Expert
Australia are 6/463 at the end of Day 2 at the Basin, leading New Zealand by 280 runs in the first Test.
REPORT: AUSTRALIA IN CONTROL, VOGES IN RECORD BOOKS
Adam Voges will resume Day 3 on 176*, and Siddle 29* with him; they’ve added 68 for the seventh wicket, and if it continues late into the morning tomorrow, it could become match-winning.
Usman Khawaja was excellent again today, before he got a good’un from Trent Boult on 140.
Mitch Marsh couldn’t drag his ODI form over, with a second ball duck, which won’t ease the pressure on his spot at all.
Peter Nevill played a really important innings to rebuild after the two quick wickets after the new ball, before he played one a bit close to him and nicked Corey Anderson through behind for 32.
Trent Boult’s new ball spell was outstanding, finding seam and heaps of swing, and asking yet more questions of the Australian batsmen’s technique against the moving ball.
And Anderson late in the day looked the man most like to get the breakthrough, which he did, removing Nevill.
The Black Caps will need wickets in a hurry in the morning, or they’ll be chasing heaps.
Scores at end of day
New Zealand 183
Australia 6/463
Australia come into the second day of their first Test against New Zealand in an excellent position after bowling their hosts out for 183 on Friday. Join The Roar for live scores of the second day of this first Test from Hamilton in New Zealand from 8:30am (AEDT).
The Australian bowlers rarely allowed the New Zealand batsmen any time to settle at the crease on Friday and by the end of the innings the best any individual batsman could do was 41, coming from Mark Craig who remained unbeaten.
Josh Hazlewood took four wickets with an economy of three runs an over to be Australia’s most productive and most restrictive bowler, including the wickets of both openers and also that of Brendon McCullum for a seven-ball duck.
Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon each took three wickets apiece with Lyon taking the last two of the innings, Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
The Aussies came in to bat and to start with it looked as if they might fall just as swiftly as the New Zealanders had. The opening pair of Joe Burns and David Warner fell swiftly, Burns gone for a five-ball duck and Warner for just five runs.
However the partnership of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith was able to come in and take hold on the pitch, Smith bringing up a solid 71 runs before he was caught and bowled by Mark Craig, and Khawaja remaining at the crease ahead of the second day on 57 not out.
His partner when play resumes will be Adam Voges who so far has seven runs to his name.
This has given Australia a total of 3/147, 36 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings and it looks likely now that they can build a significant lead in this innings so long as they avoid any further collapse. That would put them in position to win the Test and get this series away from home off to a great start.
Join The Roar for live scores of the second day of this first Test from Hamilton in New Zealand from 8:30am (AEDT).
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