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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
James Wallace (now) and Angus Fontaine (earlier)

New Zealand v Australia: first Test, day two – as it happened

Australia New Zealand Cameron Green Mitch Marsh Steve Smith Usman Khawaja Basin Reserve Wellington
Steve Smith trudges off
Steve Smith trudges off after a three-ball duck on day two of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Wellington. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Day two’s report from Basin Reserve:

That’s it from me for today. Thanks for your company and comments. Angus and I will be back tomorrow to bring you day three from Wellington, fingers crossed for a fightback and a close Test match. Tim Southee will dream of that dropped catch off the final ball of the day no doubt. I’m off for some dreams of my own, have a good evening/afternoon/morning – goodbye!

In case you missed it, the Kane Williamson run out was a real sickener for the home side. New Zealand actually did pretty well to rally from 29-5 to 179 all out, thanks largely to a pugnacious knock from Glenn Phillips, some elegant strokes from Tom Blundell and some lower order smiting from Matt Henry.

Australia are well in command of the game with a lead of 217 runs despite losing both Smith and Labuschagne before the close.

Australia’s day in Wellington:

“Fuzzy thinking” writes Eamonn Malone, “It was Marn who needed a nightwatchman, not the bloke who was seeing them like watermelons a few hours ago!”

“Is this the most benign 13 wicket day of all time?” asks Mark Chaimungkalanon.

“Two chopped on. Two strangled. One calamitous runout. A bunch of slogs to the deep. Doesn’t feel like a 13 wickets day pitch.”

Updated

Stumps: Australia 13-2 (217 runs ahead)

Lots of men around the bat for the close, great to see. Henry bangs one in short and Lyon does well to get his gloves out of the way. Last ball of the day… DROP! Lyon edges Henry to Southee in the slips and the Kiwi skipper shells a straightforward chance! Drama at the last and a moment that sums up New Zealand’s day.

8th over: Australia 13-2 (Khawaja 5, Lyon 6)

7th over: Australia 12-2 (Khawaja 4, Lyon 6) Southee is bowling fantastically well here. He’s getting zip and movement off the pitch and the ball flies past the forward prod on a couple of occasions. Khawaja whips a straight ball off his front pad for a single. He was stone dead if he missed that. We might squeeze one more in before the close.

6th over: Australia 7-2 (Khawaja 4, Lyon 3) Henry continues. Khawaja pokes a length ball into the off side and they scamper a single. Lyon gloves for a couple down to fine leg

5th over: Australia 4-2 (Khawaja 2, Lyon 0) Tim Southee has his dander well and truly up, he also has the new ball on a string, moving it both in and away very late. Nathan Lyon is the new batter as Australia protect Cameron Green with a nightwatchman.

Updated

WICKET! Labuschagne c Blundell b Southee 2 (Australia 4-2)

There’s about fifteen minutes left in the day’s play in Wellington. New Zealand would dearly love another wicket or two before the close… and there’s one! Marnus is distraught as he tickles a leg side ball into Blundell’s gloves. Now then!

4th over: Australia 2-1 (Khawaja 2, Labuschagne 2) Khawaja nearly chops Henry on! So close, the ball wasn’t short enough for the pull and the inside edge narrowly avoided the off stump. Kahwaja picks up a couple for it as shadows lengthen across the turf at the Basin Reserve.

3rd over: Australia 2-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 2) Southee is getting some nice shape away, five watchful dots before Marnus clips the final ball of the over away for a couple to get Australia ticking in their second dig.

2nd over: Australia 0-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 0) Matt Henry shares the new ball, buoyed no doubt by his lower order biffing. He’s full to Khawaja and finds the edge but the ball dies on the way to the slips. Some early movement for Henry, can New Zealand get back into this game with the ball before the close on day two?

1st over: Australia 0-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 0) Perfect start for New Zealand and they need even more quick scalps to get back into this match. Smith was undone by the steepling bounce and the fact that he was playing with his hands well away from his body. Marnus is the new man and under significant pressure.

WICKET! Smith b Southee (Australia 0-1)

Steve Smith chops on third ball!

The players are heading out already. Just time to post this from Daniel McDonald:

“Hi James, perhaps you could sing the following to your restless toddler, to the tune of lullaby by Billy Joel. Works about 20% of the time for me.

‘Goodnight Jo Angel, time to close your eyes

And save these lbw appeals for another day

I think I know New Zealand won’t follow on

I think you know Cameron Green is pretty good

I promised I would never leave you

Then you should always know

As a writer of the OBO, no matter where you are

I never will be far away”

All the best from a husk of a father of a 2 year old and 8 week old.”

Cheers Daniel. All quiet on the western front now thankfully. And congrats on Huskdom!

Australia lead by 204 runs and will bat again. Of course they will. Smith and Khawaja trot off to strap ‘em on.

New Zealand all out for 179

It’s all over now baby blue. Matt Henry holes out off Lyon and New Zealand have been bundled out for 179 in less than 45 overs.

43rd over: New Zealand 179-9 (Henry 27, O’Rourke 0) Despite it all Matt Henry is having a whale of a time. Hazlewood hurtles in looking to finish things off for Australia but Henry is having none of it. A smear over midwicket brings four and is followed by a scythe down the ground for… SIX! Hazlewood responds with a bumper but that finds the fence too after grazing Henry’s glove on the way through.

42nd over: New Zealand 164-9 (Henry 27, O’Rourke 0) William O’Rourke is the new batter and the last man. A couple of leg byes end Lyon’s over.

Updated

WICKET! Southee c Head b Lyon 1 (New Zealand 162-9)

A short stay for Southee! He plops a catch up to Head at short leg and the home side are nine down.

Updated

WICKET! Phillips c Starc b Hazlewood 71 (New Zealand 161-8)

Hazlewood bounce out Phillips! A well directed short ball zoning in on the area between the ribs and the neck, Phillips takes it on but flat bats to Starc in the deep. A fighting innings comes to a close, New Zealand still in all sorts of strife.

41st over: New Zealand 162-8 (Henry 27, Southee 1) Kiwi skipper Tim Southee is the new bat. His side need his considerable six hitting prowess here.

Updated

40th over: New Zealand 159-7 (Phillips 69, Henry 27) Matt Henry slaps Lyon for a third SIX! Using his feet to get to the pitch and swing through the line. A decent cameo already from Henry.

39th over: New Zealand 153-7 (Phillips 69, Henry 21) Josh Hazlewood replaces Cummins. Pick that out! Phillips plays a rasping cover drive that skims across the baize to the boundary.

38th over: New Zealand 147-7 (Phillips 64, Henry 20) Lyon continues after a slurp of something luminous. I daren’t venture down the hallway to attempt a second coffee. Phillips takes a single and Henry tries to slap Lyon away for another biggie but doesn’t get hold of it, the ball landing safely between two fielders in the deep.

37th over: New Zealand 144-7 (Phillips 62, Henry 19) Matt Henry making a nuisance of himself, he steers Cummins’ last ball fine for four and that’ll be the final drinks break of the day. Australia lead by a whopping 239 runs.

Updated

36th over: New Zealand 140-7 (Phillips 62, Henry 15) Matt Henry gives Lyon some long handle once again – a slog sweep over long on clears the ropes for SIX. A pull into the deep brings Phillips onto strike. Lovely batting – a straight drive down the ground for four more.

Updated

35th over: New Zealand 127-7 (Phillips 58, Henry 8) Cummins to Phillips. Shot – the stocky all rounder opens the face and glides for four through point.

34th over: New Zealand 123-7 (Phillips 53, Henry 7) Lyon is extracting some huge turn from this day two pitch, a couple of deliveries spit and spin sharply back into Phillips. A single brings Henry on strike for one ball. Can he survive? You betcha – a lusty blow sees the seamer bunt Lyon over cow corner for SIX.

33rd over: New Zealand 116-7 (Phillips 50, Henry 1) Matt Henry is the new batter and he nearly has to head back to the hutch immediately too – fending a Cummins short ball up in the air that somehow plops short of point.

On a side note – this just made me chuckle… on my lonesome… in my lounge at 4am.

Updated

32nd over: New Zealand 113-7 (Phillips 50, Henry) Lyon’s over started so well for New Zealand – Glenn Phillips notching up his first Test fifty on home soil off the first ball of the over. Phillips could only watch on from the non strikers end as Lyon spun his web and snaffled a brace in four balls. Damage limitation for the kiwis from here – all eyes on Glenn Phillips.

WICKET! Kuggeleijn c Green b Lyon 0 (New Zealand 113-7)

Lyon has two in the over as new man Scott Kuggeleijn holes out to Cameron Green in the deep!

Updated

WICKET! Blundell c Head b Lyon 33 (New Zealand 113-6)

Gah, the OBO curse does for Blundell. He falls to a Lyon and Head combinayshun, inside edge onto pad and a simple looping catch to Head at short leg. A plucky knock comes to an end.

(Sorry Tom)

31st over: New Zealand 106-5 (Blundell 27, Phillips 49) The toddler has roused and is demanding company. The tension ratchets up a notch here in London. Dawn still a good while off yet, could go either way this.

In Wellington, Cummins brings himself on but can’t stem the flow. Blundell has settled nicely and looks good as he glides, drives and pulls six runs off the Aussie skipper.

30th over: New Zealand 106-5 (Blundell 27, Phillips 49) Lyon hasn’t found his groove yet but there are signs of grip and turn in Wellington. A short ball is tickled away fine by Phillips and Matt Renshaw makes a hash of the boundary riding to gift a boundary.

29th over: New Zealand 100-5 (Blundell 26, Phillips 44) A single to each batter off Starc sees the hundred on the board for the home side. At 29-5 it looked in serious doubt that they would ever make three figures.

28th over: New Zealand 98-5 (Blundell 25, Phillips 43) Lyon it is with shades on, a slip and a short leg in place. A drag down is swivelled away behind square by Phillips for four. Poor ball from the experienced spinner as he gets fingers and shoulder loosened up. SIX! Phillips drop to one knee and slog sweeps a length ball over midwicket and onto the grass bank. Good positive batting, New Zealand inching back into the contest, albeit they trail by 285 runs still.

27th over: New Zealand 89-5 (Blundell 24, Phillips 35) Glenn Phillips shows off his lightning quick hands by drilling a 149kph half volley from Starc down the ground for four. That whistled away at some speed. Nathan Lyon is limbering up for a bowl.

26th over: New Zealand 80-5 (Blundell 24, Phillips 27) Blundell glides for a single past point to bring up the fifty stand off 48 balls. Hazlewood pins Phillips on the pad but the ball was heading over the top of the stumps. Phillips hangs back and jabs a single into the off side off the final ball.

25th over: New Zealand 78-5 (Blundell 23, Phillips 26) Thirteen runs off Starc’s over! Tom Blundell gets on top of the bounce to carve for four through point and then gets onto the front foot to drive a full ball handsomely through cover for another boundary. A single brings Phillips onto strike and he gets the caveman club out to bosh a shorter ball away to the leg side fence. Starc looks like he’s just licked a battery. Not a happy chappy.

24th over: New Zealand 65-5 (Blundell 14, Phillips 22) Counter punch by Phillips! He rocks back and hammers Hazlewood square of the wicket for four and then follows up with a beautiful straight drive down the ground for four more!

23rd over: New Zealand 56-5 (Blundell 14, Phillips 13) Glenn Phillips takes a step or two down the wicket to Starc and pierces the infield to pick up four. New Zealand showing some positive intent after the tea break.

“Good morning from Perth”

Hello to you, Lewis Corner.

“Mr Extras contributed 41 runs to Australia’s innings. New Zealand’s first five back-to-the-pavilion batsmen totalled 25. Has half a test side ever previously been dismissed before overhauling the extras they conceded when bowling? I think we should be told!”

Way too early and beyond my skillset to dig into this but it is chin stroker, surely the OBO hivemind can crunch the numbers?

22nd over: New Zealand 50-5 (Blundell 12, Phillips 9) Josh Hazlewood starts things off after tea. Blundell throws the blade at a wide-ish ball to pick up four and then plays a more controlled stroke in a similar area for three. Precious runs, the follow on score is still a distant dream for New Zealand even if I don’t actually think Australia will enforce it?

Updated

Time to pad past the sleeping toddler’s room like a ninja and brew up a very strong coffee. Just watched this, man I love Jeremy Coney.

A highlight of last year was going to lunch with the great man and listening to a few of his stories.

I lived for a year in Splott just on the south side of Cardiff. Of course, the locals pronounce it ‘Sp-low’ not ‘Sp-lott’ which gives it a whiff of something a bit more salubrious.”

Listeners familiar with the lilting sing-song of Jeremy Coney’s Kiwi accent will note that that final “salubrious” lasts a beat or two longer, its syllables rolled around and luxuriated, given the full Jeremy Coney treatment. There has been no sign of his favoured “parsimonious” during the course of what runs to a two-hour chat with the former New Zealand captain turned broadcaster and commentator, though “lugubrious” and “nefarious” are pleasingly deployed within the first few minutes of us sitting down.”

21st over: New Zealand 42-5 (Blundell 4, Phillips 8) Blundell punches a single off Cummins to end the session. The safe harbour of the tea break can’t come soon enough for New Zealand.

21 overs, 42 runs and five wickets is the story of the session.

20th over: New Zealand 41-5 (Blundell 4, Phillips 8) Blundell tries to hoick a shorter ball from Marsh away into the leg side but is foxed by the lack of pace and connects only with the breeze. Marsh gives him some width off the final ball and Blundell picks up three with a steer wide of point. New Zealand have to cling on to the tea break and try to gather themselves over some cucumber sarnies.

19th over: New Zealand 38-5 (Blundell 1, Phillips 8) Tom Blundell is off the mark with a poke into the covers for a single. Glenn Phillips isn’t going to die wondering, he throws the bat at a Cummins full ball and the ensuing edge flies just wide of Cameron Green’s albatross wing span in the gully and away for four.

18th over: New Zealand 33-5 (Blundell 0, Phillips 4) Carnage at the Basin Reserve. Ruthless by Australia. Marsh nearly adds to the Kiwi misery by taking the shoulder of Phillip’s blade with a back of a length ball but the edge narrowly drops short of the waiting cordon. Flash hard! Phillips scythes away over the slips this time to pick up a boundary. Maybe flinging the bat at a few is the way to go here… the deficit is is 350 odd runs for crying out loud!

WICKET! Young c Carey b Marsh 9 (New Zealand 29-5)

Sickener! Will Young is strangled down the leg side by Marsh as Australia take two wickets in two balls!

Updated

WICKET! Mitchell c Carey b Cummins 11 (New Zealand 29-4)

Gah! Mitchell pulls Cummins away for four but is then drawn into a loose drive next ball and edges to Alex Carey behind the stumps who holds on to a tumbling catch. New Zealand in the mire as Glenn Phillips arrives in the middle.

16th over: New Zealand 29-4 (Young 9, Phillips)

Updated

15th over: New Zealand 22-3 (Mitchell 5, Young 9) Marsh bustles in, another no-ball on the front foot sees the score tick up by one. Young plinks into the leg side for the only other run off the over. Tough going at the minute for the home side.

14th over: New Zealand 20-3 (Mitchell 5, Young 8) Cummins thuds a back of a length ball into Mitchell’s gloves and then pins him on the front pad… a stifled appeal but Marais Erasmus says no. It was going over the top and Australia wisely choose not to review. Mitchell clips a full one for two into the leg side and is then beaten by a beauty off the least ball – Cummins angling one in and then getting the ball to jag away past the outside edge. Fantastic over from Big Pat.

13th over: New Zealand 18-3 (Mitchell 3, Young 8) A resplendently mulleted Mitchell Marsh is into the attack to replace his captain. If you haven’t yet seen this then do yourself a favour. Such a likeable cricketer. He oversteps first up to giveaway a single but it is tidy stuff after that, six dots defended by Young.

12th over: New Zealand 17-3 (Mitchell 3, Young 8) I was really looking forward to watching Rachin Ravindra unfurl a few strokes against Australia’s gun bowling line up, he’ll get another chance in the second dig of course but have just caught up with his wicket and it was a bit loosey goosey, you can’t gift your wicket away like that, especially not to this Aussie outfit. The Williamson run out was a bit of a sickener too, sharp work by Marnus as the batters ended up grappling with each other mid pitch like Ollie Reed and Alan Bates… but with clothes on. DH Lawrence references at 2am is it? La-di-dah.

Hazlewood is tucked behind square for a single by Mitchell, the Kiwis need the man they call ‘Moose’ to get a big one here.

11th over: New Zealand 16-3 (Mitchell 2, Young 8) Thanks Angus and hello all. Inky black skies here as it creaks towards 2am in London town. The sun beats down on Pat Cummins’ broad shoulders as he steams in at the Basin Reserve, he sends down a maiden to Will Young who is watchful outside off. New Zealand clinging on in this game.

10th over: New Zealand 16-3 (Mitchell 2, Young 8) Almost a catch! Hazlewood got his first ball to lift off a length and it crashed into Will Young’s thumb and ballooned just short of the third slipper in a four-man cordon. That hurt Young but his wicket is intact. He wrings out his right glove between deliveries but Hazlewood, relentless as always, frays those nerves further by sliding a ball past the outside edge. Close! Finally, Young squirts one onto the legside to scamper a run.

That’s me done for the day. James Wallace will take you home to stumps and I will catch yers on the morrow. Thanks for your company and enjoy the rest of the day!

9th over: New Zealand 15-3 (Mitchell 2, Young 7) NOOOOOOOOO! That’s the baritone yowl issuing from Daryl Mitchell at the moment, a no-run call reeking of high anxiety but delivered at a volume meant to convey authority. Starc keeps him in his crease with a maiden, whipping the final ball just past the outside edge to keep the Kiwi on edge.

8th over: New Zealand 15-3 (Mitchell 2, Young 7) Mitchell almost falls into the trap! Cummins, sensing the big No 5 will be fighting the instinct to attack when needing to defend, has moved a man into a leg gully position. Hazlewood dug one into Mitchell’s hip and it popped up and bounced a metre away from that man. Rueful grins all round but the Black Caps bank a single and keep the Australians at bay for another over.

7th over: New Zealand 14-3 (Mitchell 1, Young 7) The Kiwis are in survival mode here. Mitchell, a naturally attacking batting allrounder from Hamilton, will have to curb his baser instincts here and do as Cam Green did by shepherding the middle and lower order batters to a decent total.

6th over: New Zealand 13-3 (Mitchell 1, Young 7) Daryl Mitchell has come to crease after that rapid triple-strike by the Australians. He’s a 21-Test veteran band a man in form (he averages 53.4 in Tests) but this will be a mighty challenge for him with Starc and Hazlewood in their pomp, Cummins in the wings and bad luck dogging the Kiwis.

Updated

WICKET! Ravindra c Lyon b Hazlewood 0 (New Zealand 12-3)

Another one! New batter Ravindra flays at a wider ball from Hazlewood and holes out to a great catch from Nathan Lyon at point. New Zealand collapsing early! That was a well judged catch by the GOAT. He reacted straight away but flew too far too his right and ended up pouching it in his naval while six feet off the ground! Spectacular by Australia and deadly for the Black Caps.

Updated

WICKET! Williamson run out 0 (New Zealand 12-2)

Chaos at the Basin Reserve! Kane Willamson has run himself out on his second ball. He struck it firmly down the ground but then ran smack bang into Will Young on the way to the other end. Starc, holdimng his ground in his follow-through got in the way as well, and the throw from Marnus Labuschagne was on target at the bowler’s end. Shocker!

Updated

WICKET! Latham b Starc 5 (New Zealand 12-1)

Starc strikes! He’d been hit for a boundary in the previous ball so summoned a bit of extra venom on the next. It rushed in on Latham and he had to play, chopping it onto his stumps. First blood to the visitors! That brings the Black Caps’ champion Kane Williamson to the crease in his 99th Test looking for a fifth consecutive Test ton.

5th over: New Zealand 8-0 (Latham 1, Young 7) First boundary! Starc strayed onto the pads a little and Latham punished him with a pull shot to the rope. That brought the crowd to their feet.

4th over: New Zealand 8-0 (Latham 1, Young 7) Latham takes a sharp single from Hazlewood’s first ball and the bowler responds with a fast lifter that eludes the groping bat of Will Young. He recovers to work two runs down the legside. Hazlewood is now the world’s No 5 bowler behind Bumrah, Ashwin, Rabada and Cummins.

3rd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 0, Young 5) After 15 Tests and seven fifties, Will Young is still looking for his maiden Test century. Is today the day? No better time to score it, with his team still stunned by that first session flogging. And no greater attack to score it against than an Australian attack so feared they’ve become “a cartel.” Starc is attacking the stumps here, landing it on a nice full length at a consistent speed in the mid-140s. He delivers consecutive maidens, not something we get to type too often.

Updated

2nd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 0, Young 5) Here comes newly christened allrounder Josh Hazlewood, primed to follow-up his excellent 22 run knock with a few wickets. Alas, it isn’t to be – yet. Will Young brings the Hoff back to earth with a well-timed midwicket clip for four. First runs to the Kiwis.

1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Latham 0, Young 0) And we’re back! Starc sprays a few about before zinging a 145kph yorker at Tim Latham’s pads. He survives, as a man averaging 40 from his 78 Tests should. Can;’t score from the rest though. A maiden plays out.

1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Latham 0, Young 0) And we’re back! It will be Mitchell Starc to Tom Latham to get us underway. As is his custom, Starc sprays a few around before zinging a 145kph yorker into Latham’s pads. The Canterbury wicketkeeper-batter keeps it out. He is averaging 40 from his 78 Tests but Latham can’t score from Starcin this over and a maiden plays out.

LUNCH: Australia all out for 383

What a session that was! With No 11 Josh Hazlewood at the wicket, plenty of life left in the pitch and a ball five-overs old in their hands, everything pointed to New Zealand wrapping up the Australia innings quickly. Instead, the visitors tore up the script.

Hazlewood endured, then prospered, defending with ease and attacking at will. But it was Cameron Green who tore out the Kiwi’s heart. Right from the get-go he controlled the tempo of the game superbly, farming the strike while flaying the Kiwi attack all over the ground. It was a brilliant knock of 174 and it might’ve gone on and on and on.

But after 146 minutes and 116 runs, the Black Caps finally bagged their bunny just before lunch. Now, after the humiliation of that first session, their batters must recover and reset to find the energy to chase down this hugely-inflated total of 383. And they must do it against Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood, the greatest pace attack in the game.

But hey, it’s still day two and this Test is very much alive with a long way to go. New Zealand have a formidable batting line-up but can their key men deliver after that battering? We’ll break for a bit. See you in a hot half hour for the home side’s chase.

Updated

WICKET! Hazlewood c Ravindra b Henry 22 (Australia 383-10)

Hazlewood holes out! It was a faster ball from Henry and he chipped it to Ravindra at mid-off. That’s the innings done. Henry gets a hard-earned five-for and Cam Green walks off with a magnificent undefeated 174 not out. Handy knock from the Hoff too who stayed out there for 62 balls and 148 minutes to score 22 runs, break a record for the 10th wicket against New Zealand and shatter a few Kiwi hearts along the way.

Updated

Australia break record for 10th wicket partnership against New Zealand!

That Cameron Green cover drive takes them to 115 past the 114 set by Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath at the Gabba in 2004.

Key event

115th over: Australia 378-9 (Green 170, Hazlewood 22) O’Rourke floats a few past Green but surely he’s got to attack the stumps or the man here? There’s no pressure on the batters here. Only pain. And Green delivers another dose with a fantastic drive down the ground. That’s the record!

Updated

114th over: Australia 378-9 (Green 170, Hazlewood 22) New Zealand delivered a middling first session on day one but redeemed it with late wickets. That hasn’t happened today. The breakthroughs haven’t come and Australia has controlled the tempo of the game. Green’s single from the final ball of Henry’s 30th over is just the second scoring shot in four overs, further proof that the baggy greeners are cantering.

113th over: Australia 377-9 (Green 169, Hazlewood 22) Bowling speeds are falling with spirits here at Basin Reserve as the New Zealnd bowling attack flags in the shadows of lunch. The crowd, a healthy smattering across pavilions and grassy knolls, has been largely silenced by this stubborn last-wicket stand (now 110). Hazlewood plays out another maiden as Australia look for the safety of the long break.

Updated

112th over: Australia 377-9 (Green 169, Hazlewood 22) A maiden. Yep, you read it right. A maiden. Cam and Josh must be hungry. They’ve shut up shop to eye off the buffet.

111th over: Australia 377-9 (Green 169, Hazlewood 22) Hazlewood hits out! He cracks the New Zealand captain through covers to notch his fourth boundary and enter the roaring twenties. Meanwhile, Southee enters the nervous nineties with 0-92.

Rob Wilson is enjoying the show from Paris. “That pic at the top of the page (Cameron Green cleaving another six) is magically cheering on a horribly wet and wintry Parisian night. I’m also chuffed by the delightfully existential way that Green has mostly chugged along quite languidly with the last man in before giving it a bit of sporadic humpty. Somehow feels very Les Deux Magots in the 1950s. Sartre would have approved. Run rate is a hollow farce and the boundary rope is truly inside us all. Getting a double-ton is the ultimate gesture of despair.”

Thanks Rob! Given JP believed the underlying motivation for action is to be found in the nature of consciousness which is a desire for being, I think he’d be a Cam Green fan too.

Updated

110th over: Australia 373-9 (Green 169, Hazlewood 18) Day one destroyer Matt Henry returns for a 28th over and straight away elicits AN EDGE from Green… but it falls short of the man at gully. More pain for the Black Caps. Australia’s run rate is 3.4 but it’s the ease with which the runs have come this morning that must be vexing the home side. They have been utterly untroubled by these so-called Kiwi Assassins.

Updated

109th over: Australia 373-9 (Green 169, Hazlewood 18) Tough morning for Tim Southee. Doubtless he revved his team up to take this final wicket and get to 100 by lunch with the bat. Instead, he and his bowlers are still in the field and have been hammered to all parts of the ground and humiliated by a century-stand for the 10th wicket. His opening batters, primed to bat for nigh two hours now, must now be utterly frazzled.

108th over: Australia 372-9 (Green 168, Hazlewood 18) Australia stroll through another over as Green takes a strolled single and Kuggeleijn delivers yet another wide bouncer.

Here’s a look at that extraordinary Gillespie-McGrath masterclass from 20 years back…

Updated

107th over: Australia 370-9 (Green 167, Hazlewood 18) Green takes a single as these two close in on the record for the highest 10th wicket partnership against New Zealand, record held by Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath in the 2004 Test at Brisbane.

Updated

106th over: Australia 368-9 (Green 166, Hazlewood 18) Kuggeleijn steams in for a 19th over. He has 2-67 and has the scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey but, like the rest of his teammates, he can’t prise out Cameron Green or Josh Hazlewood. New Zealand are missing Neil Wagner. He was the energy they called on in the past but, alas, the 260-wicket tyro is running drinks as a retiree today. He gets a good view from the sidelines as Green pulls another one behind square for SIX.

105th over: Australia 362-9 (Green 160, Hazlewood 17) We’re now half an hour from lunch and Australia are in the extraordinary position of wondering whether to declare and have a lash at the Kiwis in a helter-skelter 20 minutes before the break. For Cummins to do so he’d have to deny Cam Smith a shot at a maiden double-century. The big fella sends a message to his skipper by adding another four to his tally with a neat clip to the fine leg boundary from the hapless Southee. How are New Zealand going to get this final wicket? This partnership is now worth 95!

104th over: Australia 356-9 (Green 155, Hazlewood 16) Single off the first! Normally there’d be no reason for a screamer on that sentence but Green has forsaken singles early in the over to shield Hazlewood and farm the strike. Runs ensue anyway as new bowler Scott Kuggeleijn bounces one over both batter and keeper for four byes. Ouch! Personally, I think Josh deserves more credit than Green is giving him. He proves it by tonking Kuggeleijn down the ground for an easy run. That gets Green back on strike and he leans into the rigging and rides a straight ball from Kuggeleijn to the rope behind square. New Zealand have bowled 18 wides – a new (and unwanted) Test record.

103rd over: Australia 345-9 (Green 150, Hazlewood 15) Ravindra whips through a maiden as Green basks in his magnificent century-and-a-half.

102nd over: Australia 345-9 (Green 150, Hazlewood 15) That’s 150 for Cameron Green! And what a way to bring it up. He had clouted O’Rourke to the square leg boundary without breaching it and not running either. But he waited until the last to play what has become his trademark shoot in this innings – a step-back, high-elbow swipe over the square leg fence. This is becoming a career-defining innings for Cam Green.

Meanwhile, Nick Hebden has chimed in from Sydney to say what many of us are thinking: “I thought Australia might have been there for the taking at the end of a long summer and with changes in the batting order. (But) it feels like NZ have let them off the hook. The runs Green has made with the tail now put Australia in front. It will be interesting to see how the pitch holds up. The longer Aus bat, the more they keep NZ off the pitch when it will be at its best.”

101st over: Australia 339-9 (Green 144, Hazlewood 15) Ravindra returns. The gloriously-tousled 24-year-old allrounder got the lbw wicket of Pat Cummins yesterday, a just reward for some energetic bowling in front of his home crowd. He leaks a single to Green and is otherwise tidy but there’s no teeth in this New Zealand attack.

100th over: Australia 338-9 (Green 143, Hazlewood 15) O’Rourke brings up triple figures for New Zealand, bowling the 100th over to a dangerously composed Cameron Green who has led this 70-run partnership, now the highest of the innings. After some stick in his opening overs, O’Rourke has got his radar right now. Green still drives a single down the ground to retain strike to Ravindra.

99th over: Australia 337-9 (Green 142, Hazlewood 15) Bowling change. It’ll be Rachin Ravindra to bowl his fifth over. Bit desperate but worth a try at this stage, I guess. Green doesn’t mind it either. He hammers the fourth ball to the boundary at deep midwicket – that’s his 20th four of the innings.

As we pause for refreshments, Rowan Sweeney blows the froth off a salient point:
”The support that Green’s got from the lower order, even before this morning’s fireworks, does nothing to quiet my chuntering that Alex Carey should go further down the order. He’s not bad with the willow, but doesn’t seem as inclined to stick around to support the higher order batters. He’s absolutely our best gloveman so he has to bad somewhere, but I think he should be below Starc, and possibly Cummins.”

Yes, he’s a mercurial man is Carey. A fine gloveman first and foremost and a marvellous strokeplayer on his day too but a real rocks or diamonds proposition lately. Perhaps he’s feeling pressure from the incumbent Josh Inglis or a hangover from the dramas of the Ashes series last6tv year? I’d keep him where he is. Anyone else got an opinion?

98th over: Australia 332-9 (Green 138, Hazlewood 15) Hazlewood plays out a maiden from Henry. He’s looking solid as a rock this morning. This resolute 15 is the Hoff’s highest Test score since January 2019. According to Cricinfo he’d gone 27 innings without making more than 11 (but was not out in 16 of them). Onya Josh! That deserves a drink (onfield only, alas).

97th over: Australia 332-9 (Green 138, Hazlewood 15) Southee persists with O’Rourke. The youngster is into his 23rd over but has copped a shellacking this morning. Green spurns a couple of singles to wait for a loose one to heave into the heavens. But it doesn’t arrive and O’Rourke delivers a rare maiden to expose Hazlewood to the strike.

Simon McMahon has dropped in to see what condition our condition is in. “Hi Angus. This last wicket partnership is now very much into the ‘annoying’ category for New Zealand. Could even end up being the highest of the innings. That’s probably happened more often than I imagine, but it would still be pretty cool.” Not if you’re a Kiwi, Simon.

Updated

96th over: Australia 332-9 (Green 138, Hazlewood 15) Josh Hazlewood’s feisty 15 runs this morning gives him the highest score for an Australian in a Test match in Wellington, surpassing Glenn McGrath’s memorable 14 in 2004-05. Green sends congratulations with a nicely worked boundary, chipping it off the hip to the fine leg rope. The next boundary is brute power as he swipes Henry to the fence for four. Lots of wincing and stone-kicking by the Kiwis as this partnership hits 60 and the total surges toward 350.

95th over: Australia 323-9 (Green 129, Hazlewood 15) Hazlewood gets into the action! He greets Will O’Rourke’s first ball with an angled bat and clean energy to send it skidding to the rope at backward square. Lovely shot! That’s the fifty partnership for these two. O’Rourke’s response is a wild bouncer wide down legside. Hazlewood’s riposte to that whanger is SUPERB – a glorious cover drive down the ground for another boundary.

94th over: Australia 314-9 (Green 129, Hazlewood 7) The Green-Hazlewood partnership is into the forties now, an equally valuable forty to that scored by Mitch Marsh yesterday. That counter-attacking carvery of heaves and hoiks altered the momentum of this innings, took Australia from deep trouble to superiority and, most importantly, inspired Cameron Green to break the shackles and playb his shots. He plays one of them to Matt Henry’s fifth ball but air swings magnificently. Gets it right on the next, sending it over the fence and scattering the punters on the Basin Reserve Hill. Maximum!

Updated

93rd over: Australia 308-9 (Green 123, Hazlewood 7) Clearly frustrated by this late-order resistance, New Zealand captain Tim Southee has removed himself from the attack and thrown the ball to William O’Rourke, the English-born 22-year-old in his second Test. O’Rourke bowled beautifully yesterday for his 2-59. But Hazlewood works him for a single through short leg from the first delivery and gives Green a good look. And BANG! goes Green stepping away to leg and clobbering him down the ground for SIX. That’s his highest score in Tests. Green tries to replicate the shot but it’s a faster ball and follows him down leg side so he manages a clouted single onto the offside instead.

92nd over: Australia 300-9 (Green 116, Hazlewood 6) Again Green spurns a single from Henry to retain strike. The 32-year-old Christchucher pings in a stern reprimand on the next, squaring Green up with a quicker ball that threads the needle between bat and pad. Josh Hazlewood visibly licked his lips at the movement and threat in that delivery. Now it’s Green licking his lips. He steps back to a Henry bouncer aimed at his throat and heaves it over the rope behind square for SIX to take the total over 300.

Updated

91st over: Australia 294-9 (Green 110, Hazlewood 6) Overcast skies today in Wellington but Southee can’t yet find any movement in the murk. There’s still plenty of bounce in this pitch and Green paddles a cut shot for a single from the fourth. Curious tactics from the Australians this morning. You’d think they’d be swinging lustily for fast runs to expose the New Zealand top-order early in the day. Scratch that, reverse it as Hazlewood plays a cross-bat swat down the ground for four. Nice shot from The Hoff!

90th over: Australia 287-9 (Green 109, Hazlewood 2) Bouncer from Henry! Actually no, given Green stands two-metres tall and it whistled past the bum fluff on his chin, it’s a regulation ball. Green remains unruffled. He steps down to the next, a tactic that served him well yesterday when he was able to muddle the bowlers’ lengths. Henry’s fifth is a bouncer that sails over the batter’s head. It’s so high it’s a wide. Another bouncer on the last and Green has a red-hot go at this one, catching a top edged single to third man.

89th over: Australia 286-9 (Green 108, Hazlewood 2) The umpires were so freaked by that likely two that became a no-run score they had to confer to make sure no runs were scored. Tim Southee’s okay with the result. He has Green on strike under overcast skies and no wickets against his name. He bounces the big allrounder on the fourth, no mean feat given the 24-year-old stands 200cm. He puts the next ball outside off at higher speed and Green inside edges it for a single after a handy stop by wicketkeeper Blundell saves the boundary. Just one run from the over but Green keeps the strike.

88th over: Australia 285-9 (Green 107, Hazlewood 2) Henry to Hazlewood. Although he bats No 11, the Bendemeer Bullet isn’t bad with the bat. He averages 11 and has a highest score of 39. He’s playing circumspectly this morning, setting himself for a big innings perhaps. Maybe he wants a good look at this pitch before he starts bowling on it later today. He eases Henry’s fifth ball past gully for two and then strokes the last through covers. But, in a bizarre moment, the batters stop halfway down the pitch and then return to their marks realising it was only a single and Green would evade strike. Weird!

87th over: Australia 283-9 (Green 107, Hazlewood 0) Southee’s figures (0-68) don’t show it but he bowled pretty well yesterday. He copped some welly from Mitch Marsh in that whirlwind 40 and some late stick from Green as he accelerated to three figures. And he’s on target today to Green. The fourth ball rears off a length and hits Green on the point of the left hip, buckling the big man for a moment. He exacts revenge on the next ball, taking a giant stride to the leg side and thwacking it to the boundary.

Updated

86th over: Australia 279-9 (Green 103, Hazlewood 0) And we’re away! Matt Henry, the day one star for New Zealand with 4-43, zings in a fast-medium yorker first up but Hazlewood digs it out nicely and sees out the over. Will Green pick up where he left off and open the shoulders in pursuit of 300? Tim Southee is about to find out…

We’re taking a look at the day two wicket. It’s a paler shade of eucalyptus green with a few cracks opening up, which bodes well for Australia’s pace bowling cartel and ominously for the home side’s formidable batting line up, although Kane Williamson is in the form of his life with four consecutive centuries and could probably score tons anywhere.

Updated

Although the Black Caps have become one of the most admired teams in world cricket, their recent record against Australia is fairly dire. They have just one win over Australia since 1993! And yet for children of the 1980s, their superiority over Allan Border’s woebegone side is a wound still salty. It’s been 39 years but this 1985 defeat lingers long in the memory, not only for the pain of the innings defeat but also for the first Test century by another allrounder Greg Matthews, one of the game’s truly original characters and an underrated cricketer in a tough era for the boys in the baggy green.

This series marks the first time since 2016 that Australia’s Test side has toured New Zealand. Given the Wallabies invite the All Blacks over the ditch for a trouncing EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR it’s a tad inhospitable of the Kiwis. Maybe Tanya Aldred has the answers as to why these brothers in arms and best of frenemies have been on ice for so long…

For those who came in late… here’s how day one played out.

Preamble

Greetings cricket fans and welcome to Wellington for day two of the first Test pitting Australia against New Zealand for the Trans-Tasman trophy

Day one was a beaut, with both teams enjoying periods of superiority. New Zealand won the toss and sent the visitors in but Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja were able to combat the Basin Reserve’s tricky green-top pitch and eke their way to 60 without loss.

But the loss of Smith for 31 just before lunch triggered a collapse and after the break, Tim Southee’s Black Caps tore into the Australian top order. At one stage Australia lost four 28 in 17 overs, with the wretched recent runs of No 3 Marnus Labuschagne and No 5 Travis Head continuing, both dismissed for one. Matt Henry was the chief destroyer and the inswinger that cracked Khawaja’s middle stump was one for the ages.

It took the two allrounders from West Australia to arrest the slide. With the halo of his Allan Border medal still glowing, Mitch Marsh strode out amidst the tumult, thundered his first ball to the boundary and started the Australian counter-attack. At the other end No 4 Cameron Green had hung tough and survived. But when Marsh departed for 40, the young man took charge, upping the ante and shepherding the tail beyond 200.

Green’s innings was superb. After plodding to tea, he accelerated in the final session, eventually notching his second Test century from the final over of the day and stealing the ascendency from the home side. He resumes today on 103 and Australia nine for 279.

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