In the session full of action, Mitchell Starc’s 4-fer put Australia firmly on a driving seat. At the Stumps of Day-2, visitors were tottering at 109/5 with Ross Taylor (66*) being the lone warrior. They are still trailing by 307 runs.
If the first two sessions were battle of patience then the last session was full of action, something happening on almost every ball.
Pink ball has been always a different challenge in the twilight period. And with the runs on the board, Starc & Co. let the new ball do the maximum talking. Tom Latham was the first one to go in the very first over when he offered a leading edge back to Starc off a back of length delivery. In the next over Hazlewood joined the party as he sneaked through Jeet Raval’s defense with an inswinger.
It could have been a disaster for New Zealand had Pat Cummins managed a direct-hit when Ross Taylor was sent back midway. And it was just the 3rd over of the innings.
Though, after that, Kane Williamson & Ross Taylor settled things down to some extent. In the meantime, Australia experienced a big setback as Josh Hazlewood walked off the field with a hamstring injury.
Ross Taylor took a counter-attack-approach especially against Nathan Lyon and played some gorgeous drives and cuts.
Just when the pair was looking set to repeat their heroics of WACA 2015, Steve Smith pulled out an absolute screamer at second slip to end Kane’s resistance.
And just before the stumps, Starc sent back Nicholls and night-watchman Wagner in two consecutive deliveries which left Kiwis totally in disarray.
Earlier in the day Marnus Laguschagne and Travis Head resumed Australia’s innings at 248/4. Both of them started playing their shots but Kiwis were ready to play the waiting game.
Labuschagne vs Wagner contest was the highlight of the morning session. Wagner firstly pushed him back with short-pitched stuff then eventually his persistence paid off as Labuschagne(143) got out bowled around his legs.
Travis Head (56) couldn’t convert start once again, as he threw the hands to a wide delivery only to find the hands of the short extra cover.
Paine and Cummins put up some resistance. But the highlight of NZ’s effort was that they did not lose patience despite losing their pacer Lockie Ferguson on the first day to a calf strain injury.
Wagner (4/92) bowled heart out with some hostile stuff throughout. Southee (4/93) was also rewarded for his patience but it’s the control provided by de Grandhomme, Santner or even Jeet Raval which made life easier for the captain Kane Williamson.
That’s the reason Australia could never run away with the game. Towards the end, Mitchell Starc launched some fireworks but terrific catch by Williamson running backward ended his cameo of 30. Soon Australia were bowled out for 416 as skipper Paine (39) was the man to go.
Now New Zealand’s hopes are resting on their crisis man BJ Watling who will resume the contest along with Ross Taylor. It will be interesting to see how Australia manages with the 3-man attack in this scorching heat.
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