Aussies “possums in the headlights” as Kiwis chase for victory
New Zealand v Australia, 10th March 2024.
NEW ZEALAND 162 all out and 372 all out
AUSTRALIA 256 all out and 77–4 (needing 202 runs to win)
Last evening as the floodlights of the “Hagley Oval” began to replace the setting sun across this beautifully quaint cricket ground a world away from the cold and rain of an English winter, Kiwi batsmen Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra were, in the cricketing vernacular, “jumping around” as they battled valiantly to repel everything their Australian counterparts could throw and indeed bowl at them. This evening the roles were reversed after yet another of those quite astounding days that only Test Match cricket can provide and now Australia were not only jumping around to avoid the searing deliveries from an inspired Matt Henry and debutant Ben Sears they were “possums in the headlights” according to ex Kiwi international Mark Richardson and at 34–4, threatening to crumble and collapse to defeat on New Zealand soil for the first time in 31 years.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves again as we always do but after another night of watching cricket through the night and against the the perceived pun intended boundaries of the time matrix the walls are beginning to bend as they are oft to do, today’s final chapter of a winter’s watching cricket from the other side of the world has a pleasing extra edition to follow later today and a day here in England celebrated as “Mother’s Day” and boy do I miss a mother who so adored this grandest of all games. It’s 7.11am as I pen these words on a cold and rainy English Sunday morning. The birds are chirping their early morning songs of praise and salutations. The beloved Reds of my Liverpool footballing heart are sure to have their bubble pricked if not popped entirely by the Champions of the World later today and I’m missing a grand old lady who through her love of cricket introduced me to this wonderful sport what seems like a lifetime ago. Three years in the time matrix feels as long as a night time of watching cricket through the night, two months of watching cricket through the night in fact, and we’re getting ahead of ourselves and travelling back in time, mixing our sporting metaphors and allegiances, thinking of a Manchester United fan who will be willing my team defeat her cousins from the other side of Manchester later today and after which, I’ll have one last dance with the midnight devil of watching Test Match cricket through the night and for that, we should all be truly thankful.
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So where were we?
After battling and indeed batting valiantly last evening to preserve their wickets, Tom Latham (65 not out) and Rachin Ravindra (11 not out) resumed this morning with their Kiwi team total standing on 134–2 and with a precious lead entering day 3 of 40 runs. Although Latham would fall just 25 minutes into the day’s play for the addition of just 8 runs to his total, the bright young thing beside him became the mainstay of a New Zealand 2nd innings that threatened at one stage to completely bat Australia out of the contest but which, pleasingly for an English neutral on the other side of the world, perfectly set up a difficult but attainable run chase for victory of 279.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves once more so returning to this morning and as the clock ticked past the witching hour of midnight here in England, Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten at one end whilst the loud and brilliantly brash Daryl Mitchell joined him at the other in a partnership of 123 that truly threatened to end any Aussie hopes of victory. Mitchell finally departed for 58 after reaching his 10th all-time Test Match half-century and first against Australia and although Ravindra would follow him back to the Pavilion just 9 balls later for a priceless 82 from 153 balls received, the 24 year old wunderkind had provided the backbone and platform for the innings that would see both Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry chipping in with 16 valuable runs each as well as a run-a-ball cameo innings of 44 from an injured Scott Kuggeleijn that saw him granted not one but two extra “lives” before he “holed out” chasing a half-century and the last wicket to fall in a 2nd innings team total of 372 that set their Australian visitors from across the Tasman Sea 279 runs for victory.
Australia now had two hours to bat in front of a packed and sold out Christchurch crowd and from 15–0 they collapsed to 34–4 in just 45 minutes and 7 thrilling overs of bowling from Matt Henry seeking a career high 10 total wickets in a Test Match for the first time and 26 year old debutant Ben Sears. Henry struck first, trapping the dangerous and soon to be Hall of Fame legend Steve Smith “plumb” LBW in front of his stumps for just 9 before his great mate Marnus Labuschagne was granted a “life” 7 balls later when dropped by Daryl Mitchell at 2nd Slip before departing just 2 deliveries later to a brilliant return “caught and bowled” catch from Sears. The debutant’s roar of delight was matched by the sell-out crowd who exploded with joy mere minutes later with the departure of Usman Khawaja brilliantly caught by a flying Tim Southee at 3rd Slip for just 11 and just 17 balls later, the debutant was at it again, forcing Cameron Green into an indecisive shot that saw him cannon the ball back onto his own middle stump.
Australia were 34–4 and rocking and rolling toward collapse.
Travis Head, so often Australia’s saviour and attacking maestro with the bat nervously edged and prodded his way to 17 not out at the day ending “Stumps”, accompanied by a rather more assured run-a-ball 27 not out from the big hitting Mitchell Marsh and Australia ended day 3 in an unaccustomed underdog position for victory in this Test Match needing a further 202 runs to win tomorrow with only 6 wickets remaining.
So the Kiwis hold sway in this second and final Test Match with their noisy neighbours and it’s all to play for come Monday morning in Christchurch and Sunday night here in a rainy and cold England.
But rather more importantly for your favourite cricket correspondent, I have one final dance with this beautifully enticing and alluring sport that has had a hold of my heart for over four decades, and I can’t wait to see how this final chapter of my winter odyssey will unfold later.
Thanks for reading. As you may have gathered(!) I’ve mis-spent the past 8 weeks of a cold English winter watching Test Match cricket through the night, and here’s the written evidence from the first day of all five matches from England’s tour to India:
"Kuldeep Yadav spins England out of control in Dharamshala"
"Root grinds a priceless century for England on day 1 in Ranchi"
"Milestones galore as India take charge on day 1 in Rajkot"
"Jaiswal century edges India ahead on day 1 in Visakhapatnam"
"India in the box seat after day 1 in Hyderabad"