New Zealand v Australia, first Test day three: Nathan Lyon’s wickets take Aussies closer to victory
Nathan Lyon has overcome an injury scare to have Australia within reach of victory in the first Test against New Zealand after claiming the scalp of the world’s No.1 ranked batter.
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A coy Nathan Lyon has hinted at a mystery chink in Kane Williamson’s armour that the off-spinner sought to exploit in removing the New Zealand great on day three of the first Test.
Having been disastrously run out for a duck after colliding with teammate Will Young on Friday, Williamson’s nightmare match continued when he edged the off-spinner to Steve Smith at leg slip for nine as the Black Caps sought to chase an improbable 369 for what would be their first Test win against Australia on NZ soil in more than three decades.
Having slumped to 3-59 after Smith took a stunner at slip to remove Young off Travis Head’s bowling, NZ recovered to be 3-111 at stumps, with Rachin Ravindra (56 not out) and Daryl Mitchell (12 not out) withstanding the Aussies late in the day at the Basin Reserve.
The odds remain stacked against the Black Caps pulling off the heist although they have somehow given themselves a chance despite a 204-run first innings deficit.
A maiden Test five-wicket haul to part-time spinner Glenn Phillips drove NZ back into the contest as Australia was routed for 164 on the back of a host of poor shots from experienced players including Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey.
The target might have been fewer had Lyon not been dropped late on day two, turning his overnight six into a frustrating 41 before picking up the wickets of Tom Latham and Williamson to make it six for the match with a further seven still available.
Though Lyon was somewhat sheepish after removing Latham for eight from a short and wide delivery that the opener somehow nicked, there was no need for humility after claiming the prized scalp of Williamson — maker of 32 Test hundreds — on Saturday afternoon.
Lyon had seemingly been targeting Williamson’s tendency to guide balls down the leg side, but Australia’s third-most prolific Test bowler would only go so far in explaining what he had been trying to do.
“It’s nice when plans come off pretty well straight away. I’ve noticed something in Kane’s batting against my bowling so I tried to exploit that,” Lyon said.
Asked to elaborate, Lyon said: “There’s one Test to come, mate.”
NZ batting coach Luke Ronchi played down the talk of any edge held by Lyon over the former captain.
“I think Nathan tries to exploit all sorts of things from all sorts of batters. He’s done it 500 odd times in Test cricket,” Ronchi said.
“He’s a smart bowler and he’s a smart man and he knows how to get something out of a surface or a player and try to make batters bat a certain way. Again, you put Kane’s numbers up and they are pretty good as well. Everyone’s looking for little chinks in all sort of areas. I don’t really look at that sort of stuff too much. On a surface (where) he’s getting some really good bounce and some purchase out of it at the moment, and hopefully the guys that are still to come are going to go out there and play them the best they can and we’ll see how it pans out.”
Lyon said he expected the Wellington surface would continue to offer turn on Sunday.
“I was pretty confident it was actually going to spin before the game started,” Lyon said.
“It felt a lot drier than what it was eight years ago from memory. So yeah I think there’ll be definitely something there for me.”
DAY 3 LIVE COVERAGE
ROBERT CRADDOCK’S TAKE ON DAY THREE
Nathan Lyon has become Australia’s Minister for Everything but must tame a man he rates a future superstar before Australia can claim victory in a volatile Wellington Test.
Nightwatchman Lyon top-scored Australia’s second innings with 41 then took two of the three wickets to fall as New Zealand finished 3-111 chasing a Mt Everest-like 369 for victory.
On a turning, bouncing deck, Australia deserve to be the long odds-on favourites they are ($1.16) but impressive newcomer Rachin Ravindra has displayed class beyond his years to build a serene 56 not out and Australia will not feel they have this game in the bag until he is gone.
Lyon said after play Ravindra, whose first name is a combination of Indian greats Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, was an emerging “superstar’’ — high praise from a man who has played with and against some of the game’s greatest players of the century.
Lyon claimed Tom Latham in his first over then disappointing Kiwi great Kane Richardson who fell for a simple thimble and pea trick when he nudged a ball around the corner to Steve Smith at leg slip. Both Latham and Williamson have far inferior records against Australia than other nations.
Well credentialed Darryl Mitchell (12 off 63) has displayed solid fight to be unconquered at stumps, but Ravindra has looked by far the more threatening foe.
That New Zealand have a sniff of what would be an historic win owes much to Australia’s disappointing second innings of 164.
Apart from Lyon, only Cam Green was up for the fight with a steady 34 off 80 and Australia are lucky to be in a position of such authority after faltering so badly.
New Zealand’s highest run chase in Tests was 5-324 in Christchurch against Pakistan in 1994 so this is a supreme challenge on a tough deck.
South Africa born allrounder Glenn Phillips snared 5-45 with his serviceable off-spin as Australia never got hot in the first two sessions.
Lyon would have been licking his lips watching Phillips gain venomous bounce which troubled all of the Australian and the veteran shapes as the tourists key weapon on day four.
4.35PM: STUMPS — NEW ZEALAND 3-111, TRAILS BY 257 RUNS
Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell have given New Zealand hope after three days of the first Test in Wellington.
The fourth-wicket pair managed to make it to stumps unbeaten and have the home side 3-111 with Ravindra 56 not out and a watchful Mitchell on 12 from 63 balls.
Australia is still in the box seat with , but New Zealand’s fight has kept the Test alive — just — with two days remaining.
Nathan Lyon and Travis Head were the wicket-takers for Australia.
4.10PM: RAVINDRA FIFTY HAS KIWIS DREAMING
After surviving a close DRS call earlier, Rachin Ravindra has reached 50 with a missle-like pull shot off Mitch Starc.
At the same time, New Zealand has gone passed 100 and the home crowd is daring to dream of running down the target of 369.
3.10PM: SMITH SCREAMER GIVES AUSSIES STRANGLEHOLD
Steve Smith has snared off one of his greatest catches to leave New Zealand eye-ball deep in trouble in a volatile Wellington Test.
First slip Smith moved to his right then shot out a low left hand to snare a defiant Will Young who could barely believe he had fallen to a moment of such instinctive brilliance. The ball went quickly but stuck in Smith’s sticky palm for his 183rd Test catch.,
The wicket came off Travis Head who was brought into the attack after Lyon Lyon extracted fierce turn and bounce to take two early wickets.
New Zealand were 3-62 in the last session, a moon ride away from their target of 369.
Hanger 😱
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 2, 2024
Steve Smith, what a beauty! #NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/hP89ilVbXQ
2.55PM: AUSSIES BURN REVIEW
Rachin Ravindra survives by a toenail.
The key man in New Zealand’s chase after Kane Williamson’s wicket looks to be in trouble when Nathan Lyon and the Aussies send a not out call by Marais Erasmus to the DRS.
But as the ball hit him on the full, the predicted path shows the ball travelling straight on and missing the stumps after Lyon delivered from around the wicket to the left hander.
“If it had aletered its path and turned, he would have been in a lot of trouble,” the commentators note.
2.25PM: KIWI DISASTER, WILLIAMSON FALLS
New Zealand’s batting great Kane Williamson has fallen victim to an old fashioned thimble an pea trick by buoyant Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon is having one of his best days of the summer, all but gift-wrapping the Wellington Test for Australia after top scoring with 41 then taking two wickets.
New Zealand have stumbled to 2-41 chasing a massive 369 for an unlikely victory.
After whipping out Tom Latham to a loose cut shot and an edge behind in his first over Lyon decided to come around the wicket after tea to Williamson who has never been the threat to Australia he constantly is to weaker nations.
Lyon brought in Steve Smith at leg slip and went fishing in an attempt to get Williamson to flick one off his legs which he duly to Smith did for nine.
On a tuning, bouncing wicket Lyon looked set to dominate the day.
After making a duck in the first innings, Williamson left the crease a shattered man knowing full well that the Kiwis prospects of improving their sorrowful record against Australia (one win in the last 31 Tests) was fading fast.
TEA — NEW ZEALAND 1-15, REQUIRES 354 FOR VICTORY
Nathan Lyon – the batsman, the bowler, the technical handyman – swung into action to keep a suddenly buoyant New Zealand on the back foot in the first Test in Wellington.
Nightwatchman Lyon topscored for Australia with a lively 41 in a disappointing second innings of 164 then snaffled Tom Latham in his first over to have the Kiwis 1-15 at tea chasing a far off 368.
Lyon was in everything and even jumped the fence to try and sort out a problem with some pink lights blazing on the sight screen.
Lyon thought he might have extracted the Kiwis batting icon Kane Williamson for a first ball pair when he launched an ambitious swing but it turned out to be an air swing.
The turn and bounce gained by Lyon in his first over must have sent alarm bells ringing in the Kiwis dressing room. He shapes as the bowler who can fill his boots in the second innings.
A reckless Australian batting performance lifted New Zealand’s flagging self esteem has left the door slightly ajar for the Kiwis to push for one of their greatest Test wins.
History insists the will need to recreate Sir Edmund Hillary’s Mt Everest climb to chase down 368 and win the Wellington Test but they have given themselves a chance.
South Africa born allrounder Glenn Phillips snared 5-45 with his serviceable off-spin as Australia never got hot in the first Test sessions of the third day of the Test.
New Zealand’s highest run chase in Tests was 5-324 in Christchurch against Pakistan in 1994.
Australia were poor with the bat with Cameron Green offering most resistance with his 34 off 80 balls before he was caught at short leg off Phillips.
1.02PM: AUSSIES ALL OUT FOR 164
A reckless Australian batting performance lifted New Zealand’s flagging self esteem and has left the door slightly ajar for the Kiwis to push for one of their greatest Test wins.
History insists the Kiwi would need to recreate Sir Edmund Hillary’s Mt Everest climb to chase down 368 and win the Wellington Test but they have given themselves a chance by bowling out Australia for 164.
South Africa born allrounder Glenn Phillips snared 5-45 with his serviceable off-spin as Australia never got hot in the first Test sessions of the third day of the Test.
New Zealand’s highest run chase in Tests was 5-324 in Christchurch against Pakistan in 1994.
Bookmakers were having nothing of a Kiwi miracle, posting them at $8 at the start of their innings but the team left the field with a spring in their collective step given they suddenly had an outside chance on a day when many expected them to be batted out of the match.
The poor quality of Australia’s efforts was reflected in the fact that Nathan Lyon (41) top scored after being nightwatchman with Cameron Green offering the most resistance with his 34 off 80 balls before he was caught at short leg off Phillips.
Phillips finished with five wickets but should have had six after having two simple catches dropped at deep mid-wicket.
Matt Henry finished with eight wickets for the match after taking 3-36.
Meanwhile, Will O’Rourke left the field after feeling tightness in his left hamstring while bowling during the second session of day three.
12:31PM PHILLIPS DESTROYS AUSTRALIA AS TEST GETS INTERESTING
New Zealand part-time spinner Glenn Phillips has figures of 5-38 and should have had Pat Cummins as his sixth wicket as Australia start to look shaky in Wellington.
The 351-run lead Australia already holds should be enough to win them the Test, but Phillips has taken his past four wickets for just 19 runs to give New Zealand some sort of sniff.
Phillips has brought the Test to life, adding Cameron Green to his list of victims.
Green was snaffled thanks to an outstanding one-handed grab at short leg from Will Young.
Australia is 8-147 but should have been nine down when New Zealand outfielder Scott Kuggeleijn put Cummins down in the deep.
Given their 200-run first innings lead, Australia would have been hoping for a lead well in excess of 400 to put the match beyond reach but aren’t there yet.
12.21PM CAREY FALLS CHEAPLY AGAIN AS NZ SEE GLIMMER OF HOPE
Part-time spinner Glenn Phillips has cut through the Australian batting order like a hot knife through butter to open the door for New Zealand to dream big about a massive Test match comeback.
Australia is 350 runs in front with three wickets in hand, but a flurry of wickets on day three has stopped them from completely bludgeoning New Zealand out of the Test.
Phillips has taken four wickets, with the spinner dismissing Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey.
Carey was out for the second time in the match to a loose lofted drive to leave Australia 7-146 during the second session on day three.
11.58AM PHILLIPS ON HAT-TRICK AS AUSTRALIA SHAKE
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh were dismissed by spin destroyer Glenn Phillips in successive balls as Australia hit turbulence in the first Test.
Australia’s lead is already 331 and may be enough to win the Test. But New Zealand has at least given themselves a sniff by getting rid of danger men Head and Marsh.
Head was threatening to take the game away from the kiwis with his quickfire knock of 29 off 36 balls but was out attempting to slog.
Then Marsh strode to the crease and popped one up to short leg off his first delivery to depart for a golden duck.
Alex Carey avoided being a hat-trick victim when Phillips delivered the ball too wide and allowed the left-hander to simply shoulder arms.
The visitors are 6-127 with first-innings hero Cameron Green now the man being relied upon again for Australia.
Australia would like to push their lead beyond 400 to truly capitalise on their dominance in the match.
Phillips has dominated the day and has three Australian wickets, also getting Usman Khawaja stumped earlier in the day.
11.11AM HEAD STARTING TO FIRE AS AUSTRALIA BURIES NZ
Australia is starting to run away with the first Test after Travis Head came in and launched another trademark blazing innings.
The visitors lost the wickets of Nathan Lyon and Usman Khawaja in the first session on day three, but still lead by 317 runs at lunch with six wickets in hand.
Head came to the crease following the departure of Khawaja and has wasted no time surging to 24 off 26 balls with four boundaries.
New Zealand had bowled well for the most part in the opening session, suffocating Khawaja before he was ultimately stumped off the bowling of part-time spinner Glenn Phillips.
But Head is threatening to take the game away from NZ as only he can.
The kiwis have precious runs to play with until the match gets completely out of hand if it’s not already.
First innings century-making hero Cameron Green is still yet to be dismissed for the match and is 17 not out.
10:30AM KHAWAJA STUMPED BY NZ BUT AUS LEAD STILL BUILDING
New Zealand part-time spinner Glenn Phillips has done a job on Usman Khawaja to leave Australia 4-81 on the morning of day three of the first Test.
However, Australia’s lead is already a sizeable 285 with six wickets in hand, and intelligent batting from Australia could put the match beyond reach.
Phillips claimed his first ever Test wicket against Australia with a masterful spell of suffocating bowling where Khawaja grew increasingly frustrated.
Eventually the opener attempted to charge down the wicket and hit Phillips out of the ground, but came up with thin air and was smartly stumped by kiwi keeper Tom Blundell.
Khawaja made a handy 28 off 69 balls to once again set a platform for Australia, but without going on to capitalise for a big score.
First-innings hero Cameron Green is back at the crease for Australia, joined by Travis Head, who is keen to rediscover some form.
9:58AM KHAWAJA FORCED TO STRIP BAT TO AVOID ICC FINE
Australian batsman Usman Khawaja was forced to strip his bat of its dove sticker after requesting a replacement bat in Wellington.
The opener cracked his bat and called for the 12th man to bring him a replacement piece of willow to the crease.
The bat brought out was one Khawaja had been using in practice and had a black dove sticker on the back, a symbol which has been banned by the International Cricket Council who have deemed it a ‘political protest.’
Khawaja attempted to use the dove sticker bats during the summer as a silent message about the pain of the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Pakistan.
However, the ICC said it classified as political and he is only allowed to use the bats in the nets and not in Test matches.
Khawaja peeled the sticker off the replacement bat and then resumed his innings.
9.38 AM LYON TOYS WITH NZ AS NIGHTWATCHMAN EYES HIGHEST SCORE
Nathan Lyon was eyeing off his highest ever score in Test cricket, before falling for 41 off 46 - but not before he tortured New Zealand in Wellington.
The man they call the GOAT smashed New Zealand skipper Tim Southee for three consecutive boundaries to fly to 41 runs, leaving recognised batting partner Usman Khawaja looking pedestrian by comparison on 8.
Lyon’s highest Test score is 47 and the spinner was on the verge of his first ever half century, before holing out trying to smash Matt Henry over mid-wicket.
The high-risk, high-reward innings demoralised New Zealand who are still licking their wounds from the record 10th wicket partnership piled on by Cameron Green and No.11 Josh Hazlewood in the first innings.
Australia lead by 260 runs and counting thanks to Lyon skyrocketing the scoring rate.
9.00AM LYON SHAKES OF HIP BRUISING TO CONTINUE
Nathan Lyon has confirmed he has bruising to his hip after copping a whack late on day two.
Fox Cricket commentator Brendon Julian reported that Lyon was ‘OK’ and suggested the spinner’s ginger approach in the final overs of the previous day may have been a bit of gamesmanship to try and slow the match down after Australia had lost two quick wickets.
Lyon himself should have been out last ball of day two, only to be dropped by New Zealand captain Tim Southee.
Australia lead by 218 runs and despite the early loss of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are way ahead of the game.
There was concern over a hip flexor injury for Lyon but it appears it was just an impact injury.
Josh Hazlewood says Kiwi star Kane Williamson would have been run out regardless of his collision with teammate Will Young as several spirit of cricket warriors questioned the dismissal.
Williamson knocked the ball into the off side and took off for a quick single, but ended up crashing into Young in calamitous scenes which summed up a disastrous day for the home side in Wellington.
The dismissal was questioned on social media, with some fans questioning whether the Australians had adhered to the spirit of cricket by taking advantage of the Kiwi running chaos.
But Hazlewood said Labuschagne’s quick thinking meant the dicey single would have resulted in Williamson’s wicket even if he had managed to avoid his batting partner.
“Marnus in particular has just been outstanding the last couple of years,” Hazlewood said.
“I know he works super hard at training all the time.
“I think it would have been out even if they didn’t collide to be honest.”
One fan, Farid Khan, tweeted: “Where’s spirit of cricket from the Australians? Justice for Kane Williamson.”
Another said: “Pretty unfortunate for Kane Williamson. Australia should not get him out in this way considering spirit of the game.”
But they were howled down by many fans, with one saying: “Absolutely nothing to do with the spirit of cricket. Stupid mix up by the batsmen.”
On ABC, former Aussie spinner Xavier Doherty said: “There was boos from the crowd, but when they see the replay they’ll know what’s happened. There was nothing untoward there, just a calamity for New Zealand … Kane Williamson wouldn’t have made his ground without the collision.”
Kiwi batter Glenn Phillips said the incident was a “freak accident”.
“It was just one of those freak moments where everything brought together, a little perfect storm, and unfortunately Marnus hit,” he said.
Hazlewood, who shared a record 116-run last-wicket stand with Cameron Green on day two, said the all-rounder’s second Test hundred could be a launching pad for his career as a No.4.
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