And here’s the match report:
Updated
If your appetite for Boxing Day cricket has yet to be sated, another Test match is about to get underway - South Africa v England at Centurion. Follow all of that right here:
Summary
A superb day of Test cricket ends with Australia in the box seat, but their presence there owes as much to luck as it does skill after New Zealand probed without just reward in front of 80,000 at the MCG.
After winning the toss and inviting Australia to bat first in overcast conditions, New Zealand began perfectly, Trent Boult castling Joe Burns (0) with the fourth delivery of the match. Thereafter David Warner (43) grew into his innings before a beauty from Neil Wagner was rewarded by an even better catch from Tim Southee at second slip.
The contest was evenly poised at lunch and continued to remain in the balance at tea, thanks largely to Colin de Grandhomme, who bowled superbly in the afternoon session for the reward of Marnus Labuschagne (63), bowled off his elbow attempting to leave a delivery outside his off stump. That was a rare moment of misfortune for Australia on a day when edge after edge missed the field or died short of a catcher, not to mention a couple of borderline LBW appeals going their way and a few run-out opportunities going begging.
But true to form the Kiwis never gave up and deserved more than just the wicket of Matthew Wade (38) in the final session. Unfortunately for them Steve Smith was one of the batsmen they were trying to dismiss, and after a lean start to the summer the run-machine ticked beyond 7,000 in his career to end the day unbeaten on 77 and looking back to the man who tormented England over the winter.
Credit has to go to the MCG groundstaff for preparing a surface that allowed the ball to move in the air and off the seam throughout the day, keeping the batsmen honest, and ensuring long spells of compelling cricket. The pitch slowed considerably as the day wore on and it remains to be seen if it dies completely following its next meeting with the heavy roller.
To find out how it plays, and if Australia can turn their early ascendancy into a stranglehold, join Adam Collins and I back here tomorrow.
Updated
Close on day 1: Australia 257-4
Australia take the honours after an absorbing day of Test cricket.
90th over: Australia 257-4 (Smith 77, Head 25) The day ends exactly as it deserved to, with New Zealand engineering an edge that fails to go to hand and runs away for four. This time it was Southee to Head, but it has happened on numerous occasions today with most combinations of bowlers and batters.
89th over: Australia 252-4 (Smith 76, Head 21) After a couple of probing overs Boult begins his final shift of the day by allowing Head some width to free his arms and spank a four through point. There’s been a hollowness to proceedings since the second new ball, New Zealand tired and weatherbeaten after a day of near misses and lacking the raw pace to rattle Australia late on.
88th over: Australia 248-4 (Smith 76, Head 17) Southee continues, now bowling to a field set for a cross-seam delivery that sticks in the pitch, more than a conventional new ball dismissal. Despite the plan, Southee does find the outside edge of Smith’s bat as Plan A might have designed, but the batsman’s hands were so soft the ball died well short of the cordon. Maiden.
87th over: Australia 248-4 (Smith 76, Head 17) A bit more nibble from Boult this over but Head is focussed enough to deal with it.
86th over: Australia 246-4 (Smith 76, Head 15) A very dishearteningly dull over from Southee to Smith features five nondescript dots followed by a contemptuous straight-drive for four. New Zealand are running out of puff towards the end of a day full of toil.
85th over: Australia 242-4 (Smith 72, Head 15) Boult continues, but the lack of swing on offer means his line is now just leaking across the right-handed Smith outside off stump rather than tailing back into the batsman and inducing doubt. Boult realigns by bowling from around the wicket, but that simply allows Smith to milk a single off his pads. Head, now just about in, clips a couple of his pads when he is invited to bat.
Can’t imagine it will be 32 years until the next trans-Tasman Boxing Day Test.
Today's crowd at the @MCG is 80,473#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/SwLWErz16e
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2019
84th over: Australia 239-4 (Smith 71, Head 13) Neither Boult nor Southee have bowled with menace since the change of balls. A TV graphic indicates the amount of swing with this new ball is 1.4 (of what unit I’m not sure) compared to 2.1 from earlier in the day. Even accounting for numberwang that indicates a less threatening delivery. Australia are now coasting to the close of play.
83rd over: Australia 237-4 (Smith 71, Head 11) Another over dominated by a crisply struck four from an Australian batsman playing in the V, this time Steve Smith drilling Trent Boult through long-off. The new ball still not doing what New Zealand want it to.
82nd over: Australia 233-4 (Smith 67, Head 11) Southee shares the new ball but in his quest for swing he over-pitches and Head presents the full face of the bat and collects four of the crispest runs. Southee adjust his length, and drags his line a touch wider, Head follows accordingly for a regulation play-and-miss from a right-arm over bowler to a left-hand batter.
The new ball has yet to misbehave greatly either in the air or off the pitch.
81st over: Australia 229-4 (Smith 67, Head 7) Trent Boult has the new nut in his hand but 15 overs already in his legs today. He delivers four balls that keep Travis Head honest before a sharp single brings Steve Smith on strike. The final two deliveries are too wide to entice the batsman into a stroke. New Zealand need at least one more wicket today to even the ledger. They deserve at least one more.
The new ball is taken immediately.
NEW BALL TIME! Which one are you picking?
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 26, 2019
Boult to take it for us...BIG MOMENT!
🇦🇺 CARD | https://t.co/N6jpmeRPFE#AUSvNZ #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/D9CAe1kONa
Updated
80th over: Australia 228-4 (Smith 67, Head 6) Santner’s back for a token over before the new ball will be taken. How he has been used today by Williamson has been notable; the Kiwi skipper has shown little faith. Santner shows what he might have been missing by beating Smith with an unplayable delivery, the ball arcing in from around the wicket, pitching on leg stump, turning and bouncing prodigiously and beating the outside edge. Unfortunately he follows it up with a rank long-hop.
79th over: Australia 223-4 (Smith 67, Head 2) Travis Head doubles his score and does well enough riding an over of Neil Wagner deliveries arrowed at his ribcage.
78th over: Australia 222-4 (Smith 67, Head 1) Travis Head gets off the mark with a single from his 13th delivery in a de Grandhomme over that will not live long in the memory. The MCG now has that late afternoon murmur about it, although without the raucous noise of beer snakes being built and phonebooks being shredded in the now defunct Bay 13.
77th over: Australia 220-4 (Smith 66, Head 0) New Zealand resume their bodyline-lite approach to Smith and Wagner earns a bruise, if not a wicket, with the method when he gets one to climb on the batsman and strike him towards the armpit during an awkward evasive manoeuvre.
Meanwhile over on Channel Seven, the host broadcaster has cut to an AFL footballer for the second time in the day. Ping Sam Perry.
76th over: Australia 219-4 (Smith 65, Head 0) Head continues to be watchful at the start of his innings, allowing CdG’s hooping in-swingers to pass well outside his off stump. The South Australian has faced ten deliveries now without scoring.
Updated
75th over: Australia 218-4 (Smith 64, Head 0) Wagner’s radar is off this over and he allows Head a couple of sighters by hurling down leg-side bumpers after Smith dinks a single to keep the scoreboard operators in the game.
74th over: Australia 217-4 (Smith 63, Head 0) That is the least de Grandhomme has deserved for a day-long demonstration of old-school swing bowling. And credit is due again to the MCG groundstaff for preparing a surface that has allowed the ball to move in the air and off the seam. Wade just beat his average, but he used up a lot of lives along the way.
WICKET! Wade c Watling b de Grandhomme 38 (Australia 216-4)
Another edge, and guess what, four more runs to Australia. Wade this time slashing hard outside off and inside-edging to fine-leg. But he’s gone the next ball! De Grandhomme bowling the same teasing line, inviting another drive, this time he finds the outside edge, and this time it carries behind the wicket where Watling completes the simple dismissal. C-D-G, he’s dynamite!
73rd over: Australia 212-3 (Smith 63, Wade 34) Santner’s spell is again curtailed before the bowler might have expected it to be, meaning Wagner is back for his 18th over of the day. It begins with Smith driving neatly for three before Wade earns four with a guided thick edge that loops agonisingly over Taylor at first slip. Without sounding like a broken record, how have New Zealand only taken three wickets today?
72nd over: Australia 202-3 (Smith 60, Wade 27) Wade plays and misses to CdG outside off to open the 72nd over of the day. I hope someone has kept a tally of all the times the bowlers have beaten the bat today for scant reward. Wade responds to CdG’s in-swing by advancing down the pitch and playing a defensive prod about two feet outside off stump. CdG then returns fire by drawing the drive and inducing a genuine edge that falls short of first slip! How unlucky have New Zealand been today!?
71st over: Australia 202-3 (Smith 60, Wade 27) Tighter from Santner, conceding just the one run. No alarms and no surprises for Australia though.
70th over: Australia 201-3 (Smith 60, Wade 26) Eeh, the pre-tea CdG turns up after a couple of nothing overs to send down a pair of massive hooping in-swingers from around the wicket that Wade struggles to deal with. But deal with them he does, and a single keeps the scoreboard ticking over.
69th over: Australia 200-3 (Smith 60, Wade 25) Speaking of Santner, Williamson has belatedly turned to his left-arm spinner for just his fifth over of the day in what is his fourth spell. That’s partly a consequence of Australia targeting New Zealand’s premier slow bowler, and again both batsmen rotate the strike with ease while Wade uses his feet to drive powerfully through the off-side.
68th over: Australia 194-3 (Smith 58, Wade 21) CdG has been neither as tight nor as threatening since tea, looking more like a dibbly dobbler fill-in than the medium-pace swing king of earlier in the day. Wade doesn’t mind, leaning back to carve three runs through the covers.
67th over: Australia 190-3 (Smith 57, Wade 18) Boult almost cleaves Wade at his ankles but the batsman does well to dig out a searing yorker, despite ending up on the turf. He earns one for this troubles to add to a nicely clipped couple earlier on in the over.
Since Labuschagne’s dismissal Australia have lost their impetus. In other matches it might be possible to describe the game as drifting, but this is simply the latest engrossing phase of play in an even contest between bat and ball full of subtle changes of approach from both sides. Perhaps the most significant point of note (besides Australia’s good fortune) is New Zealand’s reluctance to bowl Santner. There is turn and bounce on offer but he has so far not been trusted to exploit it.
66th over: Australia 187-3 (Smith 57, Wade 15) The star of the middle session - Colin de Grandhomme - is back into the attack as New Zealand begin their planning for the second new ball. It’s a nondescript over that goes for three.
This is a lovely clip that highlights how much better the playing conditions have been today at the MCG compared to last year. It’s also a neat example of how welcome an addition Trent Copeland is to TV Commentary; unfussy, informative and yet to be reversed into by the banter bus.
"Isn't that remarkable?"@copes9 shows us the difference between last year's MCG pitch and this one #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/IPCGdgKIY3
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 26, 2019
65th over: Australia 184-3 (Smith 56, Wade 13) Bowling change from the Members’ End with Trent Boult replacing Neil Wagner. He beats Smith with a hooping in-swinger but alas for the Kiwis it’s a familiar pattern, instead of the clattering of stumps or a feather to the keeper it’s a thigh-pad deflection to fine-leg for four.
64th over: Australia 180-3 (Smith 56, Wade 13) After 19 deliveries without a run off the bat Steve Smith controls a pull down to backward square-leg for a single. Southee then induces a flash and a miss from Wade outside his off stump, another let-off in a day of let-offs for Australia’s batsmen.
63rd over: Australia 179-3 (Smith 55, Wade 13) More Wagner v Wade, but this over is tame by comparison. Another maiden, the third in a row for New Zealand.
62nd over: Australia 179-3 (Smith 55, Wade 13) Southee bowls a maiden to Smith from around the wicket.
Jason Alf would like to wish Matthew Wade a happy birthday. It is, after all, the Tasmanian’s 32nd birthday. In his honour, here’s some of his best work.
61st over: Australia 179-3 (Smith 55, Wade 13) The latest instalment of Wagner v Wade begins with another moral victory for the bowler, this time beating the batsman’s edge with a conventional away swinger, catching Wade leaden-footed awaiting the bumper. And it ends with a moral victory for the bowler, Wade ducking into the eventual bouncer, the ball ricocheting away for four down to fine-leg. Australia are now in a very strong position in this match but they have benefited from an awful lot of good fortune in the process.
60th over: Australia 175-3 (Smith 55, Wade 13) Southee hasn’t bowled much at Wade since tea but he begins the 60th over by beating the left-hander’s outside edge from around the wicket with an absolute jaffa, then follows it up by finding a thick edge that slithers wide of the diving gully. The Tasmanian responds by punching a drive worth two runs that’s hit so straight it practically nutmegs the umpire.
59th over: Australia 170-3 (Smith 55, Wade 8) More Wagner v Wade, and it’s an even contest this over. The bowler has his hands on his head when an inside-edge dies just in front of leg-gully but the batsman gets off strike when he reads a slower ball and drives it just wide of mid-off.
Meanwhile, another vote for cherries. I was around the Victoria/NSW border recently and they were in uncommonly short supply. Perhaps why I forgot to include them initially.
@JPHowcroft Best, most quintessential Christmas fruit? Cherries by a distance.
— 🔥🔥 ScoMo's Gotta Go 🔥🔥 (@Roscommon_Cat) December 26, 2019
58th over: Australia 169-3 (Smith 55, Wade 7) New Zealand have toiled manfully all day but Southee is starting to show signs of tiring. His pace has dipped into the 120s-kph and he’s floating the ball up to Smith rather than fizzing it in his direction. It still manages to cause the Australian problems though, from ball four the latest in a long long line of thick edges manages to scuttle to the third-man boundary and not into the mitts of a Kiwi fielder.
57th over: Australia 165-3 (Smith 51, Wade 7) Wagner continues his bouncer barrage, first at Smith, who eventually rotates strike with a single, then at Wade. The Australian keeper still looks uncertain against the Kiwi enforcer, standing his ground and accepting what’s being hurled at him, rather than looking to counterattack or adjust his stance to force Wagner to rethink his plans. The pitch isn’t offering a great deal at this stage so the over passes without much incident.
According to this piece from a few years ago, the answer to the fruity teaser during the tea interval is mangoes and cherries.
56th over: Australia 164-3 (Smith 50, Wade 7) Tim Southee returns for his 12th over of the day to open the final session of play. Steve Smith is delighted with New Zealand’s decision. He leaves a couple of gentle sighters outside off then leans elegantly into a straight drive for four to move to his highest Test score this summer. Southee almost gets his revenge next ball but the latest in a series of thick outside edges bounces just short and wide of the diving gully and skips away to the rope. A sharp single brings up Smith’s first half-century in a career-threatening* three Tests.
*Not career-threatening.
A 35-over final session coming up, so we’ll likely bleed into the additional half-hour, taking us through to a 6pm-ish close of play.
During the tea interval I fisted an unattractive amount of raspberries into the big hole in my face. My in-laws live near a berry farm so raspberries are both cheap and plentiful. It got me thinking, are they the quintessential Christmas fruit? Or is it the passion fruit crowning the pav? Or the seasonal mango? Or something else?
“I’m not sure you’ll receive Hawaii billeting,” emails Rowan Sweeney, “but word on the street is Geoff Lemon is counting numbers and #OBOspill is trending...”. Rowan, Geoff has my unconditional support, and any rumours about apparatchiks conducting internal polls are entirely false.
“Any stats on Wade’s test average as specialist batsman v time as a keeper/batsman?” asks Ian Loiterton, from his wife’s phone; a detail that prompts all sorts of further enquiries. Well Ian, Wade averages 28.58 as the designated keeper, and 36.23 without the gloves.
Tea - Australia 155-3
Another engrossing session of cricket, one in which Australia threatened to take a stranglehold on the game, but thanks to Colin de Grandhomme they didn’t. The home side are now in the box seat but with New Zealand continuing to create chances Australia cannot rest on their laurels. Looking forward to the resumption of Wagner v Wade after the break.
55th over: Australia 155-3 (Smith 41, Wade 7) The final over before tea is Wagner v Wade round II. The Kiwi strikes a blow second ball, making the ball seam in and collide with the Australian’s ribcage. Two deliveries later the ball whistles past Wade’s off stump. Then the following delivery Wade looks as though he’s edged between keeper and slip but nobody dives for the catch and Australia pick up four. The runs are credited to the batsman, so that has to go down as an awful missed opportunity for New Zealand, but a review probably would have saved the batsman.
Wade facing Wagner #AUSvsNZ pic.twitter.com/A3JDz12HtJ
— Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb) December 26, 2019
Updated
54th over: Australia 151-3 (Smith 41, Wade 3) CdG’s magnificent spell is ended and Mitchell Santner is back on to see if he can survive longer than one or two overs this time. He is unthreatening in the first over of his third spell but avoids the carnage that saw him removed swiftly from the attack an hour or so ago.
53rd over: Australia 149-3 (Smith 40, Wade 2) Matthew Wade’s arrival at the crease meant that Neil Wagner’s return to the attack wasn’t going to be far behind. The rutting stags resumed their duel this over with Wagner bowling bouncer after bouncer followed by stare after stare, and Wade responding with a narrow-eyed look that signalled “is that all you’ve got big man?”.
The best part of 80,000 are now packed into the G.
There's no such thing as a bad view at the 'G on Boxing Day 👌#MyMCG #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/2lrGQrYK8o
— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) December 26, 2019
52nd over: Australia 149-3 (Smith 40, Wade 2) Smith is just working the ball around the MCG now as the tea break approaches, and in the process he ascends to tenth in the list of all-time Australian Test run-makers. How high up this list will he eventually get?
Most Test runs for Australia:
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2019
13,378 - RT Ponting
11,174 – AR Border
10,927 – SR Waugh
8643 - MJ Clarke
8625 – ML Hayden
8029 – ME Waugh
7696 – JL Langer
7525 – MA Taylor
7422 – DC Boon
7111 – SPD SMITH*
7110 – GS Chappell#AUSvNZ
51st over: Australia 147-3 (Smith 39, Wade 1) CdG’s spell, by the way, is eight overs 1-15. Heck of an effort. Boult continues his work from the other end but he can’t repeat the trick.
50th over: Australia 144-3 (Smith 37, Wade 0) There’ll be plenty of analysis of that Labuschagne dismissal. Is it a technical glitch, or was it just bad luck?
Apologies for the rhetorical ScoMo-ism in the previous over. How good would it be if I was billeted somewhere in Hawaii as punishment?
WICKET! Labuschagne b de Grandhomme 63 (Australia 144-3)
Out of nowhere Labuschagne is out! That luck I was talking about - well, it’s just run out for Australia’s no.3. CdG was doing CdG things in a tight over and from the fifth delivery probing outside off Labuschagne tried to leave but didn’t raise his arms sufficiently, allowing the ball to clip his elbow and ricochet onto his stumps. Huge and unexpected moment in this game.
Labuschagne's attempted leave goes off his elbow and back onto the stumps!
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 26, 2019
Won't see that too often... #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/i2hxumJQI6
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49th over: Australia 144-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 37) Boult’s still getting the ball to curve in the air, and in so doing trouble Labuschagne. But after a legbye rotates strike he drops short to Smith who swivels, and with full control, pulls for four.
Apropos of nothing, how good are the plethora of Kiwi voices (including Taika Waititi) in the latest series of Rick and Morty?
Updated
48th over: Australia 139-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 33) Not for the first time this session an Australian mishit falls safely, this time a Smith checked drive fails to reach the catching midwicket after the batsman fails to read a delivery that sticks in the pitch. That is the only moment of note in a maiden over.
47th over: Australia 139-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 33) Boult continues to bend his back but Smith is now into his groove, shifting his weight forward and back in that bullet time manner of his. He eases two, then a single, through the off-side, allowing Labuschagne to tuck into a rare long hop and clack it behind point for four. This match is quickly getting away from New Zealand.
Marnus becomes the 15th Aussie to score five consecutive Test innings of 50+. These 15 have shared 22 different occurrences.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 26, 2019
46th over: Australia 132-2 (Labuschagne 59, Smith 30) The luck is all going Australia’s way at the moment. New Zealand are probing but LBW appeals are not being upheld and edges are not going to hand. The latest example is CdG forcing a genuine edge from Labuschagne but it flies through the vacant second slip region at regulation height and away to safety.
I unironically love Boney M.
Marnus is so good, I think it’s time for a national conversation about correctly pronouncing his name. National ad campaign, mail out instructions, school visits, etc.
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) December 26, 2019
La La Labuschagne
— Greig White (@schnozzman) December 26, 2019
Straya's greatest run ma-chagne#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/oORnhbapYv
45th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 53, Smith 29) Boult is still finding that pleasing arc through the air (can any scientists out there explain why the human eye is drawn to those elegant parabolas?) and he uses it to get inside Labuschagne’s defence and crunch into his front pad. A hearty appeal follows but Marais Erasmus continues his mime of an immovable water buffalo chewing the cud. Boult’s ire is further raised the following delivery when Labuschagne reaches his fifth consecutive score of 50+ with a thick edge that runs along the ground through fourth slip all the way to the third-man fence.
In his twentieth innings, Marnus now becomes a batsman with an official average. He's closing in on Smith as the second best ever. Currently 60.84. #AUSvNZ
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 26, 2019
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44th over: Australia 121-2 (Labuschagne 49, Smith 29) CdG manages to find a bit of movement off the pitch and square Steve Smith up, drawing a leading edge that is lucky to squirt through the gully region. The big man is doing a Matthew Hoggard-like job for New Zealand, getting through ten overs of hard work, swinging the ball away from the right-handers, and going for just 23 runs.
43rd over: Australia 119-2 (Labuschagne 49, Smith 27) Australia’s contemptuous dismissal of Santner in the previous over from the Punt Road end has forced Williamson to return to Trent Boult. He finds a much tighter line and length, keeping Labuschagne to just a couple worked through the on-side.
42nd over: Australia 117-2 (Labuschagne 47, Smith 27) Just the single from an unremarkable CdG over.
Major questions for New Zealand to answer now. They’ve bowled with purpose for three hours - and those three hours will likely be the best of the match in which to bowl - but they’ve only taken two wickets. Australia, with their best two batsmen at the crease, will now feel as though they have almost 40 overs to take a firm grip on this contest.
41st over: Australia 116-2 (Labuschagne 46, Smith 27) Since lunch Australia have looked much busier at the crease and that’s starting to change the complexion of this match. With a much more positive mindset Labuschagne hoicks a Santner drag down for six then Smith guides the Kiwi spinner effortlessly over the sightscreen for six more! 17 in total from an over that will force a response from Williamson.
This has been a splendid day’s cricket so far, the bowlers finding some early swing then settling into some disciplined spells with creative fields, and in response the batsmen digging in and accepting the short-term requirement to focus on preserving their wickets. Halfway through the day the match situation is evenly poised.
The weather and pitch conditions have been worth keeping an eye on. When Kane Williamson inserted Australia this morning it was overcast and the strip had a greenish hue. Now the sky is cloudless, the ball is swinging less and the pitch is flattening out.
Now Adam’s taken his leave remember to retune your emails and tweets to the following addresses: @JPHowcroft and jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
Thank you very much Collo, my favourite trans-Tasman cricketing Adam since Adam Parore. The Kiwi keeper was famously disliked by his Australian opponents during his stint in international cricket, leading to a few famously vicious sledges and this terrifying, merciless dismissal from Brett Lee.
40th over: Australia 99-2 (Labuschagne 35, Smith 21) Labuschagne gets one into the onside to start CDG’s new over so he reverts straight back into that zone way outside the off-stump in order to do his bit in dotting them up. That’s drinks. On the basis that they haven’t lost a wicket since lunch, let’s call that hour for Australia. It’s not been the most convincing batting - Labuschagne was so nearly run out - and New Zealand have done plenty right with the ball, but they haven’t been able to get another breakthrough. To take you through to the end of what has been an excellent first day so far, I welcome JP Howcroft. Talk to you tomorrow!
39th over: Australia 98-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 21) Santner, who went wicketless in Perth, gets a second crack in this middle session. There was nothing wrong with his over after lunch, which prompted a big lbw shout against Labuschagne. Smith is the man on strike this time and he’s happy playing the waiting game until a wider full ball comes down at him, square driving it for his second all-run four. These two have now put on 38 from 107 balls.
38th over: Australia 94-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 17) CDG does his job here, whipping through a maiden at Labuschagne, all well outside the off-stump and prompting the lightsaber. Nothing wrong with showing a bit of patience. But much as it was when they picked up Warner, they have to capitalise and break this up.
37th over: Australia 94-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 17) Wagner to Smith with that silly point in again but he isn’t needed here, Smith pulling from the line of his body into the gap for an all-run four. One of the only grounds in the world where you can be guaranteed that will happen a few times in every Test played there.
A big crowd, drama, lots of noise, and an all-run four. All that you want on Boxing Day #AUSvNZ @cricbuzz
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 26, 2019
36th over: Australia 88-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 12) IS LABUSCHAGNE RUN OUT? Direct hit from Wagner at long leg! They go upstairs. NOT OUT! A great dive. It ended a de Grandhomme over where four were taken. Every time these two run they are looking for two and racing between the wickets. Assertive batting. It hasn’t been perfect - Labuschagne could have been run out by Williamson about 20 minutes ago - but that error hasn’t diminished their enthusiasm.
35th over: Australia 84-2 (Labuschagne 30, Smith 11) Smith defends, leaves then waits to clip past backward square, just placing wide enough to get off strike. That’ll frustrate New Zealand, who want Wagner on him at every opportunity. Shane Warne explains on TV that a lot of teams try on the short attack for a few overs before giving it away as they aren’t accurate enough. The contrast with the Black Caps, he says, is that they have Wagner who can do it all day. As is the custom on Boxing Day, the Mexican Wave is now doing around the ‘G as Labuschangne finishes the over with a well-struck pull, adding three.
34th over: Australia 80-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 10) Southee is not going to let Labuschagne play the way he wants through the legside, digging a channel outside the off-stump. The No3 is up to the task, letting it all go with the lightsaber leave he’s learned from the bloke up the other end - his idol. Not too dissimilar to the middle session at Perth on day one, they have dried the runs up again, Australia adding just 13 over the last 10 overs and one single across the last 27 balls. There’s a shout for lbw when Labuschagne leaves a ball to hit his thigh pad but it’s going way over the top. He’s now faced 101 balls for his 26. Back to back maidens.
33rd over: Australia 80-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 10) Wagner now has a full crack at Smith from the start, popping a silly point in to join the short leg. He might not be the most fashionable fast bowler but he’s changing the way the best player in the world goes about his business - an achievement in itself. He’s out of the way of a conventional bouncer then just keeping a ball of his hip into the turf. That’s well taken by Latham at short leg, not letting him off strike. He has a more unorthodox crack at the next ball aimed in that direction, making room to swivel/pull around the corner, middling it straight to the man at the 45. Top Test Match cricket.
32nd over: Australia 80-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 10) RUN OUT CHANCE! Smith BBQ’d Labuschagne, giving it the Dean Jones yes, no, sorry. Williamson had the chance from mid-off to ping the stumps down, which would have left the No3 short by metres. But it isn’t on target. Could he had thrown to Southee instead, with sufficient time to take the bails? Quite possibly. Either way, with a ton in each of his three Tests this summer - pretty much chanceless until the second dig at Perth, where he still make it to 50 - that could hurt later today. Southee is doing a lot right, giving neither batsmen anything from a nagging fourth stump line.
31st over: Australia 79-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 9) Men around the bat on the legside for Wagner v Labuschagne now too. He takes the pull on when it’s there to be played but picks out square leg. Wagner goes straight back at the woodwork, finding an inside edge. Just as it was in Perth, he’s right in the game. Maiden.
One of the many reasons why @stevesmith49 is the best in the world. He doesn’t just face the bowler when he’s at the striker’s end but does so every ball when he’s not on strike as well. Only turns around when the bowler starts his run #AUSvNZ @cricbuzz #Genius pic.twitter.com/PbYql7XdYf
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 26, 2019
30th over: Australia 79-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 9) Southee continues to Labuschagne, who eases three through midwicket when he overpitches. Smith leaves and defends the remaining deliveries. Easier to bat now with the sun out.
Those crowd facts I gave you before have been added to by CA, noting that records only go back 40 years or something like that. In short: it is the eighth highest opening day at Melbourne with more than 74,000 people in the ground.
Updated
29th over: Australia 76-2 (Labuschagne 24, Smith 9) Oh, the composer is back to replace Santner. Fair enough, I guess - mix it up after lunch to keep them thinking. It’s not the match-up they won’t though, Labuschagne down the business end rather than Smith. He deals with a predominantly full over from Warner around the wicket without concern, neatly pulling for one when the shorter ball arrives.
28th over: Australia 75-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 9) Shot. Smith gets a look at an overpitched Southee offering and makes no mistake, nailing it to the long-off rope. Southee was excellent with the new ball but why, I wonder, has Wagner been replaced? Surely this is the time to keep the pressure on? He does try to drop short to finis but there’s no menace, allowing the No4 to pull it for four without risk.
27th over: Australia 67-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 1) SO, SO CLOSE! Santner beat Labuschagne’s inside edge first ball. The appeal looked a good one but he was on the front foot with the ball still rising. Technology confirms this after Williamson elected, correctly, to hold onto their review. He’s in better shape using the depth of the crease for the rest of the over.
The players are back on the field. Yes, it’s true. Mitch Santner has the ball in his hand to roll down a few of his left-arm orthos. Good news this summer, I should add, is that they have finally changed the music the Australian team walk out to at the start of a session, shelving - at long last - Great Southern Land. Labuschagne is the man on strike. PLAY!
A lot of people are in. We’re told by Channel Seven that the attendance had now gone beyond the 73,812 who were in on Boxing Day in 1997. That’s the highest non-Ashes day one figure. Great day, that. SR Waugh and Ponting going after the second new ball before stumps. Punter’s ton the next morning. Good times.
“Whatever happens,” adds Yum, we have got The Maxim Gun Smiths, and they have not.” True. But today, at least for now, he just hasn’t earned it yet... baby.
“Monsieur Collins.” Our man Paris Bob Wilson is with us on Christmas, pleasing me greatly. “It’s cosy and strange that you’re doing this from from London (also a noticeable Northern Hemispheric mellowing of that zippy, sunny prose you rock down there). Top catch, that. Too many diving catches are treated with reverential astonishment (irritating to the goalies of the world) but that was a boned fish of a thing. A crime against ergonomics. One of the rare ones that looks harder in slo-mo. Southee clearly just thought...’**** it, I’m having that.’ A true gem.”
With you on the critique of diving catches. Of course, they aren’t easy. But being at full stretch doesn’t make it a classic. There’s a reason why slippers like Smith take them all the time - when they get a good, early look they can time their jump accordingly. They have trained for it. Southee’s, with the confusion of who should/would go for it and so on, was much harder to execute. That’s my Ted Talk.
Just Australia’s session? Having been sent in, with the ball and pitch doing plenty, you could advance that argument. On the other hand, New Zealand did get rid of Warner, who looked a lock for a major contribution until Wagner found his edge - taken superbly by Southee - with 15 minutes until the interval. Their other scalp, Burns bowled first ball by Boult in the opening over of the Test, had the MCG heaving with tens of thousands of New Zealanders in the stands. Lots of fun!
LUNCH! Australia 67-2.
26th over: Australia 67-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 1) Smith takes one on the arm! Wade-esque! They rotate for one but the umpires, quite rightly, call them back as a leg bye can’t be added unless a shot is being offered or evasive action taken. It happens again later in the over - almost identical, albeit hitting him in the back this time. Umpire Llong waves his arms to signal dead ball and Smith doesn’t like it at all, believing that his action was to get out of the way. Last ball before lunch... and it finds the edge with Smith forced to play another super short ball, landing just in front of the catchers waiting behind the wicket. A riveting final over before the break, Smith flaring up at Nigel Llong as he leaves the field.
25th over: Australia 67-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 1) Good from Labuschagne, taking the ball with soft hands through the cordon to frustrate Boult. He defends and leaves the rest, which is fine with the Kiwis as it means they can race through it quicker than usual to secure another Wagner v Smith stoush before lunch.
24th over: Australia 63-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 1) Wagner is giving it his all with his short and accurate bowling, Smith on hands and knees a couple of times ostentatiously leaving balls alone before one really spits at his gloves, played with both feet off the ground but with soft hands well away from waiting catchers. Just what we wanted on this opening morning. Probably two more overs until lunch
23rd over: Australia 62-2 (Labuschagne 18, Smith 1) Nearing lunch, Boult gets a go at Smith - an adversary he knows well. Full and full to begin, short and short to follow. After his week in Perth, Smith wants nothing to do with either bouncer. They would do well to remember how England got themselves into a bouncer frenzy against Smith at Brisbane in 2017 and he didn’t take it on for nine hours. With so much focus on this, I suspect this is exactly what will happen here. The field remains set for a mistake: a leg gully, bat pad and two men out deep.
22nd over: Australia 62-2 (Labuschagne 18, Smith 1) Send in the crazy Smith Boxing Day Test stats, four times galloping to centuries in this fixture. On the other hand, for the first time in his career he’s coming into a Test with it four matches since a half-century. Not that this means anything. Right, four to go in the over and Wagner goes upstairs! Good bowling. The crowd love it, some commentators start talking Bodyline. I’ll bite my tongue. He’s off the mark with a quick single to midwicket. A direct hit would have been interesting.
WHAT A CATCH! I didn’t do it justice in my wicket post.
The one-hander from Tim Southee! #AUSvNZ | https://t.co/Q5Lvt45rWO pic.twitter.com/5V4DoyGDjM
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2019
WICKET! Warner c Southee b Wagner 41 (Australia 61-2)
And they have! Wagner changes ends and finds Warner’s edge second ball! Southee, jumping across from second slip, takes a sharp chance above his eyeline. A massive moment in the early exchanges of this Test Match. They’re now going to get 15 minutes at Steve Smith before lunch on the opening morning. Game on.
21st over: Australia 58-1 (Warner 41, Labuschagne 15) Nasty! Boult is back and immediately whacks Warner on the arm, leaping off a length. He’s spent a lot of time patting down the wicket between overs and does so again now between deliveries. Later in the over, he’s into the 40s with a couple behind point, using the pace well. To really justify their decision to bowl first, the Black Caps need something to go their way in the 18 minutes before lunch. Plenty has been going their way with the moving ball and the surface. They need to make it work now.
“Hi Adam.” Hi, Trevor Tutu. It’s still very early morning in Cape Town, but woken by dreams of the Newlands Test and the victory over England. I’m joining you on the OBO until I summon up the energy to watch it on the box. I wonder if I’ll even bother to get up, as I am now perfectly happy to get my cricket fix from the OBO.”
Thanks for your company. I’m bouncing between the OBOs for this Test and Cape Town later in the week. Very, very much looking forward to that.
20th over: Australia 56-1 (Warner 39, Labuschagne 15) An emphatic response from Warner to his troubles against CDG in the previous over, clobbering the first ball of this fresh set through cover for four then carving a couple behind point. He keeps going, moving through the 30s quicker than [insert name of a dictator here] with three more through cover - help yourself stuff, a long-hop. The all-rounder gets one look at Labuschange, who defends watchfully.
19th over: Australia 47-1 (Warner 30, Labuschagne 15) Singles to both behind square leg. Other than that, the approach to Wagner is to leave him well alone.
18th over: Australia 45-1 (Warner 29, Labuschagne 14) Ooh! CDG is suddenly the man most likely, twice in a row beating Warner from around the wicket with deliveries moving appreciably after pitching. The opener should have left the first one alone but the second required attention in these conditions. So close. If they don’t get him soon, I predict he’ll be about 162 not out overnight.
The G. Gee! pic.twitter.com/Gd7OjKkM1T
— Martin Pakula (@MartinPakulaMP) December 26, 2019
17th over: Australia 43-1 (Warner 28, Labuschagne 13) Bumper! That’s what the travelling fans are there to see, Wagner hurrying Labuschagne up with one that just evades his lid. For the second time this morning he’s slow on the bouncer, and he was out pulling in Perth. I’m not suggesting this is necessarily a weakness, but I’m sure the Kiwi quicks will be interpreting it that way. Good over. Maiden.
16th over: Australia 43-1 (Warner 28, Labuschagne 13) CDG has had a couple of polite words directed his way already in this spell about where he is landing in his follow through. An affliction for many stump-to-stump operators. He’s looking more likely to Labuschagne so far, who is starting well outside the crease at him to offset the natural curve he’s getting to the right hander. A quick single to finish, Boult getting a look at a direct hit but unable to nail the non-striker stumps.
15th over: Australia 40-1 (Warner 27, Labuschagne 11) Wagner is on and the Kiwi crowd are very happy, the left-armer generating so much attention in Perth for his efforts in both innings. No short stuff to begin though, Labuschagne leaving for the most part after clipping the first away for a couple. He tetains the strike with a single to midwicket as well. It’s taken a while, but the No3 is into double figures.
Some news from the Australian camp: Mitch Swepson, the QLD leggie, has been added to the squad for the SCG Test. He’s been on a couple of Test tours without debut as yet. Has had a few big moments so far in this summer’s Sheffield Shield.
Prime Minister Edmund Barton, dressed for cricket in Melbourne, Christmas 1870 pic.twitter.com/v1ge6iUnpA
— Canberra Insider (@CanberraInsider) December 26, 2019
14th over: Australia 37-1 (Warner 27, Labuschagne 8) Ooooi! Southee, gosh, this is outstanding swing bowling. It’s going to take that in order to nick Warner off now that he’s set and he’s nearly pulled it off from around the wicket with one coming back at him, the opener just inside the line. But this doesn’t bother Warner, who drives from the crease later in the over, creaming his cover drive through the gap for four. He finishes with two more past point, racing back in top gear to the danger end. We saw that over and over and over again in Adelaide last month.
Shouts to the entire country of New Zealand for making the trip to the G
— Dan (@theSportress) December 25, 2019
13th over: Australia 31-1 (Warner 21, Labuschagne 8) CDG to Labuschagne, who is shuffling forward before the ball is bowled to negate a bit of the movement, but is mostly happy getting his bat out of the way. The bowler adjusts his length just a tad, prompting one of those play-and-misses where the batsman is trying to get the bat out of the way just as the ball passes. Fine work. He’s such a better bowler than the speed radar alone would suggest. A couple of good drives to finish but both straight to fielders. That’s drinks, bringing to a close an absorbing first hour.
“Just cricket things,” writes Sachin Paul. “Despite things being totally symmetrical, you rarely see Boult coming around the wicket to Labuschagne while it is the absolute main weapon that Southee (and other right arm fast bowlers) seem to use against lefties. Wonder why that is?”
Probably rhythm? But then again, Boult does come around the wicket without too much trouble in the shorter forms of the game.
12th over: Australia 31-1 (Warner 21, Labuschagne 8) Southee is still finding plenty of movement. I can’t wait to see the swing/seam analysis of the first session today compared to the first stanza here in 2017 and 2018, which were both painful.
11th over: Australia 29-1 (Warner 19, Labuschagne 8) de Grandhomme - or, CDG as I’m going to identify him this week - into the attack from the Smokers’ Stand End. As usual, he’s asking all the right questions from the get-go, finding the inside portion of Warner’s blade then doing the same with Labuschagne later in the over. “Just losing his shape,” says Michael Vaughan. Nice start from the all-rounder.
“Merry Christmas @collinsadam!” Gary Naylor - compliments of the season to you, my friend. “I got the collected memoirs of Clive James today, having read Volume 1 a few years back. Of course, the great man has left us now, as has much of his Australia (pace Bay 13). Is this a good or bad thing?”
On Bay 13, I refer back to a few overs ago. On James’ Australia... there’s a thesis in that! Did you catch the Tourism Australia advert before the Queen’s Speech today?
10th over: Australia 28-1 (Warner 18, Labuschagne 8) More runs for Warner, three of them, with a push past mid-on. I’ve watched Warner enough to declare that this is exactly how he looks when he’s en route to a ton. I’m usually reluctant to mozz players in this way, but with Warner it’s easier to tell when he’s on than for most.
9th over: Australia 25-1 (Warner 15, Labuschagne 8) Warner off strike again early in the Boult over, pushing past point along the carpet. That’s the way to do it when the ball is moving: get down the other end. Labuschagne deals with the rest. Might be worth giving Wagner a look from Boult’s end while the Kookaburra is new.
8th over: Australia 24-1 (Warner 14, Labuschagne 8) After Boult’s first over, Southee has been the more dangerous of the New Zealand seamers. Once again he’s forcing Labuschagne here to play with him respect. And just as it was in the previous over, he gets another real good’un that beats his outside edge.
“Merry Christmas Adam.” It’s just ticked over to Boxing Day here in the UK but I’ve had a great time of it. We actually hosted lunch today - how very grown up. Merry Christmas, Shane Puxley. “The action on field is riveting, and 8 bays of Kiwi support in the Olympic Stand is equally so. The problematic aspects of Bay 13 were real and important to address. I’m just not sure that ripping out the entire area and transplanting Bondi’s Bucket List Bar is the answer? The active support area at Headingley seemed to drive Stokes as much as he conducted them. We need to consider retaining space for collective barracking, with impetus on self-policing the less savoury aspects.”
Yes to all of this. My issue isn’t really Bay 13. As a veteran of that part of the ground (which, of course, hasn’t been ‘Bay 13’ since 1990), it has been a long time since it was an iconic place to engage with the players and all that. Probably when ODIs stopped bringing in bulk crowds a dozen years or so ago. But my point is that it remained a part of the ‘G that people enjoyed sitting. Maybe it was history, or where people sit at the footy, or that it is a cheap place to get a ticket. I just don’t think it was necessary to take out this chunk of seats, in Melbourne of all places.
7th over: Australia 23-1 (Warner 13, Labuschagne 8) That didn’t take long - Umpire Erasmus is already taking a look at the ball to put it through the rings. He gives it back to Boult, who overpitches again at Warner with his next, driven for three to long-off, Williamson denying him a boundary with an excellent sliding stop. They’re taking another look at the ball later in the over, to no avail for the tourists, who reckon it is out of shape. It keeps swinging though, this time back to Labuschange who misjudges an outsinger hitting him high on the front pad flap. He’s back on it straightaway though, square driving a wide half-volley for four.
“Morning Adam.” Morning, Damien McLean. “What a start by Boult, but his first ball made me think. Full, outside off, left by the batter. I can’t remember a first ball of a test match that didn’t follow that formula. I wondered, with your statistical contacts, if you could find out the likelihood of the opening ball of a test being full, outside off, left by the batter. If it’s as common as I’m assuming, should a bowler consider a well directed bouncer every now and then to catch the batter off guard, as surely it would be the last think they would expect.”
Great point. I’ll give that to the CricViz factory to take a look at for us.
“Ps, on the new Bay 13 at the MCG, my interpretation is that it’s CA’s attempt at a social commentary on the gentrification of inner city suburbs and the simultaneous exodus of traditional inhabitants, causing a diaspora of traditional bay 13 revellers to find new places in society. I think they’ve nailed it.”
6th over: Australia 14-1 (Warner 10, Labuschagne 4) Gosh, what a pearler from Southee to start his new over, beating Labuschagne with one that’s angled in at leg and beaten off. Gorgeous new ball bowling - unplayable. Labuschagne did the right thing though, playing the line rather than following it with his hands. After those two nervous plays-and-misses to begin, after Burns lost his middle stump in the first over of the day, Marnus has been back to his normal, organised self.
5th over: Australia 14-1 (Warner 10, Labuschagne 4) Bodyline - drink! The first use of the magic word on television, Warne asking how New Zealand will go at Smith when the time comes. None of that here, Boult very much in Warner’s half, the opener waiting for the overpitched delivery that comes at the end, driven carefully through the gap at cover for his first boundary. Very good batting.
Disappointing that @CricketAus continues to think it’s okay to saturate advertising with a betting company. Inconsistent with a #family environment #BoxingDayTest #AUSvNZ @GeoffLemonSport @collinsadam pic.twitter.com/mheF8K7mwl
— Ian McKay (@ianmckayAu) December 25, 2019
4th over: Australia 10-1 (Warner 6, Labuschagne 4) Full, leave. Full, defend. Bumper! There it is, and Labuschagne is on it late. We saw plenty of this in Perth and it worked a lot better than the final margin would suggest. Clever bowling from Southee, pushing the next up on a good length to locate edge, on the bounce to third slip. He leaves the last couple. We’re seeing pictures of the two Australians between overs doing plenty of gardening. It’s made for a great start. Maiden.
3rd over: Australia 10-1 (Warner 6, Labuschagne 4) Boult with a 7-2 field at Warner, finding his leading edge with the first of the new set, albeit on the bounce between the two gullies for a couple. He’s more convincing in that same direction later in the after, collecting two more past point. He’s back on the front foot before long, Boult doing well to stop a straight drive in his follow through. Two of the best in the world going at it on Boxing Day equals very good watching.
2nd over: Australia 6-1 (Warner 2, Labuschagne 4) Tim Southee has the ball in his hand from the Great Southern Stand End, Warner clipping him to long leg for his second single. New Zealand won’t mind that, getting another look at Labuschagne who wafted at his first two balls. Four slips in place. “I like this,” says Warne. “Good move.” He has the good sense the bust out his lightsaber leave this time, though. After playing the next outswinger with soft hands into the cordon, he gets a look at a long half-volley to finish and makes no mistake, stroking it safely past mid-off for the first boundary.
“It’s like Eden Park here!” says my mate Dom Milesi from behind the bowlers’ arm in the MCC. It certainly sounds it on the telly!
“Looks like Burns has earned himself a rare golden Boxing day duck,” writes Yum in Brisbane. “Something that can never be taken away from him.” The last time he batted on Boxing Day, four years back, he made a fine century in tough conditions. He now has both.
It took Trent Boult only four balls to rattle the pegs! #AUSvNZ | https://t.co/PqXiHJrcvN pic.twitter.com/f7gz0Uwno9
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 25, 2019
1st over: Australia 1-1 (Warner 1, Labuschagne 0) It’s the stuff you dream of as a swing bowler, something Boult has done so often across his decorated international career. Burns didn’t help himself, launching at a booming drive first ball; just the fourth delivery of the day. Labuschagne’s turn and he’s beaten first up by a ball he had no need to play. Oh, and he’s beaten again to finish! Nervous batting; super bowling. The MCG is ALIVE with the Kiwi support going wild.
WICKET! Burns b Boult 0 (Australia 1-1)
Through the gate with a beauty! Burns bowled first ball playing all around it! Hooley dooley!
The players are on the field! Boult to Warner. PLAY!
Oh! And Boxing Day 2010. How can anyone ever forget? And yes, that’s the last time a captain elected to bowl first at Melbourne.
This will NEVER get old...
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 25, 2019
Australia, 98 all out, Boxing Day, 2010.
Beautiful 😍pic.twitter.com/2UyrOgFMy3
“Hi Adam, And a very merry Boxing Day.” Hi, Ian Forth - to you and yours as well. “I can recall the memorable insertions that went awry: Hussain in 2002 at Brisbane, Ponting 2005 at Edgbaston, even Paine 2019 at The Oval come to mind. But I haven’t got the same mental map of rather unexpected insertions that were proved right. I expect others might have.”
Good point - we don’t often discuss them when they work. Two that immediately stand out for me: Edgbaston and Trent Bridge in 2015.
Before play... we all saw this, I assume? OUR KYLIE. What a star.
Dear United Kingdom,
— Australia (@Australia) December 25, 2019
Your besties across the ocean are calling. 📞
Love,
Your mates in Australia #matesong pic.twitter.com/eAROy5p1Vn
That Williamson decision. I’ll remind you of the semi-final in this year’s World Cup. There, the New Zealand skipper was widely panned for how conservatively they batted. Well, it turns out an international skipper reads a track better than we all do. If he’s pulled the right lever here, it really would be something. “It’s a great move,” says Brendon McCullum on SEN Radio. “Giving their quicks an opportunity to go through them early here is their best bet.”
If MCG pitch doesn't favour the bowlers a lot at the start, it never will. As MCC CEO Stuart Fox said: "We're trying to liven up things at the earlier stages of the game - the lateral seam movement is quite important." #AUSvNZ https://t.co/f5KISaGEYl
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 25, 2019
Two excellent people. Here’s Ross Taylor talking to Ali Mitchell on Channel Seven about what it means for the Black Caps to be back on the MCG in a Test Match.
"For us to finally be here after 32 years, the fans are all excited and the players and coaches are extra excited as well."
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 25, 2019
- @RossLTaylor chats with @AlisonMitchell #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/m943WKhG9R
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c & wk), James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, BJ Watling (wk), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
NEW ZEALAND HAVE POPPED AUSTRALIA IN!
BOLD! Kane Williamson says this was the plan. His two changes were those I flagged earlier; teams to you in a sec. Tim Paine says he “wasn’t too sure” what he would do if he won the toss. Unusual for the Cricket Ground, that’s for sure, but the track is green, so here we are. Pattinson for Hazlewood confirmed as Australia’s only change.
Good work, MCG.
Nice work @MCG #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/v1kdJYiEU8
— Ashley Browne (@hashbrowne) December 25, 2019
Less good... the quasi corporate thing down the bottom of the Southern Stand. I’m less worried about the Bay 13 history and more the fact that lots of Melburnians like sitting down there. Ah well.
Last year a significant portion of Bay 13 were ejected for "show us your visa" taunts to India fans, this year the Bay itself has been ejected, replaced by "The Boundary Social" #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/hnRVzo6Prh
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 25, 2019
Confirmed from the ground, via Justin Langer on radio. Head will retain his spot; Neser to again ride the pine. Oh well. Victorian James Pattinson is in for his first home Test since his first international summer back in 2011. He’ll be loving that, make no mistake.
Pattinson in for Hazlewood the only change for Aust. Neser, @collinsadam and @beastieboy07 left devastated #AusvNZ
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 25, 2019
Welcome to the Boxing Day Test!
Good morning! It’s the late shift where I’m coming to you from in London having tucked into a very different Boxing Day Eve. But I haven’t missed many Melbourne Tests through my life, so I’m very excited to be with you on the mighty OBO across the next five days.
For the hosts, the modern history of a turgid MCG Test strip had Tim Paine talking the talk about playing five bowlers and elevating himself into the top six for the first time. That would mean a debut to one of my favourites, Michael Neser. However, with more grass than usual on the track, the XI is likely to be your more belt-and-braces variety. What’s certain: James Pattinson returns. Giddy up.
For the visitors, this means a lot more than the names on their teamsheet. Yes, Trent Boult is back. That’s big. The Black Caps also have Tom Blundell in to open the batting after their top order misfired in Perth. But the reason why there are tens of thousands of New Zealanders in town is because today is their first appearance on this special stage for 32 years. And they’ve absolutely earned it.
Right, we’re about 20 minutes from the toss at the ‘G. To kick us off, one for the Kiwi fans with us today. Welcome! Drop me a line.
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