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Australia vs New Zealand highlights: Wickets fall fast on Day 2

28th November, 2015
First ball: 2:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Adelaide Oval
TV: Live, Nine Network
Betting: Australia $1.22, New Zealand $5.50, draw $19
First Test: Australia won by 208 runs
Second Test: Match drawn
Overall record: Played 54, Australia 28, New Zealand 8, drawn 8
Record at the Adelaide Oval: Played 4, Australia 3, New Zealand 0, drawn 1

Australia XI
David Warner, Joe Burns, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

New Zealand XI
Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Mark Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
Adam Voges put in another top score against New Zealand, but should have been out to a wrongly called "no ball". (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Roar Guru
28th November, 2015
446
8410 Reads

Day result:

The Test in Adelaide once again produced a busy day of cricket as Australia finished their first innings and blasted through the first half of the New Zealand batting order as the day-night match went into the evening.

REPORT: TWISTS AND TURNS ON DAY 2

Australia’s top order collapsed horribly on Friday evening and early Saturday, but a magnificent stand from Peter Nevill proved to be the difference as he and Nathan Lyon made a memorable 74-run partnership when Australia held just two wickets.

Mitch Starc – diagnosed with stress fracture just yesterday – made a brave stand when Lyon fell. Unable to bowl but willing to bat, Starc came out on the field and slogged 24 runs – all from boundaries – before Nevill was caught on 66, ending Australia’s innings.

But the Aussies had brought up a 22-run lead by that point, something which looked impossible when Hazelwood fell and left the side at 8/118.

The wickets continued to fall quickly when New Zealand took to the crease and in the absence of Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Marsh became Australia’s most effective bowlers, with Hazelwood taking three wickets, and Marsh two.

When the third day of play begins it’ll be New Zealand, 5/116 with a lead of 94 runs, with Mitchell Santner and BJ Watling at the crease.

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Score at end of day
New Zealand 202 & 5/116
Australia 224

Day preview:

Having controlled the first ever day of pink ball cricket, Australia will feel they are in a strong position to end New Zealand’s hopes of drawing the series in the third and final Test. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 2pm (AEDT).

After a series that has seen the batsmen dominate it was rather refreshing to have 12 wickets fall on the first day of the third Test.

Heading into the first day-night there was plenty of apprehension surrounding the pink ball, though there were other factors that played a much more significant role in bringing about these wickets.

The quality of bowling had notably risen from Perth but on top of that the grassy pitch seemed to offer a bit more life, rewarding the bowlers for their efforts.

What the pink ball did show was that batting in the daytime is a simpler task than batting at night, due to the greater degree of swing the bowlers can generate under the lights. When this is taken into account Australia’s seemingly mediocre finishing score of 2-54 actually looks quite good.

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New Zealand did, however, bowl well in their 22 overs, claiming the scalps of both Australia’s openers. But some stubborn batting from Steve Smith and later on Adam Voges ensured there would be no late-night collapse.

Trent Boult also seemed somewhere near his best after a largely disappointing series. If he is able to get the ball reverse swinging he may be able to make sharp inroads into what is still a very inexperienced Australian middle order.

That inexperience puts added pressure on the two men at the crease, Smith and Voges. The pair shared a 234-run partnership in Perth and are both very adept in reading the game. If they play well enough to carry Australia’s innings into the final session of Day 2 Australia will be in a superb position to win the Test.

This also means that if New Zealand bowl to the same level they did last night they are very likely to have some batting to do.

They were offered little respite by Australia’s bowlers in the first innings but may get some through the absence of Mitchell Starc, who was taken to hospital towards the end of yesterday’s play for scans on his ankle.

Despite appearing in pain from ball one, Starc was the best of the bowlers on the first day, picking up three wickets before limping off the field. Though at the same time Australia as a unit bowled with much more discipline than in either of the first Tests, and will now feel they have a template for success when it is their turn again.

While only one day has passed, the pink ball and the spectacle of day-night cricket as a whole has been much more predictable than most people expected. Though finding themselves well behind the game already, some unpredictability may be just what New Zealand need if they are to get back into this Test.

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