NZ Vs AUS: New Zealand had a torrid time in the series of the shortest format. Australia had whitewashed the home side, The Blackcaps in a three match T20 International series.
But in the traditional form of the game, the home side showed why they are best whenever they play a red ball game in their own home conditions.
This is a two-match series of the Test format and the first Test match is being played at Basin Reserve in Wellington. The Blackcaps side won the toss and chose to bowl first in this opening encounter and their decision was spot on. New Zealand did a good job with the ball in hand as they never allowed any Aussie batter to settle.
The visitors Australia is in the game by a very little margin and that is only because of their pace bowling all-rounder Cameron Green. In a tough situation, Green scored a terrific hundred which has allowed the Aussie to gain some momentum in this Test match. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for them if Cameron had also failed.
Green is unbeaten on 103 runs and he is the only batter from the Aussies camp to reach a three-figure mark in this Test match. The other batsmen didn’t even score a half-century and the next highest is 40 runs, which was scored by Mitchell Marsh.
Smith scored 31 runs while Khawaja scored 33 runs and Australia had a decent opening partnership of 61 runs. But they did not get anywhere near the three-figure mark because they failed to convert their start into a big score just like Cameron Green.
Apart from Cameron Green, none of the other Australian batters could score big on day one and that was mainly because of Matt Henry. This bowler from New Zealand picked up four wickets to his name.
He was the one who broke a decent 61 run opening partnership between Smith and Khawaja. Henry was also successful in applying brakes on the Australian batters.
Matt picked up the wickets of both the Australian openers, Smith and Khawaja. Then he also removed Mitchell Marsh, who looked good till he batted for his 40 runs and lastly, he also got Nathan Lyon as well.
With Henry, William O'Rourke picked up two scalps and Scott Kuggeleijn also picked up two wickets while Rachin Ravindra got one wicket to his name.
Now on day two, Australia needs to bat at least the first whole session in the morning and they should look to get 300 runs in their 1st innings which would give them a physiological edge over New Zealand. Cameron Green will hold the key for taking the Aussies to that score.
The Kiwis will have to take that last wicket quickly and they will also have to bat well in their 1st innings and that too against the world’s best pace bowling trio of Cummins, Starc and Hazelwood as they can dismantle any good batting line ups.
