- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
New Zealand finished day three at 4/178 still trailing the visitors by 201 runs with six wickets remaining.
REPORT: AUSSIES IN CONTROL IN WELLINGTON
Australia shot out of the blocks in the morning session, packing on 99 runs for their last four wickets as Adam Voges continued to make life difficult for Brendan McCullum’s men, reaching his second test double century in the process.
After holding out a solitary over before lunch, New Zealand put the pressure back on the visitors as they amassed 105 runs in the middle session for the loss of just Martin Guptill to the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
However, New Zealand proceeded to stumble quite dramatically to the finish line as Australia’s bowling attack closed in on the tiring batsmen. Crushing their run rate to beneath 3 an over, the visitors picked up three more wickets in the evening session including the big fish of Brendan McCullum in the final over of the day.
A fighting 63 from 164 deliveries by Tom Latham was the highlight of the day for New Zealand who struggled to turn starts into 50+ scores.
With wickets in hand and a stubborn Henry Nicholls at the crease, there’s still a good chance NZ can hold out the majority of day four and force play back onto the Australians.
Scores at end of day
New Zealand – 183 and 4/178 (62.3 overs)
Australia – 562
Australia have dominated the hosts in the opening two days of the first Test against New Zealand, blazing their way to a 280-run lead on the back of another Adam Voges masterclass. Join The Roar from 8:30am (AEDT) for all the day three action out of Wellington.
Voges glided to an unbeaten 176 at stumps on day two, surpassing Don Bradman for highest career Test average in the process with a phenomenal 100.33 from 14 Tests.
It also brought him up to a total of 551 consecutive Test cricket runs without seeing his wicket fall, not just surpassing the record of 497 previously set by Sachin Tendulkar, but leaving it in his dust.
The West Australian joined Usman Khawaja in the centurions column after the 29-year-old pieced together a fantastic 140, his third hundred in as many Test innings. The pair put on an innings-building 168-run partnership before Khawaja was trapped in front by Trent Boult, who was arguably the pick of the bowlers on day two.
After picking up the vital wicket of Khawaja, Boult then took an absolute screamer off his own bowling just two deliveries later to dismiss Mitch Marsh and reign the visitors back in.
It was not to be however as Voges tormented the hosts, piling on another 164 runs with the two Peters, Neville and Siddle, before the close of play.
It’s been an impressive recovery given that Australia lost its openers for just five runs combined on Friday.
New Zealand will need early wickets this morning, Voges in particular, if they want to stay competitive in the contest or else they could end up chasing a lot more than they can handle.
Otherwise Australia look likely to stroll to victory assuming they can bowl the Black Caps out relatively quickly when they come in for the second turn at the bat.
Join The Roar from 8:30am (AEDT) for all the day three action out of Wellington.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.