NZ vs AUS Scorecard, 2nd Test, Day 3 Highlights: Rachin Ravindra, Matt Henry, Ben Sears give New Zealand hope of win

New Zealand positioned themselves excellently to secure victory in the second and final Test of the two-match series in Christchurch. New Zealand seamers Matt Henry and Ben Sears dismantled Australia’s top order in the final innings late on the third day’s play.

The Tim Southee-led team bounced back in the second innings after struggling to score in the first innings. The Black Caps were bowled out for just 162 runs on the opening day of the match. They set a competitive target of 279 for Australia to level the ongoing Test series.

Tom Lathan Registers His Best Score Against Australia In Tests

The hosts resumed the third day’s play at 134 for 2, with Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra at the crease. Latham surpassed his previous highest score of 63 against Australia in Test cricket but fell short of a century. The southpaw was dismissed for 73 runs by Pat Cummins.

Ravindra and Mitchell formed a formidable partnership for the fourth wicket, countering the Australian bowling attack adeptly. Ravindra achieved his second half-century of the series on Day 3. The Australian captain utilized eight bowling options before the break.

Australia Strike With Second New Ball On Day 3

The introduction of the second new ball provided a turning point for Australia, leading to Daryl Mitchell’s dismissal. Josh Hazlewood provided a breakthrough for his team, breaking the 123-run partnership. Mitchell had to depart for the pavilion after scoring 58 off 98.

Pat Cummins claimed the wicket of Ravindra with his first delivery with the second new ball. The Australian skipper dismissed Ravindra for 82 with a sharp delivery that moved away late. Tom Blundell was caught by Marnus Labuschagne off Cameron Green’s bowling.

Scott Kuggeleijn quickly scored 30 runs off 26 balls, adding to New Zealand’s lead. By Tea, with a lead of 251, New Zealand seemed poised to set Australia a target exceeding 300. Glenn Phillips and Kuggeleijn’s partnership strengthened New Zealand’s position in the game.

New Zealand Lose Last Four Wickets For 23 Runs

Nathan Lyon broke the 53-run partnership between Kuggeleijn and Glenn Phillips. Lyon struck with his first delivery after the break, dismissing Phillips, who had scored 16 runs off 46 balls. Matt Henry showed aggression from the start, but his cameo was short-lived.

Henry scored 16 runs off 11 balls, including four boundaries, but fell while attempting an aggressive shot off Lyon. Cummins dismissed Tim Southee in the next over, and Lyon dismissed Kuggeleijn for 44 runs, resulting in New Zealand being bowled out for 372 runs.

The Black Caps lost their final four wickets for just 23 runs. Cummins led the Australian bowling attack with figures of 4 for 62, while Lyon contributed three wickets. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey achieved an Australian record by making ten dismissals in the ongoing match.

Steve Smith Suffers Another Failure As An Opener

Matt Henry claimed his first wicket by dismissing Smith for nine runs. Smith’s promotion up the order has faced increased scrutiny due to his modest showing. The right-handed batter concluded his series performance with only 51 runs at an average of 12.75.

Australia collapsed early in their chase, leaving them at 34 for 4. Sears and Henry bagged two wickets each. However, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh stabilized the innings with an unbroken 43-run partnership, but Australia still required 202 more runs for victory.

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