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.
Score at end of day
New Zealand 202 & 5/116
Australia 224
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.
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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dcnz
Guest
When was the last time Guptill made any runs in the second knock. We need more form players in the team - that can support Kane and Rosco and hang in there for five hours.
Andy
Guest
But it does sit well with you that we use a technology that is wrong at least part of the time? Because today either snicko or hot spot was wrong and not just a little wrong but completely did not work at all wrong. Either there was a nick and snicko is useless or there wasnt a nick and hot spot is useless. And useless is the word for if it doesnt work all the time then the sole use of the technology is pointless. Plus from the front on view you can see the ball deflect when it hits the bat.
Outlier
Guest
Some people are such hypocrites There is zero difference between broad and Lyon not walking. Both players knew they hit the ball and both players should have walked if they believed in walking. If you can't understand that the principle in those incidents are the same you should rather say you are in the interest of Australia winning and not the spirit of cricket. In my opinion the people at fault are not the players but the umpires. Definitely more today's official though, sometimes people need to just apply common sense, especially in matters like today where the right thing is obvious.
My2cents
Guest
Well when you are being picked as an all rounder but you are averaging less with the bat then specialist bowlers. You deserve to be compared with them as bowlers.
justinr
Guest
My initial reaction in real time was 'out', but the front-on replay seemed to show Lyon missing by a long way. Throw in the negative reading from snicko and the initial decision of 'not out', the 3rd umpire had little option but to leave as is.
PeteW
Guest
I'm sick to death about the pink ball! Its identical to the red ball apart from colour. How do they cope with a white ball in ODI cricket. Ok they have power players and different feilding rules, restrictions etc. There is no way a pink ball swings more or falls apart more than a red ball more easily. If its been identically made with specifications, apart from the dye used. Its more or less the pitch being green unlike the WACA pitch. Adam Vogues is more than likely the blaming the ball colour for his short stay at the crease. He should not be playing, he scored runs on the WACA because it was a flat pitch! At least this game will have a result from it! I think day night test cricket is required to keep it relevant in the modern age!
Bezza
Guest
Might be unpopular and seen as one eyed but I don't care. The decision by the third umpire in regard to Nathan Lyon was the correct one. Remember he doesn't know that Lyon has given himself up by walking half way back to the pavilion and based on what he has in front of him he cannot conclusively over rule the decision made by the on field umpire. Was he out, of course he was, but don't lay blame at the third umpire.
Andrew Chrun
Guest
This test is very likely to finish on day 3.
Nate
Guest
Agreed it was the complete lack of a noise on snicko that was the problem. With no evidence to back up the small mark on hot spot you can't really blame Long for not overturning it.
Johnno
Guest
Pink-Ball a lot more stuff to work out. I’d love to see the stats on the pink-ball in the sheffield shield. The average 1st-innings+ 2nd-innings totals.
Bella
Guest
Maybe it's time you clowns gave up about Stuart Broad then. Or is it only if Australia is aggrieved that you can go on for 5 years and counting? At least the Kiwis accepted it and moved on, albeit playing poorly. So why does Siddle get to carry on when the umpire makes the correct decision in NZs favour? Poor form. Or is that just passion showing through?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Let's not forget that as recently as 2 years ago Hot Spot was banished from the DRS process because there was no trust in it. So the idea that it is now a 100% irrefutable tool which should over rule both the snicko and the central umpire's decision doesn't sit well with me.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Excellent bowling from Hazlewood. Siddle didn't offer much in attack, Bowled far too short. Smith lost patience with him and we hardly saw him at all in the final hour. With a bowler short Siddle and Hazlewood really needed to stand up but Siddle just didn't deliver. Can hardly remember him beating the bat. Hazlewood always looked dangerous. Mitch Marsh was a bit wayward but at least bowls the odd wicket taking delivery. I can see Pattinson coming in to replace Starc and Siddle should be dropped on form. Surely S Marsh is on his last chance in the second dig. That run out was school boy stuff. Mitch Marsh needs to get more aggressive in the second innings. Overall the match is nicely poised. If the Kiwis get another 60 it will be a very interesting test for the Aussie batsmen in the last innings. Those dropped catches by Smith could prove costly. Loving the day/night test cricket and a pitch that really tests a batsman's skills.
Andy
Guest
Absolutely NZ bowled badly at the end but they should never have been allowed to bowl that badly if it wasnt for a truly terrible decision. There have been bad decisions but this has to go down as one of the worst when it comes to DRS. NZ bowled badly at the end but that should in no way take away from the fact it was a truly shocking decision and we got lucky as hell.
Mattw
Guest
Think it's got to have something to do with pink ball or some other problem he has, such a usually safe pair of hands. Neither of the catches were simple, but they definitely should have been taken.
E-Meter
Guest
Gees Steve Smith goes well at 2nd slip
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
The day started with Australia well in front and has taken many twist and turns to the point where Australia are probably just in front. After Smith battled early on a flurry of wickets fell to the point where it seemed NZ might take an innings lead well over fifty. But after a controversial umpiring decision that saw Lyon given not out Nevill and Lyon himself dug in and equalled the record for the highest ninth wicket partnership in Australia's history, compiling 74 together. Even when Lyon feel New Zealand's misery continued as Starc hurled Australia into the lead, smashing 20 off a Mark Craig over, despite being badly injured. Nevill would eventually haul out in the deep for 66, an innings that could have changed the game. New Zealand's second innings started brightly as Guptill and Latham kept their wickets before the dinner break. But afterwards Hazlewood was exceptional, picking up both openers and Taylor as well. Mitchell Marsh was also very good in Starc's absence. His first over went for twelve but he showed good resilience by picking up the massive wickets of Williamson and McCullum. New Zealand will be a bit dissapointed ending the day at 5/116, with a lead still under a hundred, but two drop catches from Steve Smith could have seen things be much worse for them had they been taken. At the end of the day both teams are still in the game, but Australia are slightly better position going into day three.
JoM
Roar Rookie
Yep, they are all saying we got however many runs we shouldn't have. Everyone has pretty much agreed Lyon was out but the Kiwi bowlers allowed both he and Starc to score pretty easily. That was poor bowling and poor captaincy.
Tom from Perth
Guest
What are some other examples, Ronan?
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Nice work klaus!keep it up