Key events
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.
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!
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…
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!
