Cameron paints the basin green

By Rahul Patil

Winning the toss and bowling first could mean one of two things. Confidence in your own bowling attack or the lack of confidence in your top order facing the opposition bowling attack. Considering the overnight rain, overcast conditions, a greenish looking pitch and four fast bowlers in the playing XI Tim Southee probably had his heart in his mouth when he flipped the coin. Winning the toss at the Basin is a huge advantage but you still have to bowl well to pick up wickets.

The last two days have been an emotional roller coaster for New Zealand cricket fans. Their adopted spartan Neil Wagner, called time on his blackcaps career on being told that he wouldn’t be picked in the XI against Australia. The public wanted Wags to have his swansong. They wanted to see him charge in one more time from the RA Vance stand end and then from the Adelaide Road end. The fist pumping, chest thumping gladiator; just one last time. The name Scott Kuggeleijn divides opinion in this country. The fact that he kept Wagner out of the playing XI isn’t going to win him friends anytime soon either.

Considering the amount of cricket all the blackcaps’ seamers have played at the Basin it was disappointing to see the lengths they bowled in the first session. Good length or just short of a good length looks great, brings about lots of oooh’s and aaah’s but rarely picks up wickets. Most of the time the batters don’t have to play at it, or they have enough time to leave the ball on length.

I am not convinced about the whole Steve Smith vs the new ball experiment but its only his third test at the top of the order so it’s still early days. Today he paid the price for poking at one outside the off stump. Australia 61/1.

Lunch for the media team today was delicious Moroccan Chicken with Rice and steamed vegetables. Not sure what the blackcaps had for lunch but there was a noticeable effort to bowl fuller in the post lunch session. This brought about immediate results in the form of a wicket. A struggling Labuschagne who never looked comfortable. Australia 65/2.

At the other end Usman Khawaja was batting like a monk in meditation, never tempted by any of the offerings outside his off stump. Khawaja’s 118 ball masterclass in self-denial was finally broken when he was seduced into driving at a full one by Henry. Australia 88/3.

Travis Head knows only one way to play, and the situation was perfectly set up for one of his typical counter-attacking innings. Such an approach though comes with its own set of dangers as He found out today flirting with one that was angling across. Australia 89 for 4.

At 1.98 mts and 1.93 mts respectively Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh are as imposing as they come. Their innings though were very different to one another. Marsh blazing away in his Ferrari while Green hummed along in his Nissan Leaf. The Ferrari though ran out of fuel after Tea when Marsh tried to manufacture a pull against a back of length delivery by Henry. Australia 156 for 5.

Since Adam Gilchrist retired Australia have tried many wicket keepers i.e. Brad Haddin, Tim Paine, Matthew Wade, Peter Neville and now Alex Carey. None of those names though have managed to replicate the magic of Adam Gilchrist. After 30 tests and 43 innings Carey averages a modest 31.12. His glovework is good but international wicketkeepers now need the currency of runs to support the economy of their glovework. Today, Carey hit one on the up straight to cover. Australia 176 for 6.

The Aussie tail is one of the better ones going around in world cricket. As long as a proper batter was out there, they are all capable of hanging around. Useful contributions by Starc and Cummins took Australia first to 211 for 7 and then to 244 for 8.

With Green well set on 74, taking the second new ball was always going to be a gamble. The runs flowed freely and on the second last ball of the day Green brought up his second test century. It wasn’t a particularly aesthetically pleasing innings but with wickets falling around him all day it was a gritty and determined effort and a much needed one for Australia who finished the day on 279 for 9.

At the post-match press conference Matt Henry who was the most successful bowler for the blackcaps on the day with 4 for 43 said that the bowing unit was happy with their efforts and gave credit to the Aussie openers for leaving the ball well in the first session.

It’s a funny game sometimes. At 89 for 4 and 176 for 6 the blackcaps must have dreamt about finishing the Aussie innings a lot earlier but at the beginning of the day if someone had said to them that you will have the opposition 279 for 9 at stumps, I am sure they would have settled for that. They would be disappointed with the 30 extras they gave away throughout the day. 249 for 9 sounds a lot better than 279 for 9.

Traditionally days two and three are the best for batting at the basin but then Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon will be raring to have a crack at the blackcaps with a brand-new Kookaburra in hand. I know its only day one, but it has got all the feels of being a cracking test match.

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