It was a day of chaos in the Wellington Test and host country New Zealand are in a world of pain after Australia mercilessly ripped through their batting line-up at the Basin Reserve on Friday.
The Aussies are already in a near unbeatable position for the Trans-Tasman opener after allrounder Cam Green’s batting heroics and a nightmare day at the crease for the Black Caps.
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The Kiwis made a disastrous start to their first innings with champion No.3 batter Kane Williamson run out for a duck in catastrophic circumstances.
Williamson was run out after colliding with batting partner Will Young while scampering through for a quick single.
Young was ball-watching over his shoulder while Williamson had committed to making the run.
When the non-striker turned around, his partner was directly in his face — as was Australian bowler Mitchell Starc, who inadvertently found himself caught in the crosshairs.
New Zealanders then watched on with sunken hearts as another three batters then came and went cheaply, all up losing five wickets for just 17 runs.
The Aussies then bowled out the Kiwis for 179 after setting a target of 383.
The horror day followed a nightmare morning for New Zealand, as Australia added 104 painful runs for the 11th wicket partnership between Green and No.11 Josh Hazlewood after resuming on 9-279.
They took the score to an imposing 383 by lunch.
But at the end of Day 2, there was some better news for New Zealand and disaster for the Aussies with Tim Southee removing opener Steve Smith for a duck and then No.3 Marnus Labuschagne for two in the half-hour before stumps.
Those dismissals have given the Kiwis a faint glimmer hope, albeit not a realistic one.
Snapshot of Day 2 of the Trans-Tasman Trophy
NEW ZEALAND v AUSTRALIA, First Trans-Tasman Trophy Test
Basin Reserve, Wellington, Day Two
SCORE: Australia, 383 and 2-13, lead by 204 over New Zealand 179
SUMMARY: With Australia starting the day 9-279, the match was a near line-ball affair. But the 10th-wicket stand from Cam Green and Josh Hazlewood upended affairs, denying the Black Caps bats a quick entry with a century-partnership. Eventually at the crease after lunch and chasing 383, New Zealand’s top order floundered. Kane Williamson was denied an opportunity by a shocking run-out when Will Young clattered into the master batsman in the middle of the pitch. The Kiwis slumped to 3-12 and then 5-29 only for Glenn Phillips (71 off 70) and Matt Henry (42 off 34) to blast their way out of a non-competitive total. Still, after only putting 179 on the board, New Zealand are a long way from in the contest. They can at least start Day 3 only needing to take eight wickets, after Tim Southee removed Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in the half-hour before stumps.
PLAYER OF THE MOMENT: Cam Green, again. The youngest man in the Australian side played a mature hand with tailender Hazlewood, striking 23 fours and five sixes on his way to a massive total that defied those who doubt him as Australia’s Test No.4.
STAT OF THE DAY: Green and Hazlewood’s 116-run partnership was the best 10th-wicket stand against New Zealand in its 469-Test history.
– With APP