Been there, seen that

By Rahul Patil

There were many scenarios about how day two would play out, but not a single one of them involved Cameron Green & Josh Hazlewood taking Australia’s score from 279 for 9 overnight to 383. Just when you think you know it all, the game of cricket has the uncanny knack of making you look like an absolute fool. Yesterday, Green’s hundred rescued Australia from a tricky situation. Today his unbeaten 174 put them in a commanding position.

Depending on which side you support, last wicket partnerships can either be highly entertaining or supremely frustrating. They are a fielding captains’ worst nightmare. Do you try to get the well-set top order batter out or do you just focus on the tail ender? Do you spread the field when the better batter is facing to protect the boundaries? And when do you bring the field in to make sure the tailender is on strike at the start of the next over? Every passing dot ball and every run scored increases the fielding side’s irritation, the shoulders start drooping and the energy levels drop.

Could Tim Southee & Co have done anything differently to break the 10^th wicket partnership? Even though Cameron Green was batting on 103 overnight he still needed to re-start at the beginning of day two. The ball was only 5 overs old, and they should have attacked him more. When Green & Hazlewood were looking comfortable against the quicker bowlers introducing spinners a lot earlier could have been tried. It just changes the pace of the game if not anything else. But the blackcaps just went through the motions waiting for a wicket to fall into their lap.

When you let the opposition get to 383 after being 177 for 6 the psychological damage it causes is immense. On the other hand, the opposition feels like they have got out of jail with a feeling of invincibility. Australia have had the mental edge over New Zealand in cricket for a long time. This was just a new chapter added to an old book we all have read many times.

We know Latham has been short of runs, and his dismissal showed his current muddled state of mind. Do I leave it, or do I play it? You cannot afford to be indecisive against the pace of Mitchell Starc who hurries batters at the best of times. New Zealand 12 for 1.

The mix up that followed next would have made David Guetta (for those who don’t know, he’s the #1 ranked DJ in the world) proud. Williamson tapped the ball to mid-off and set off for a tight single to get off the mark. Starc who was bowling left arm over the wicket went across to field the ball. Will Young wasn’t sure if the single was on, plus he was busy ball watching. The result – a horrendous mid pitch collision between Williamson and Young while Labuschagne picked up the ball and hit the stumps direct. The man who was peeling off centuries for fun, run out without scoring a single run. New Zealand 12 for 2.

In any other situation local lad Rachin would have walked in with his home crowd giving him a loud cheer. But such was the shock at Williamson’s dismissal that hardly anybody noticed him walking in. He didn’t stay long either attempting to drive a full one on the up outside his off stump. The feet went no where which meant he ended up hitting it a lot squarer and in the air. Not the best option on the third ball you face without getting a measure of the pitch or the bowling. Nathan Lyon took an exceptional catch. New Zealand 12 for 3.

Will Young & Daryl Mitchell stopped the slide for a bit with some resolute defense which meant that the scoreboard came to an absolute stand still during that period. The inswinger to a right hander is Pat Cummins’ stock delivery. Hammering away on a good length with the precision of a bowling machine Cummins got one to straighten and induced the error from Mitchell. New Zealand 29 for 4. Four balls later Young was strangled down the legside by Marsh. New Zealand 29 for 5, and in tatters.

Tom Blundell and the naturally aggressive Glenn Phillips then decided to take the attack to the Aussies. The aggressive fields meant there were lots of gaps and Phillips made full use of them. Blundell who has been struggling to find form for a while now looked comfortable too and the pair put on 84 in 86 balls.

The reluctance of the blackcaps to pick a frontline spinner on wickets assisting spin must be questioned. In Hamilton it almost cost us the test against a makeshift South African side. Thankfully Kane Williamson saved us. At the basin, Nathan Lyon was turning the ball square on day two while the blackcaps struggled to get Josh Hazlewood out with pace. He first beat Blundell in the flight and the resulting inside edge onto pad was gleefully accepted by Head at forward short leg. New Zealand 113 for 6. One ball later Scott Kuggeleign danced down the wicket and tried to hit Lyon into the Mount Victoria Tunnel only to find the hands of Cameron Green on the fence. That shot was a great summary of New Zealand’s efforts on the day. Mindless, spineless, gutless, and listless. New Zealand 113 for 7.

Matt Henry who was the standout performer for the blackcaps with the ball (30.1-11-70-5) then added 48 for the 8^th wicket with Phillips in quick time. Their high-risk approach though meant that it was only a matter of time before one ball had their name on it. First Phillips was bounced out by Hazlewood (New Zealand 161 for 8) and then Lyon cleaned up Southee and Henry in quick time to end New Zealand’s innings on 179, five more than Green’s unbeaten individual score but four less than what was needed to avoid the follow on.

Australia decided not to enforce the follow on to try and bat New Zealand out of the game. The real Tim Southee finally stood up and made the new ball talk. He was running in hard; the pace was up; the wrist position was excellent, and the swing and seam movement were back. Smith chopped one onto his stumps in the first over and then it was Labuschagne’s turn to get strangled down the leg side. Southee did drop a regulation chance at slip that night watchman Lyon offered on the last ball of the day. Hopefully he doesn’t do a Hazlewood tomorrow. Australia 13 for 2 i.e. effectively 217 for 2 in their second innings.

At the post-match press conference Glen Phillips said that there is belief in the blackcaps dressing room that they still have a chance in this test. He also said that the blackcaps would be comfortable chasing 350-400 for victory in the last innings. The Basin Reserve has a habit of dishing out classics but for that to happen New Zealand must help themselves by bowling with heart and playing for pride.

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