Australia defeat New Zealand as Nathan Lyon runs rampant in second innings

Nathan Lyon tore the heart out of New Zealand with a blistering five minute display that secured Australia victory in the opening Test.

Australia have claimed the opening victory against New Zealand after a dominant display at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The locals entered the fourth day of play with a fighting chance of snatching victory away from the Aussies, but one man had other ideas.

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Nathan Lyon put the Australian squad on his back as he bamboozled the Kiwis and spun a web around the batsmen.

Australia’s best ever off-spin bowler was at his dominant best as he claimed six wickets, turning the match on its head in a devastating five minute display.

Three wickets in the space of eight deliveries ripped the hearts out of the Kiwis and all but ended the contest in the early stages of the morning.

Lyon finished the contest with 10 wickets in the opening Test as Australia claimed a 172-run victory to kick off the two-Test series.

11am - Hazlewood cleans it up

That’s all she wrote.

Josh Hazlewood secured the final wicket of Daryl Mitchell after the Kiwi star gave up on trying to save the match.

Mitchell swung wildly at a short pitched delivery and sent the ball straight up into the air. Hazlewood parked himself underneath it and made no issue snaring the catch.

Australia secure the Test victory with allrounder Cameron Green the easy player of the match winner having totalled 208 runs and one wicket.

Nathan Lyon spins Australia to a 172-run victory in the first Test v New Zealand 🐐 #NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/aFzgCTIlZ9

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) March 3, 2024

10.45am - Southee holes out as Lyon snares another

The skipper wasn’t keen on sticking around for a long time. Tim Southee strolled to the crease and immediately showed his intent.

He went after Nathan Lyon by sending one straight back over his head and into the stands. He attempted to do the same moments later but didn’t get a hold of the shot and watched as it landed in the hands of Mitchell Starc.

Lyon has six wickets in the innings.

10.35am - Two wickets to go

Josh Hazlewood has claimed his first wicket of the second innings with a routine dismissal of Matt Henry.

A fuller delivery from Hazlewood enticed Henry into a drive, but the ball did just enough and flew off the outside edge of the bat into the hands of Steve Smith at second slip.

10.15am - Green gets in on the action

The end is drawing closer for New Zealand with Cameron Green joining the Nathan Lyon party and removing Scott Kuggeleijn.

A nasty delivery took off the wicket and caught Kuggelijn off guard as it popped up off the shoulder of the bat and into the gloves of Alex Carey behind the wicket.

Three wickets left.

9.30am - Lyon on fire as Kiwis crumble

The Aussies have edged even closer to victory in the opening half an hour on day four with Nathan Lyon removing the dangerous Rachin Ravindra.

The Kiwi number for was only able to add three runs to his overnight total after he cut a wider delivery from Lyon straight to Cameron Green at point.

Two of the worst balls Nathan Lyon has bowled in a long time have got two big wickets in this innings.

Likely game over with Ravindra gone#NZvAUS

— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) March 2, 2024

Three balls later and Lyon struck again as Tom Blundell got a faint edge onto his pads.

The ball sat up before it was calmly collected under the helmet by Travis Head.

Lyon wasn’t done with there either as he claimed a third scalp on the day and his fifth for the second innings.

Glenn Phillips was the hero for the Kiwis with the ball in hand, but he couldn’t cash in with the willow after he was trapped on the crease.

Lyon thundered a ball into his back pad with Marais Erasmus’ finger going up shortly after the appeal.

Phillips sent it upstairs for review but it was three red lights and on his way.

Marais Erasmus with his finger up before Nathan Lyon had turned around to appeal, Glenn Phillips reviewing then walking off before the first replay had finished - lot to like about that LBW

— Rudi Edsall (@RudiEdsall) March 2, 2024

9am - Confusion reigns after DRS drama

New Zealand remaing with a fighting chance of snaring the first Test victory with Rachin Ravindra leading the charge.

The young star survived a scare on the third day in a moment that led to mass confusion among fans.

Nathan Lyon thought he had snared the vital wicket when a delivery landed flush on the toe of Ravindra.

The cries from the Aussie fielders fell on deaf ears, forcing Pat Cummins to send it upstairs for review.

Thankfully for the locals technology was on their side as DRS showed that the ball, despite hitting him on the full on middle stump, was going to miss leg stump.

Confusion then took hold as many watching on and even those in the commentary box believed the star should have been sent on his way.

Nathan Lyon hits Rachin Ravindra on the toe on the full and the ball tracking computer has no turn to predict from.... #NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/DrK1WCWAru

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 2, 2024

Under the laws of the game however the technology did exactly what it was meant to and didn’t interpret or make up a path of the delivery.

Law 36.2.3 states: “it is to be assumed that the path of the ball before interception would have continued after interception, irrespective of whether the ball might have pitched subsequently or not.”

8.45am – Glaring cracks exposed in Australia’s armour

The Australian top order owes Cameron Green a beer or two. The all-rounder played a long role during the first innings with an unbeaten 174.

If not for his heroics the Aussies would be in a world of pain right now. Things got even worse in the second innings for the men who used to strike fear into the hearts of bowling attacks the world over.

Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey combined to score 33 runs. One run less than Green’s second innings efforts.

But embarrassingly it was eight runs less than nightwatchman Nathan Lyon who top scored for the Aussies with 41.

Things are bleak for the Australian top order. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)

Things get even worse for the top order when you break down the two innings further.

Of the 547 total runs scored, Green accounted for 208 of them.

The bowlers scored a combined 114 runs while New Zealand’s bowlers added 47 extras.

The remaining five members of the Aussie top order, along with keeper Alex Carey, made a total 178 runs.

That works out to be an average of just 14.8 runs in two innings.

When you look at it like that, they owe Green more than a beer or two, they owe him an endless reserve.