Mitchell, Ravindra, and the bowlers flip the script on Australia

New Zealand bowled out for 162 on the first day of the Christchurch Test, and appeared to have no chance of winning. But they set themselves up for an outstanding, come-from-behind triumph. After a captivating third day of play, the Black Caps had taken the lead. Even though it can be claimed that the game is evenly balanced enough to go either way. Australia were reduced to 34 for 4 and were set to chase 279 for a series-sweeping victory. But Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh counterattacked their way to an undefeated 43-run stand. To win, the visitors must score 202 runs more.

 

The fast-bowling duo of Matt Henry and Ben Sears, along with Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, were the main players driving the Black Caps’ opposition on the third day. The hosts were encouraged by their efforts on Saturday to claw their way back into the match. As the batting conditions improved and the game looked like it would quickly slip away from them. Tom Latham, who was on a half-centurion overnight, appeared to be on course for his first-ever Test hundred against Australia. However, Pat Cummins intercepted a delivery meant for the left-hander. He found a delicate edge to the keeper via the thigh pad..

There was no fear, even when Latham was out for 73. Ravindra and Mitchell got to work laying the groundwork for yet another significant alliance. Both batsmen performed admirably against Nathan Lyon’s spin. Mitchell Marsh showcasing his extensive range by taking advantage of his relative positional comfort. After chipping out of his crease  he reverse-swept Lyon for a four. Just as confident, Ravindra reached his half-century with a clean drive off Mitchell Marsh. Cummins had rather belatedly brought into the attack.

Taking wickets with the old ball proved to be difficult, as the Australian captain went through as many as eight bowlers before and after the lunch break. Marnus Labuschagne bowled seam up during one over of this, which provided some comic relief but also almost paid off when Ravindra top-edged a pull effort and the ball landed safely.

In the end, it was the second new ball that let Australia through again. Mitchell Starc proved to be a little wayward over the first few overs that the batting pair faced. But Josh Hazlewood eventually got a scrambling seam delivery to shape away, putting Mitchell edge behind for 53. It terminated a 123-run partnership, the greatest for either side in

The left-hander  committed himself to play when Cummins returned to the attack. He struck out Ravindra for 82 with his first ball back. It was a stinging back-of-length delivery that sailed away late. After Labuschagne made a quick grab, Tom Blundell threw his hands at a wide ball from Cameron Green and smashed it uppishly to cover. But in the next Green over, the fielder could not hold on to another offering from Scott Kuggeleijn, and the hitter made the most of his reprieve, blasting to 30 off 26 with a six against Starc and Green.

With a 251-point lead in the bank, the hosts were certain to throw Australia a target well over 300 at Tea. But in the last half hour of the session, everything changed.  Lyon casted Glenn Phillips, ending the fifty-year relationship between the two. After that, Henry tried one shot too many and ducked too far away. After Cummins bowled Southee  for a catch behind, Lyon secured their third wicket by removing Kuggeleijn for 44, thereby bowling New Zealand out for 372 runs.

Australia chased down a total of more than 279 just at Edgbaston last year (282) but the last time they’d done so was in Johannesburg in 2011. Some great new-ball bowling added to the enormity of their task. A Henry delivery seaming into Steve Smith caught him off guard and pinged him on the pads, leading to an LBW decision. After chipping a return catch to Sears, Labuschagne fell two balls later, but he managed to survive the squandered chance. After that, Sears found an extra bounce to force Green to hack one on to the stumps, and Henry had Usman Khawaja nicking off to a fantastic catch in the slips from Southee.

Australia had entered unusual terrain at 34/4, and a loss to New Zealand suddenly looked quite certain. However, they managed to survive and continue battling each other, owing to Mitchell Marsh’s counterattack. It included four boundaries in his run-a-ball 27 and Travis Head’s wicket-taking.