A five-wicket haul from Josh Hazlewood helped Australia run through New Zealand on the first day in Christchurch, but familiar batting woes have prevented the tourists taking a stranglehold on the match.
Hazlewood’s latest dominant display in a career-best summer that has now netted him 34 wickets at 13.7 across seven Tests was one of his finest, the right-armer vindicating Pat Cummins’ decision to bowl first by blasting through the Black Caps’ top order with a potent mix of seam movement and relentless accuracy.
New Zealand could only muster 162 as four of the top five – Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and the prized scalp of Kane Williamson – fell to Hazlewood, with the first three edging a perfect line and length for catches behind the wicket, while Williamson was trapped plumb LBW by a sharp nip-backer.
Adding Matt Henry to his list of scalps for the final wicket of the innings, after a last-minute decision to review an edge behind despite a minimal appeal, the haul is the 33-year old’s 12th in Tests, an outstanding record for the George Harrison of Australia’s much-vaunted ‘Fab Four’ bowling quartet of him, Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc.
Starc had a milestone day of his own, his three taking him past the great Dennis Lillee into outright fourth on Australia’s all-time Test wickets tally, with a trademark yorker to trap tailender Scott Kuggeleijn plumb LBW first ball the latest addition to his highlight reel.
However, for all they achieved with the ball and in the field, a diving Mitchell Marsh catch at third slip to remove Will Young the highlight, Australia’s now brittle top order was again unable to totally capitalise on such a strong start, in the face of an inspired spell of bowling from Matt Henry.
4/124 at stumps after Steve Smith (11) continued his troubled start to life as an opening batter and Usman Khawaja (16), Cameron Green (25) and Travis Head (21) all fell after getting set, only a much-needed return to runs from Marnus Labuschagne prevented a total collapse.
Smith could consider himself slightly unlucky to fall, once again copping a rough umpire’s call LBW decision after shouldering arms to debutant Ben Sears’ third ball in Test cricket, ball-tracker finding it to be fractionally clipping off stump.
Head, meanwhile, can have few such excuses, a poorly executed pull shot off the excellent Henry with stumps in sight taking a bottom edge to be safely pouched down the leg side by Tom Blundell.
With the pressure on his spot ramping up to 11 after a torrid first Test in Wellington, Labuschagne’s unbeaten 45 at stumps will keep the wolf from the door for now, especially if he can push on on Day 2 to make a score of note and anchor the innings as Green did at the Basin Reserve.
While far from his best, regularly playing and missing and looking scratchy earlier, the Queenslander pushed through some testing bowling from Henry and Sears in particular to see Australia safely through to stumps, along with nightwatchman Lyon, a mere 38 runs behind the Black Caps’ first innings total.
MORE TO COME
jamesb
Roar Guru
You didn’t mention Mark Wood in your previous post. You stated ” but for rain would have lost the Ashes”. Lyon took 8 wickets in the first test, and got injured in the first innings at Lords. Australia lost by three wickets at Headlingley. Murphy took one wicket. At Old Trafford, Australia went with no spinner, and should’ve comfortably lost. And in the final test, Australia lost by 49 runs. Murphy to his credit took 6 wickets. Australia were close enough in two tests, but weren’t positive in their approach at Old Trafford by not including a spinner. England made 592. Lyon’s absence did change the series, and it allowed England to continue with their Bazball batting. Granted Wood had an impact, but the two wins that England had, Australia were still a chance at both of them.
Ace
Roar Rookie
Of course we enjoy the team winning Jeff but continued failures takes the gloss off a bit So naturally we digress to the future and look for remedies to make sure they are competitive in the next two big series Or, that's how I see it. Like footy , get a win and think how to add 10% to it for the next match
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Used to love that at the old Hill at the SCG.
Ace
Roar Rookie
Have to agree with your thoughts 13th. I would have preferred a recognised opener , as I have said on here previously , just to absorb the new ball and give more confidence to the middle order
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I didn’t say we were overall. But a small lead in the first innings here will be a poor effort and put us at risk of losing, which is very disappointing - they have a weak bowling lineup, and we would miss out on WTC points. But we certainly haven’t lost yet.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
We’re doing poorly against NZ? We’ve won the First Test and we’re ahead in the Second Test. This is exactly what I’m talking about.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Well we should never be pleased to do poorly against NZ. We have five times the population and ten times the cricket history. And debate and commentary is about who played well and who didn’t. And Australian batters have played some poor shots, though I wouldn’t include Smith and Khawaja. One positive that deserves more attention- some excellent catching again.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
“ his three taking him past the great Dennis Lillee into outright fourth on Australia’s all-time Test wickets tally”. So he’s better than Lillee? This is the only stat you guys ever mention, without any context, in a ranked list of players. So you must think it is the most significant stat you can mention? Khawaja and Smith a bit unlucky. Head, Marnus, Carey, Marsh all out to poor shots. Carey just abominable.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
The form of Mark Wood and Australia’s difficulties handling his pace were contributing factors to the misfiring batting, actually. Mitch Marsh was one of the few who stood up to Wood. If Lyon hadn’t been injured we may have gone on to win the Ashes, but that is purely speculative
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Once again Jeff you are masking draws in two ashes series away that we could have lost but for our elite bowling seamers . Have we actually won any series away from home in those 15 outright ? and two losses at home to India are a slide in form not growth. Just laying it out there . I appreciate Australia has recovered well since the long dip in pre 2019 but two elite bowlers in cummins and hazel wood and smith/labs literally carried the team in 2019 ashes. Last series marsh got Australia out of a loss tour as well as some very good bowling. Losing to West Indies at Gabba sorry it was pour batting and well the averages in last 15 tests and home tour haven't been great across the board on home soil . Not taking anything away from some good form but the summer I noticed a big dip in general in batting after a sliding ashes tour so im looking at our last 12 tests as I realize touring India before that is never easy and there was no Australia A tour before that . When the averages slide at home on our Aussie decks I get concerned and it has occurred last summer against sides that are not in the top echelon (top 4)
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Jeff although you are right about some good success for aus I think there are some realities hidden in what you are saying. We had never lost to inida on home soil and coming off two home series losses. We also drew our last two series against England abroad but for a few standout batsman there were big batting deficiencies . We lost to Windies in Brisbane and faced some poor sides at home . The bowling has covered up a lot of batting issues as have the home decks. This summer the batting averages were poor on home soil against lower rated teams. Last test but for green the Aussies may have lost and we've had a good run winning tosses in many series particularly at home which gave our bats huge advantages . India 4 series losses in a row now? West Indies drawing at home. Fairly close in NZ . Not convinced our batting is in great shape as well with Khawaja 38 in summer and smith tailing off slowly but surely but still he's very good. Head has underperformed if you take the home Adelaide test advantage out and WTC not being a series match which bolstered his average. Warner was terrible for last two years and in 2019. Australia with good batting depth should have won two series in England although to be fair India middle order (pant jadeja ) got on top of our poor bowling at scg and Gabba where rotation is needed. just some realities its true we have had some great results but home losses to India are a new event in those 15 series and England away were draws not to mention Sri Lanka tour . I think your pumping the tires taking the last 15 tests as batting was poor before that too and many draws /losses on tour.
jamesb
Roar Guru
The Lyon injury helped England to come back in that series. As for the misfiring top order, you only have to look at the batsman in the Sheffield Shield. Who is coming through? We don't have Hayden, Love, Hodge, Lehmann, Elliott etc waiting in the wings to get a call up. There isn't a whiz kid coming through. A 30 and a 31 year old are the leading run scorers in the Shield. Not exactly inspiring.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
If his struggles are due to him losing his eye a bit then the worst possible position for him to bat is an opener. The guy feels for the ball early, and needs bat on ball - that is not a good trait for an opener. He has always relied on his eye, but let’s say that’s not as good as it once was - he should look to be batting at 5 or 6, coming in when the ball is moving around less, rather than being pushed up the order. Openers need to remain relaxed, patient and need to leave well - the Smith of 2024 has none of those traits - he’s rushed, he feels for the ball early on, he plays across the line a lot and his eye is waning. These are all signs that he should bat further down the order and eventually be replaced, rather than being promoted to the toughest position to bat.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Jeff I think it’s got everything to do with the big three India, England and us. The first two we play over the next two summers in five test series. It’s about the BG trophy , The ashes and how well we are positioned for the tests that are PERCIEVED to ‘ truly count’. Having said that we really have to still enjoy the current contests, otherwise we will miss out on the sheer ecstasy of a Shamar Joseph performance and West Indian win for example.
E-Meter
Roar Rookie
I’m really envious of the crowd lying on the grass in the Christchurch sun, watching two teams getting right into their craft.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
That and the fishing.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Animals with Hairstyles: Australia's redemptive path is assured. Only at the Movies this Autumn
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
“But right now, there’s little to suggest Australia won’t be competitive in that series. Khawaja, Head, Green were all capable of making 90+ against India 12 months ago…” The problem with that argument is that Khawaja and Smith will be two years older than those last performances. Head is hit and miss.This doesn’t mean they will perform in 12 mths time. The point of the article and also my point is that currently a misfiring batting order, that but for rain would have lost the Ashes, has been misfiring for some time. The Ashes draw masked issues. The batting has been rescued by the odd exceptional innings like Green’s 174 and excellent world class bowling compensating for misfiring batting. I think you are over inflating just how good we are at the moment.We will be competitive against India I didn’t suggest otherwise. What I am saying is that India are better placed at this stage in the cricket cycle with their firing batting and bowling to retain the BG trophy.
The Knightwatchmen who say Nii
Roar Rookie
I still don't rate Green's ton in that mammoth scoring draw Jeff, but I rate immensely his ton in the first test this current series. He has no reason to doubt himself anymore with the bat. He is ready to take over the mantel from the 2014-19 Smith, if he is good enough. Let's hope he is - he has the talent, nobody ever doubted that, can he show the same temperament on a regular basis in the coming years? Our bowlers are still world class, though we have to wonder how much longer Starc and the Hazel Hoff will last, given their ages. Then again, Ooh Aah was still awesome at 35-36.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
There seems to be an epidemic amongst Australian cricket fans of being being incapable of celebrating any outcome from a cricket match involving the Australian side. Everything thing seems to be revolving around assessments of being "complete failures", "misfiring", "going to get toweled up by some future opponent". FFS. Can't we just embrace the contest in a game of cricket between teams and between individuals, currently on hand? 90% of comments about the Australian team that has lost 2 out of its last 15 series seem to be about nothing more than the doom and gloom that is around the corner and the sky falling in. Can't we just talk about the day's play, the match play, on its own merits within the context of a cricket match, without having to go down the path of the purported existential threat of impending armageddon? There was so much to take out of Day 1 in Christchurch about two teams playing each other and the individual battles, yet all we seem to keep getting is the same doom and gloom narrative about "what's going to happen in future matches".