Australia have bounced back from the early loss of Travis Head to be increasingly in charge of the second Test on the fourth day in Christchurch.
At lunch, Mitchell Marsh is not out on 55 and Alex Carey unbeaten on 50, with Australia 174-5 and needing another 105 runs to win.
New Zealand got off to an excellent start, with Head cutting Tim Southee straight to point off the second ball of the skipper’s first over of the day. However, it could have been so much better: Marsh dropped by Rachin Ravindra off the previous ball.
Standing at point, the ball went straight to Ravindra and he got two hands to it but somehow put it down. Marsh was on 29 at the time and the miss was an expensive and potentially significant one.
Australia, needing a win to sweep the series, scored 97 runs in the session at 5.11 per over.
The runs were coming too quickly off the seam attack for the Black Caps, with Glenn Phillips getting one over of off spin before the lunch break and tying down Marsh, who survived a big LBW appeal.
It was given not out, the Black Caps reviewed it, and the replays showed the ball edging the bat before it hit his front foot on the full.
The burned review was New Zealand’s second of the day: the Black Caps earlier requesting one for a Carey caught behind which was also unsuccessful.
The Black Caps, in the box seat with Australia 77-4 at the start of the day, may rue not bowling Phillips earlier. In a sign of desperation, Scott Kuggeleijn began bowling short (Neil Wagner style), with fielders on the boundary and no slips in place, but his over went for 10.
Play was delayed by one hour today due to rain but the sun is now out at Hagley Oval and the batting appears easier.
New Zealand are in the hunt for their ninth Test win against Australia. Their last was in Hobart in 2011 and their last in New Zealand was at Eden Park in 1993.
Marsh appears to be the key for Australia and he rode his luck at times.
On 41, he played a cut shot on to his pads, the ball missing the off stump by centimetres, and he consistently attacked the seam attack.
When Carey was on 19 he was trapped in front by Matt Henry, who has nine wickets in the match. Unfortunately for the Black Caps, the decision was successfully reviewed, replays showing the ball sliding down the leg side.
Both men consistently played and missed. The Black Caps need another breakthrough.
SHARE ME