We’ve been here before. At the Basin Reserve tests of
both the last two years, in fact. New Zealand skittled on a green pitch on the
first day; the opposition runs up a good lead on the second. So what happens
next? According to precedent, BJ Watling breaks the world sixth wicket
partnership record. This he did against India in 2014 with Brendon McCullum,
and against Sri Lanka last year with Kane Williamson. If the laws of
probability intervene to prevent this, New Zealand are in a heap of trouble, as
you tend to be if you finish the second day with the opposition 280 ahead with
four wickets standing.
The day was a little pedestrian. In the seventies we
would have been thrilled with 316 runs in a day’s play, but only three wickets
fell, so it is churlish to think that Australia should have motored on a bit
more?
Usman Khawaja’s century was the best cricket of the day.
He reached three figures off a Craig long hop, though the Basin scoreboard had
a bulb missing as usual, so some spectators thought he was moving from 95 to
99. Khawaja went on to make 140 with an ease and repertoire of shot that makes
him a delight to watch. He has had a stuttered start to his international
career, but four hundreds in 13 tests speaks for itself. Almost 30, he looks
set to emulate Mike Hussey in having a late start to a notable career.
Adam Voges’ figures are similar, and he batted all day to
finish unbeaten on 176. This is worthy of high praise of course. And yet… Of
course, the fact that he was bowled off an erroneously called no ball in the
last over yesterday may colour the judgement of his innings. Perhaps the runs
he scored today should be properly credited to the career record of umpire
Richard Illingworth, which would more than double his nine-test batting
aggregate.
Voges scored only 33 in the morning session, and took 203
balls to reach three figures; against a tiring attack on a flat track. By way
of variation, Craig offered up a full toss to help him across the line.
Voges did speed up later in the day, with some strong
cuts and drives, but there were plenty of edges too. It wasn’t fluent. This
innings reminded me of Keith Fletcher of
Essex and England, not in its style, but in its anonymity. Fletcher scored
seven test hundreds, but hands up who can remember any of them. Thought not.
But Voges has put his side in a winning position, which was
why he was picked.
Two of the three wickets to fall today went in the same
Boult over. Khawaja was leg before playing back to the new ball. It looked a
bit high and it was surprising that he didn’t call for a review. New Zealand
did take this option next ball for a leg before against Mitch Marsh. We might
balance the deserved tsunami of praise for Brendon McCullum with this thought:
he is a shocking DRS decision maker. This one got the trifecta: pitched outside
leg, inside edge and missing.
Marsh lasted only one more ball. Boult took a glorious
return catch, flinging himself to his right in his follow through, and holding
on with his fingertips. He has a history of making corking catches in Basin
tests: Rahane and Ramdin were other victims in recent years.
Marsh, Phillips, Healy, Gilchrist, Haddin. A line of
keepers noted for their attacking, joyful batting. It seems that the chain has
been broken with Peter Nevill, who made a stodgy 32 from 94 balls.
The New Zealand attack persevered, but was largely
unthreatening. Off spinner Mark Craig keeps taking wickets at this level but
does not exert pressure. To put it another way, he does not take wickets at the
other end as a good spinner should do. Neither was Corey Anderson’s reputation
enhanced. There was bluster, but no bite and there were four runs or more an
over for the taking.
So it was the same old story in trans-Tasman sport (apart
from the rugby, obviously): hope with disappointment in its wake. But it was a
fine day with a sold out signs up, so not bad at all.
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