NZ v Aus 2nd Test Day 3 Review: Australia sit firm in the driver’s seat
Australia consolidated their position on Day 3 of the 2nd Test as they added a few more runs to their total. Shortly after the lunch interval, the Kiwis began their second innings. Brendon McCullum failed to replicate his first innings heroics as the home side look destined for a loss. The top spot in the ICC rankings beckons for Steve Smith and his band of merry men as they coast towards victory at Christchurch.
Adam Voges and night watchman Nathan Lyon took the field as proceedings began on Day 3. The duo began as they succeeded in frustrating the New Zealand attack. Lyon in, particular, exhibited excellent batsmanship as he assisted Voges in their partnership of 81. This, however, turned out to be the final meaningful partnership of the Australian first innings. Kiwi pacer Neil Wagner went on to take three more wickets as the Australian innings closed at a mammoth 505. Wagner concluded his amazing performance with figures of 6/106 as the last five Australia wickets fell for just 67 runs.
Disaster struck early on in the New Zealand innings as Martin Guptill fell in the third over. James Pattinson’s impressive comeback seemed complete when an unplayable out-swinger ensured the demise of Martin Guptill for a duck. Tom Latham and Kane Williamson dealt with the Australia attack head on as they led a gritty resistance. Latham fell in the 25th over as Pattinson continued to impress. He removed left-hander Henry Nicholls in his very next over with the home side reeling at 72/3.
Brendon McCullum walked out to the middle for the last time in Test cricket amid a standing ovation from the Christchurch faithful. The New Zealand skipper started where he left off in the first innings as he began dancing down the wicket, trying to whack every ball out of the ground. McCullum however, lost his wicket in the penultimate ball of the Josh Hazelwood over just after whacking the first maximum of the New Zealand innings. He was caught at deep mid-wicket as he attempted one big shot too many.
Corey Anderson played a rather uncharacteristic inning as he made his survival intentions clear by staying with vice-captain Kane Williamson. The day closed with New Zealand at 121/4, trailing by 14 runs.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand – 370 all out (McCullum 145; Lyon 3/61)
Australia – 505 all out (363/4 overnight) (Burns 170; Wagner 6/106)
New Zealand – 121/4 (Williamson 45*; Pattinson 3/29)
New Zealand trail by 14 runs
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