'Keep coming, big boy': Matthew Wade sledges Neil Wagner after enduring his bouncers in the Perth Test

The ongoing first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand is going towards the home side after the visitors lost half of their side while chasing 468 runs for the win. Thanks to amazing batting performance from Marnus Labuschagne, who made a century-his third in three matches and a fifty in this game, Australia finds itself at the top in the pink-ball Test match.

Australia made 416 batting first thanks to Head’s fifty and a couple of 40s from Warner and Smith, apart from Labuschagne. In reply, Mitchell Starc picked 5/52 to keep Kiwis to 166 with only Ross Taylor making 80. This performance came after Josh Hazlewood became the second casualty of injury in the Test match, as debutant Lockie Ferguson was earlier ruled out of the match due to torn calf muscle.

“Keep coming, big boy” – Mathew Wade challenges Neil Wagner

Meanwhile, the second innings of the Kangaroos saw some banter between batsman Matthew Wade and Black Caps fast bowler Neil Wagner. The left-arm pacer had pinged the lefty batsman more than a half-a-dozen times on the body as he tried to get the wickets quickly. Wade, who made just 17 runs, had the guts to not show any pain and even decided to sledge Wagner, asking him to keep coming at him.

Wagner constantly bombarded Wade with short deliveries, while the usually aggressive Wade restrained himself from hitting any pull or hook shots. New Zealand had picked a number of Aussies wickets with short deliveries. Wade showed the famous Australian never-say-die attitude and even made Wagner clap for him once.

Cricket Australia shared the video of Wade mocking Wagner with the caption, “Keep coming, big boy. Not often you see the batsman sledging the bowler!” Wagner, on the other hand, picked three wickets, as Australia made 217/9d with Tim Southee taking 5/69.

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon tore apart the top order of Black Caps in the chase in fourth innings, as they picked both Williamson (14) and Taylor (22), along with opener Raval and Latham for cheap, leaving New Zealand 152/5 at the time of writing this article in 59 overs. Starc picked two wickets, while Lyon grabbed three.

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