Cameron Green’s defiant century has given Australia a slim advantage at the end of the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington.
Green finished the day unbeaten on 103, carrying his side to 279/9 at stumps.
Coming in at 65/2, Green fought hard for his runs early and the responsibility fell on his young – yet broad – shoulders as his more experienced partners fell at the other end.
But after passing 50, Green broke the shackles and began to play more aggressively, shepherding the tail in the final session of the day.
Upon losing ninth wicket Nathan Lyon, Green let loose, smacking Will O’Rourke for three boundaries to bring up his second Test century in the final over of the day.
"Feels really good, was a pretty tough wicket out there," Green said at stumps. "Someone needed to bat through and I’m glad it was me."
While Green said he thought New Zealand had a slight advantage, Australia will surely feel confident with their position given the nature of the wicket and the potency of their bowling attack.
Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers for the Black Caps, taking 4/43 from 20 overs and looking dangerous each and every ball.
O’Rourke made the Australians uncomfortable with pace and bounce, picking up two wickets, while Scott Kuggelijn also chipped in with two more.
Australia began the day well, with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja putting on 61 for the opening wicket having been sent in to bat by Tim Southee on a green Basin Reserve wicket under cloudy skies.
Smith was the first to fall, edging Henry behind for 31 shortly before lunch.
The game changed after the break, as the New Zealand seamers - who aside from Henry had been wayward in the first session - found their lengths and soon found themselves on top.
Marnus Labuschagne, who hadn’t been in the best of form coming into the series, was tentative and stuck on his crease throughout his innings, and it wasn’t long before Kuggeleijn found an outside edge, smartly taken by Daryl Mitchell low to his left at first slip. Labuschagne departed for 1 off 27 deliveries, and now hasn’t scored more than 10 in his last five Test innings.
Khawaja became tied down after Labuschagne’s dismissal, scoring just two runs in 27 balls before being clean bowled for 33 by a beautiful inswinger from Henry.
O’Rourke got in on the action shortly after, finding the nervous edge of Travis Head to see the dangerous batter dismissed for 1 and Australia slip to 89/4.
Mitchell Marsh came out and quickly counter-attacked, putting the pressure back on the bowlers and forming a partnership with the careful Cameron Green.
Together they brought up a 50-run partnership, with Green unbeaten on 23 and Marsh 39 at tea.
Marsh fell almost immediately after tea for 40, top edging a pull shot off Henry that skied in the air and nestled safely in Tom Blundell’s gloves.
Alex Carey gifted his wicket away too, driving a Kuggelijn half volley straight into the waiting hands of Kane Williamson at cover.
Mitchell Starc provided good support to Green, before he was caught at slip fending at a short ball by O’Rourke, departing for 9.
But Green continued to carry the innings for Australia, getting to his half century and beginning to bat more aggressively as the New Zealand bowlers tired.
Southee took a risk bringing on Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell to bowl in an attempt to give his frontline seamers a rest before taking the new ball, and it was a gamble that ended up paying off as Ravindra had Pat Cummins trapped in front for 16.
While Lyon fell to a beautiful outswinger from Henry, Green marched on to his century to give the visitors the edge at the end of day one.
New Zealand have not beaten Australia in a home Test match since 1993. The last time they beat Australia in any Test was in 2011.
Follow the Black Caps during New Zealand's summer of cricket on TVNZ+
SHARE ME