New Zealand had a much better day with both bat and ball in the ongoing first Test against Australia at Basin Reserve after losing the advantage on the second day. Glenn Phillips’ maiden five-wicket haul with the ball helped New Zealand bowl out Australia for a modest 164 in the second innings before Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell’s grind with the bat made Australia work hard for their wickets. New Zealand still need 258 runs to win, however, the performance on Day 3 has given them a chance.
The day started with Australian batters fighting back after being two down early in the wee hours of the second day. However, Matt Henry finally broke through with the wicket of Nathan Lyon before Phillips ran riot taking five wickets in space of 18 overs. Phillips began his wicket-taking spree with the big scalp of Usman Khawaja getting the veteran left-hander stumped.
The first-innings’ hero for Australia Cameron Green and WTC final Player of the Match winner Travis Head looked like making matters worse for New Zealand with a rapid 46-run partnership before Phillips decided to turn things in New Zealand’s favour decisively. Phillips dismissed Head and Mitchell Marsh off consecutive deliveries before getting rid of Alex Carey and then Green to complete a magnificent fifer.
Henry completed the formalities with the last two wickets, however, Australia still had a healthy lead of 358 runs.
Kiwi openers Tom Latham and Will Young began well before Nathan Lyon didn’t waste much time in getting the breakthrough. Lyon got Latham caught behind by Alex Carey before removing Kane Williamson cheaply, who glanced straight to Steve Smith at leg slip.
Will Young and Rachin Ravindra’s aim of getting through unscathed to the stumps was broken by Travis Head, whose part-time off-spin induced an outside edge and Steve Smith with his sharp catch with the left hand helped Australia get into the Kiwi middle-order even more.
Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell held their own after that stitching an unbeaten 52-run stand to take New Zealand to 111/3 to stumps with the former getting to his half-century. New Zealand still face an uphill task of chasing down the big target of 369 runs but at least have a chance to do that.