Australia have completed a comprehensive win over their neighbors mid way through day 4, capturing the final six wickets for 149 runs on their way to an innings an 52 run victory.
Still needing 201 runs just to make Australia bat again, New Zealand lost vital wickets early in the morning session, heading to the lunch break having lost 3 wickets for 64 in the opening two hours.
Things only got from bad to worse for the hosts, losing the wicket of Doug Bracewell just five balls after lunch.
Some late hitting from Tim Southee (48 from 23 balls) saw the total surpass 300, however, the number 10 would go for one six too many and hole out in the deep for Nathan Lyon’s fourth wicket of the innings.
It wasn’t long before the final wicket was cleaned up and the hosts innings defeat confirmed. Not the result Brendan McCullum will have been looking for in his 100th test match, but his side will already be building towards the second test in Christchurch.
Adam Voges was named man of the match for his scintillating 239 in the second innings of the match.
Scores:
New Zealand – 183 (48) & 327 (104.3)
Australia – 562 (154.2)
Australia are in a commanding position heading into the penultimate day of the first Test against New Zealand, holding on to a 201-run lead. Join The Roar from 8:30am (AEDT) for every run and wicket coming out of the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand collapsed on the first day for just 183 after Josh Hazlewood picked up four scalps and ran riot through the batting line up. Australia then came out and charged into the lead off the back of Khawaja and Voges centuries, the latter going on to pass the double hundred mark for the second time in his Test career.
Following some late fireworks from the Australian tail, New Zealand finally got their second chance to bat midway through day three and came out of the blocks firing, piecing together over 100 runs in their first session at the crease.
More cricket:
» Australian bowlers show the Kiwi attack how it’s done
» Adam Voges, batting ugly but sitting pretty over Bradman
» Can Adam Voges better The Don’s average?
» Scorecard: New Zealand vs Australia first Test
Tom Latham slugged it out for over three and a half hours as he tried to hold the innings together, however when he fell for 63 (from 164) New Zealand looked lost.
To add insult to injury, Mitch Marsh dismissed captain Brendon McCullum in the last over of the day to leave the hosts reeling at 4/178, still a long way behind with just six wickets remaining.
Henry Nicholls remains at the crease and has a fighting chance at going on to a big score on debut. With still two days remaining, New Zealand will need to bat through the majority of today if they wish to force themselves back into the match.
At the moment they need to make up another 201 runs if they want to force Australia to bat for a second time, and hold six wickets in hand.
Can New Zealand rally to a big total? Or will Australia clean up the middle order on their way to a decisive victory? Find out this morning on The Roar from 8:30am (AEDT).
bombo
Guest
M.Marsh is what the side needs. Opposition sides relax when Mitch comes on. Superb bowler. Busts his gut for his team not like watson & co. takes valuable wickets even if gets hit for a few runs. at the end of the day I would rather watch bowlers getting 20 wickets not watching batters getting 1000 runs
ThugbyFan
Guest
Thanks Scott, I just looked at the MCC Laws of Cricket and you are correct. Law 24:5 starts "For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride," but I stand by my question also, ie: how far can you slide before release of the ball? Reading that Law24 as is, there is nothing saying that, as long as my foot touches the front line in the delivery stride, I cannot slide 2 metres forward as I have a very slow release. I suspect that's why Sky in UK last tour was able to claim MitchJ was constantly bowling no-balls, they had plenty of photos of him bowling with his front foot well after of the line. Sky made it into a beat-up blaming the umpires and suggesting that MJ was cheating. But by Rule 24, Mitch wasn't called because at some time in his delivery stride, his foot did touch that front foot line. I remember that MJ did slide heaps in his action. Even so, the rule, foot lands on line during bowling action was fine in 1937 when only the on-field umpire could make the decision. In today's big matches with gawd knows how many cameras, the decision should be with the TMO as outlined in my (long) post above. It sure would save a lot of grief and strain on the umpires and overall reduce errors, which is basically what we are after.
ThugbyFan
Guest
damn Jamesb, we gotta talk quieter. You jinxed M.Renshaw and I jinxed T.Dean. He got out cheaply again also (60 in 1st dig, 26 in 2nd). Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Don Freo
Guest
Surely all of NZ is embarrassed that Brian Waddell represents their voice when it come to Kiwi cricket.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Haze, Marsh, Starc and Patto are all strike bowlers in my books. Marsh does not bowl as much as the others but considering he never gets near the new ball, he's got a hell of a strike rate so far in his fledgling career.
jamesb
Guest
I agree. Australia and NZ should play more regularly against each other. Personally, I've had enough of seeing England play. Especially in the year 2013/14, where we had 10 tests back to back and another Ashes series in 2015.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
That is probably Australia's best win in almost 2 years since the 2-1 series win in South Africa. To be 3-0 up this summer against NZ is extraordinary when you consider the Australian side was utterly decimated at the start of this season, having just lost 5 long-term players. I'm surprised by NZ...I wrote repeatedly in the lead up to the summer how impressed I'd been with how they'd played the previous 18 months...and that I thought the series in Australia would be extremely close, with NZ having the edge in the return series. Yet, over the 4 Tests so far, it's been a blowout really. It's unfortunate as now CA have even less reason going forth to schedule matches against NZ, and I think all Australian and Kiwi fans would like to see the sides tussle more often after being starved for years now.
danno
Guest
Dean from Victoria looks good, still early though.
Digby
Roar Guru
Him and Guppy. Frustrating.
jamesb
Guest
The good news for you guys is that Nicolls looks like a good player and so is the opener, Latham. Frustrating for a kiwi fan is when Latham gets out after making a start. Does all the hard work and then throws it away.
Digby
Roar Guru
More of the same really, perhaps a touch slower.
Digby
Roar Guru
Can't really argue with any of that.
matth
Guest
He's played 7 matches including the one on at the moment and is averaging 34.
matth
Guest
Yeah fair call
matth
Guest
But he has gone off the boil since then and is averaging 30 in the Shield
AlanKC
Guest
Now that I'd like to see
AlanKC
Guest
Cowan, sadly for him, is still suffering concussion from the hit in the head in his last shield game. Having said that, why on earth would you drop Burns at the moment? He's hardly failing in his first crack as a test opener.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Worlds Biggest. Not sure who you replied to but the three of us are the only ones that want Mitch at #7 and Neville at #6. Until Marsh improves on some technical issues he should bat in the lower order. I believe he will one day bat in our top order and average 40+
Craig Swanson
Guest
Any Kiwis on the site who could impart their know how of the the likely deck condition for Christchurch?
Craig Swanson
Guest
Agreed. He has enormous untapped talent. Some of those back foot drives he played in the ODI were out of the textbook He does, however, need to stop going so hard at the ball in defense. The front foot prod he spooned up to a flying Boult is a prime example. What is the batting coach paid for if not to iron out technical kinks in his batsmen?