Australia vs New Zealand: Tim Southee castles Matthew Wade with a stunning inswinger in the first Test

Australia and New Zealand, as expected, fought fiercely on day one of the ongoing first Test in Perth. Both the teams came into the game on the back of fine series wins and continued their form in Perth too. The scoreline might suggest that Australia had an easy day on the field but it was not the case. Marnus Labuschagne‘s century helped the hosts finish the day on 248 for 4 but New Zealand gave the hosts side a run for their money.

New Zealand started well with the ball and sent back in-form David Warner (43) and Joe Burns (9) cheaply. They would have dismissed Steve Smith cheaply too but Tom Latham missed a regulation catch at slip when the former Australia batsman was batting on just 19.  Fortunately for the tourists, Smith could not make most of the reprieve and was out for 43.

It was an uncharacteristic knock from Smith as he faced 164 balls and hit four boundaries in his 188-minute innings. Tim Southee then made his mark after New Zealand took the second new ball. The swing bowler struck immediately when Matthew Wade shouldered arms to a delivery that swung and bowled the left-hander for 12.

Labuschagne and Travis Head then ensured the hosts do not lose any more wicket before stumps. Labuschagne and Head were unbeaten on 110 and 20 runs respectively when the day ended. The match is finely poised at the moment and the second day’s play could very determine the outcome of the game.

Tim Southee castles Mathew Wade with a beauty

One of the best moments of the first day came after New Zealand took the second new ball and handed it to Tim Southee. The senior pacer made an instant mark by sending back Wade. It was a brain fade moment from Wade but that should not undermine Southee’s delivery that swung in viciously and clipped the Australian’s clips.

Bowling from round the wicket, Southee bowled the inswinger. The ball pitched well outside off and kept coming in. Wade, however, misjudged the ball and let the ball go through. He soon regretted the decision as the ball found its way right into the top of off-stump.

Here is a clip of that wicket:-

The new ball is talking! 👀#AUSvNZ live: https://t.co/0Uay6Vh9fg pic.twitter.com/SMuuKRZ4rK

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 12, 2019