark handlebar moustache, now white as the froth of a 1989 Fosters Lager. Apparently he grew the mo on a backpacking odyssey around Australia as a young tearaway and hasn’t shaved it since. Here’s his hat-trick ball against the West Indies in 1988-89, complete with a trademark Swervin’ Mervyn send-off.
For those who came in late, here’s how Day 2 played out…
Preamble
Welcome to day three and a second Test on a knife’s edge.
After 14 wickets fell on a frenetic opening day, Day Two took a different path – surging then steadying before eventually settling into the slow, delicious simmer of classic Test cricket.
Thanks to Marnus Labuschagne (90) and tail-wagging from Nathan Lyon (20), Mitchell Starc (28) and Pat Cummins (23), Australia defied a seven wicket collapse after tea to build a 94-run first innings lead.
But, inspired by Matt Henry’s magnificent haul of 7-47 and Glenn Phillips’ flying catch to deny Labuschagne his 12th Test century, New Zealand dug in and duked their way to a position of power at stumps.
Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put on a partnership of 105 to wipe Australia’s lead and put the home side ahead. Some Pat Cummins magic got rid of Williamson for 51 but wicketkeeper Alex Carey undid the good work by dropping Latham late.
Latham resumes on 65 not out this morning with the dangerous Rachin Ravindra – fresh from his epic 240 against South Africa last month – unbeaten on 11. It puts New Zealand 40 runs ahead on 134-2 with eight wickets in hand and three days to play.
Can the Kiwis avenge their 172-run loss in Wellington last week? Is their first victory over Australia on home soil for 31 years slowly winking into existence? Or will normal service resume and see this all-conquering Australia side blast back into ascendancy?
Buckle ‘em up and batten ‘em down, folks – the first ball of Day 3 is nigh!
