Australia hold a lead of 503 runs at the close of the third day of the first Test at the Gabba, and now face the decision of whether or not to declare before the start of play tomorrow.
New Zealand were able to build something of a decent total in the early hours of Saturday after a collapse on Friday afternoon threatened to make their innings a very short one indeed.
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It was a strong performance from Kane Williamson, as the Black Caps no. 3 got them back into the match. He survived seven partners and was New Zealand’s last wicket to fall, bowled by Mitchell Starc and caught by Peter Nevill.
The wickets of BJ Watling, Doug Craig, Mark Bracewell and Tim Southee all fell in the morning before Williamson was taken.
Starc finished the innings with four wickets to his name for 57 runs off a little more than 17 overs.
New Zealand finished with a total of 317, leaving them 239 behind Australia, but the Aussies chose not to enforce the follow-on, going in to bat.
What followed was a truly remarkable performance from Australia’s openers, David Warner and new partner Joe Burns.
Burns notched his maiden Test century in thrilling style. Perched on 88 runs he took his chances and hit the triple-figure mark with two consecutive sixes.
He finished with 129 off just 113 balls, outshining his more experienced partner, though not by much. Warner hit 116 off 113 balls, making it two centuries in as many innings in this Test.
It was a partnership that would’ve looked more at home in a one-day match but with the Aussies comfortably in the lead the openers had a license to go big and delivered in spades.
Unfortunately their wickets – both of them bowled by Mark Craig, with Trent Boult catching Warner and Ross Taylor catching Burns – precipitated something of a collapse for Australia as Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh both fell shortly after.
Smith faced just two balls for a single run before being bowled by Boult and caught by Williamson, before Craig claimed his third wicket in short succession, taking Marsh on his sixth ball faced.
That leaves Usman Khawaja and Adam Voges as Australia’s incumbent batsmen at the end of the third day, Khawaja with nine runs to his name and Voges just the one.
The Aussies are 4-264, 503 runs in front, and it would appear likely that they’ll declare at the start of play tomorrow, and look to bowl New Zealand out over the remaining two days.
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