Close on day 3: Australia 137-4 (lead by 456)
If day one was Australia’s - just - and day two theirs convincingly, then day three was where they asserted their dominance over New Zealand in this Boxing Day Test, and in merciless fashion.
Pat Cummins (5-28) and James Pattinson (3-34) tore through the visiting batting order with fast bowling that was in equal parts controlled and hostile. They exploited what was on offer in the surface, finding the right lengths to draw edges, ruffle feathers, and make batting look extraordinarily difficult.
They were backed up by some smart fielding, as well as the handy relief options of Mitchell Starc (2-30) and Nathan Lyon (0-35).
New Zealand were dismissed midway through the middle session but despite boasting a lead in excess of 300 Tim Paine opted against the follow on. That precipitated three hours of pretty ordinary cricket while the home pacemen put their feet up.
@JPHowcroft this match is a great advert for mandatory declaration thresholds. I've not thought this idea through and have no means of justifying it, just seems right.
— phil withall (@phil_withall) December 28, 2019
Late in the day there was a lively half hour or so when a few wickets fell in a cluster, one of those again being Steve Smith (7) bodylined by the irrepressible Neil Wagner (2-39).
Australia’s lead is already enough for them to win two Test matches, such is the mismatch between their bowling and New Zealand’s batting, but while they have the luxury of batting on the game will remain in this odd stasis. Let’s hope for the punters making their way to the MCG on day four there is an early declaration and the battle proper can resume.
To find out when New Zealand will once again have to face the music, join Adam Collins and I right here.
Updated
45th over: Australia 137-4 (Wade 15, Head 12) Neil Wagner bowls the final over of the day, but it’s a laboured effort that Travis Head navigates safely.
44th over: Australia 136-4 (Wade 15, Head 11) Boult’s short balls go for runs this over, the penultimate one of the day. First Wade cuts hard for four then he pulls in front of square for two. Australia are now in the safe waters of a lead in excess of 450.
43rd over: Australia 129-4 (Wade 9, Head 10) The TV broadcast spends most of the over avoiding Wagner’s bumpers to Head, preferring instead to focus on the New Zealander’s with their tops off en masse in the crowd, and showing highlights of Australia’s surgical performance with the ball earlier in the day. Slightly fugged, after a hot stuffy afternoon watching a whole lot of nothing, it’s easy to forget how eviscerating Cummins and Pattinson were this morning.
Updated
42nd over: Australia 127-4 (Wade 8, Head 9) Lovely shot from Head, ramping Boult from very close to his chest up and over Watling for four. Trademark hustle from Boult this over but Australia are wise to his full swinging yorkers and occasional bumper.
41st over: Australia 122-4 (Wade 7, Head 5) Wade does that weird thing again where he just accepts a Wagner bouncer thudding into his body - his right elbow on this occasion. It can’t be an advisable tactic.
40th over: Australia 120-4 (Wade 6, Head 4) Despite waiting on the results of a scan on his injured right hand, Trent Boult is back for a spell bowling with his left. It starts innocuously, to the backdrop of an increasingly voluble Kiwi contingent in the cheap seats.
The crowd are in GREAT voice here at the MCG #AUSvNZ #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/SOjKN87oQ1
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 28, 2019
39th over: Australia 117-4 (Wade 5, Head 2) A comparatively uneventful Wagner over goes for a couple. Not long to go today now, our penance nearly done, and the contest proper can resume tomorrow.
Attendance for first three days of MCG Test up to 183,752, exceeding the 176,539 that came to the Indian Test over five days here last year.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 28, 2019
38th over: Australia 115-4 (Wade 4, Head 1) Wade drives Southee square for a nice three. Meanwhile, Trent Boult has been taken for a scan on his right hand after he was hit on the glove while batting earlier on.
37th over: Australia 112-4 (Wade 1, Head 1) Wagner’s having a bit of fun now out there, ignoring the match situation and just hurling rocks as hard as he can at Matthew Wade. Wade survives, but is fortunate a mistimed hook lands short of fine leg.
Wagner is now the second-fastest Kiwi to 200 Test wickets, behind only Richard Hadlee.
36th over: Australia 110-4 (Wade 0, Head 0) Southee maiden. #Declarationspeculation can get an early night.
Impressive numbers.
Official attendance for Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test is 43,603 #AUSvNZ
— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) December 28, 2019
Updated
35th over: Australia 110-4 (Wade 0, Head 0) Wicket-maiden for Wagner, a man you know would make a very handy brother-in-law. I bet he’s got all the tools.
Four in four!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2019
Neil Wagner has the Aussie batsman's measure! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/zHIbu44pvq
Updated
WICKET! Smith c Southee b Wagner 7 (Australia 110-4)
After a slow afternoon this is turning into quite a jolly old evening. With Smith on strike Williamson recalls Wagner to resume his bodyline-lite on the best since Bradman. Smith begins by mistiming another forehand smash then clips a relaxed pull shot straight to Southee at a slightly deeper than usual square-leg! Four times this series that plan has worked now. Australia are throwing away their *checks notes* 429 run lead.
34th over: Australia 110-3 (Smith 7) After plenty of derision Santner is turning in a decent day’s work. He now has 1-22 from his eight overs of increasingly tight bowling.
Eamonn Maloney opens a big old can of worms on the email. “A couple of mates of 20+ years mispronounce my name. No big deal, just too much emphasis on the o. It just got too late to correct them. I still think there’s time for Ricky ‘Lahhhhbuschagne’ Ponting if someone would just have a quiet word.”
Here’s the official record, which to my reading, indicates we’re all pronouncing Labuschagne incorrectly - but with his consent - in favour of an easier life. Very Orazio Fantasia areas.
Updated
WICKET! Burns c Watling b Santner 35 (Australia 110-3)
Santner finally gets in on the act when Burns doesn’t get enough on a dab to third-man and Watling takes a fine catch stood up to the stumps.
33rd over: Australia 108-2 (Burns 34, Smith 6) Oi oi! Smith has come out in Glenn Maxwell T20 beast mode, forehand smashing Southee through mid-on for four and turning ones into twos like he’s twocced something (Australian ownership of the Finn brothers, perhaps?). Maybe we can fire up #Declarationspeculation after all?
32nd over: Australia 101-2 (Burns 33, Smith 0) A much better over from Santner, capped by the terrific fielding.
No half-century for Labuschagne - what? 😮
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2019
The hesitation cost him! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/HMh2WPfh4L
Updated
WICKET! Labuschagne run out (Latham) 19 (Australia 100-2)
Well, that was dumb. Labuschagne runs himself out, taking on Latham’s arm at short fine-leg. The ground fielding was sharp but Santner’s gather at the non-striker’s end to complete the dismissal was even better. Actually, that was behind square, so it was probably Burns’ call. He owes his Queensland teammate a XXXX.
31st over: Australia 100-1 (Burns 32, Labuschagne 19) Just the single from Southee’s over. Play since drinks has not been thrilling.
30th over: Australia 99-1 (Burns 32, Labuschagne 18) Just the single from Santner’s over.
“Hi Jonathan,” hi Brendan Brown. “You know things aren’t going well for NZ when a commentator brings up the underarm ball from almost 40 years ago.” My favourite of that genre is when a captain makes what proves to be a poor decision at the toss and everyone piles on Ricky Ponting and/or Nasser Hussain; two of the most erudite and likeable voices in the modern game. This is why we can’t have nice things anymore.
29th over: Australia 98-1 (Burns 32, Labuschagne 17) Bazinga! Southee’s first delivery is launched by the hitherto becalmed Burns straight over the sightscreen for six runs so handsome you could call them Hemsworth. With the blood still flowing Burns cuts four more! Just in case that was all a hallucination, it’s time for drinks.
28th over: Australia 88-1 (Burns 22, Labuschagne 17) Four singles from Santner’s latest over. The Kiwi spinner is failing to play his way into the Sydney Test.
27th over: Australia 84-1 (Burns 20, Labuschagne 15) Tim Southee replaces Neil Wagner and his first over back goes for one. Joe Burns is now 20 from 74 balls.
Speaking of things to keep you occupied for an hour-and-a-half or so, you could do worse than watch this documentary on the cultural impact of rave culture in the UK.
26th over: Australia 83-1 (Burns 20, Labuschagne 14) Australia milk five from Santner’s throwdowns. The lead is now over 400; 402 to be precise. Make your own fun for the next hour-and-a-half.
25th over: Australia 78-1 (Burns 20, Labuschagne 9) Not Wagner’s best effort this time. A bouncer called a wide is among a hotchpotch of deliveries both batsmen convert into runs.
24th over: Australia 70-1 (Burns 17, Labuschagne 5) 90 minutes or so left in the day, still no indication Australia are going to declare tonight. Santner skips through a benign over-rate booster. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s fans in the stands join in the grim tradition of applauding themselves after singing their own national anthem.
23rd over: Australia 67-1 (Burns 16, Labuschagne 3) Wagner is playing a different game to his teammates, peppering Labuschagne and Burns with short balls mixed with the odd well-placed yorker to keep the batsmen guessing. Stifled appeals for a glove behind and LBW come to nought.
22nd over: Australia 66-1 (Burns 16, Labuschagne 2) Santner, bowling to a new batsman without a slip, does not win back the unconditional support of the selectors with an over so mundane its aura would be ecru.
21st over: Australia 63-1 (Burns 14, Labuschagne 1) Wagner rarely goes wicketless in an innings. That’s the 12th innings in a row he’s celebrated at least one dismissal. In 86 attempts he’s only failed to take a wicket 12 times - but on five of those occasions he bowled fewer than ten overs.
Warner opens himself up and clubs it straight to Tom Blundell. Australia lose their first.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 28, 2019
📺 Stream #AUSvNZ ad-break free on Kayo: https://t.co/CfILOrTeyB
Live blog 📝: https://t.co/HpbWnvbIpO pic.twitter.com/VaCW3rs7iM
WICKET! Warner c Blundell b Wagner 38 (Australia 62-1)
Out of nowhere, a wicket. And a wild wicket it is too. Wagner comes around the wicket, Warner steps miles to leg, Wagner drops short, Warner slaps hard with a horizontal bat, Blundell holds onto a stinger at cover.
20th over: Australia 62-0 (Warner 38, Burns 14) Of the few subplots on offer this innings this is perhaps the most significant, the introduction of Mitchell Santner. Another poor showing from the left-arm spinner may well spell the end of his time in a Black Cap (for now, anyway). He starts by conceding four singles and looking as toothless as a champion gurner.
19th over: Australia 58-0 (Warner 36, Burns 12) Wagner’s doggedness from around the wicket keeps Warner honest for four balls before Australia’s openers exchange well-run singles.
18th over: Australia 56-0 (Warner 35, Burns 11) “It looks to me like he’s just going through the motions a little bit.” Not my words, the words of Ricky Thomas Ponting, on the batting of Joe Burns. Another CdG over drifts by like a counted sheep.
17th over: Australia 54-0 (Warner 34, Burns 11) Wa - and I cannot emphasise this enough - hey! After 48 balls scratching around for 7, Burns whipcracks a pull of crisp precision off Wagner to move into double figures.
16th over: Australia 49-0 (Warner 33, Burns 7) Warner tickles CdG fine for four then rotates strike. Burns continues to look like a man who’s been told the ball is actually a priceless Faberge egg that should be treated with the utmost delicacy.
Robin Hobbs has emailed to praise Mac Millings for his 12 days of Christmas. “Great work by Mac Millings. But not including post war Aussie spinner Doug Ring feels like a miss.”
15th over: Australia 44-0 (Warner 28, Burns 7) First authentic chance of the innings goes begging. Wagner finds the shoulder of Warner’s bat but Southee can’t grab a difficult low chance diving full stretch at second slip.
Abhijato Sensarma picks up on the earlier topic of Australia now blossoming into an excellent Test cricket unit, with a trip to India again the major question mark over their quality. “Let’s look at how they need to go about it conventionally - they need two or three excellent spinners in their side. One is Lyon for sure, but who will be the other two? That’s their biggest area of concern. Also, as many articles have pointed out after the conclusion of India’s Test season this year, there’s been a trend - pacers have been doing exceedingly well on international surfaces in the country. And they have often stood out to be the biggest difference between the home team and the visitors. The Australians have one of the best units in the world, however - going to be an epic showdown next time they visit the subcontinent, eh?”.
14th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 22, Burns 6) Burns dabs a single and Warner slashes three from a CdG over delivered with all the intent of a dads v lads knockabout.
13th over: Australia 33-0 (Warner 19, Burns 5) Wagner has the ball for the first time this innings but he’s too wide to Warner, allowing the Australian opener to cut for three. He’s tighter to Burns, who shows no indication Australia’s game plan is to declare this evening.
This is an instructive stat. It also hides some brutal conditions in which to field too.
To the tea interval, New Zealand had fielded 1667 minutes in this series, Australia 828. #AusvNZ
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 28, 2019
Ok, play will resume shortly. It will cease for the day 39 overs from now, or - as is more likely - at 6pm local time.
Spend your tea break with Mac Millings, who has emailed in his magnum opus.
On the first day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
A Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the second day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the third day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the fourth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the fifth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the sith day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the seventh day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the eighth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Speight, Hayden, Wilkin(son),
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the ninth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Narine, Wade, a-Lance Cairns,
Speight, Hayden, Wilkin(son),
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the tenth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Len, Lord’s, Duleeping,
Narine, Wade, a-Lance Cairns,
Speight, Hayden, Wilkin(son),
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
XI, Piper, Pycroft,
Len, Lord’s, Duleeping
Narine, Wade, a-Lance Cairns,
Speight, Hayden, Wilkin(son),
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, JP Howcroft gave to me,
Selve, Johnners, Cummins,
XI, Piper, Pycroft,
Len, Lord’s, Duleeping,
Narine, Wade, a-Lance Cairns,
Speight, Hayden, Wilkin(son),
Bevan, Swann, Ashwinning,
Hick, Priest, Alleyne,
Faf, Old, Singh,
Moores, Collie, Bird,
Sri, French, Ben,
Twose, Kirtley, Love,
Pandya, Parfitt, Binny, Blair, Reeve.
Tea: Australia 28-0 (lead by 347)
Time for a 20-minute break from all that excitement. Hopefully Australia will spend it mapping out a strategy whereby they dash a bit after tea then give themselves half an hour with the ball.
12th over: Australia 28-0 (Warner 16, Burns 4) A couple of singles from CdG’s avuncular over. Burns has raced to four from 34 deliveries.
11th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 15, Burns 3) Over a 60% increase in Australia’s second-innings score this over with Warner clipping a couple then driving Boult forcefully though cover for four. The bowler’s disappointment is compounded when a short ball bobbles away for four byes after looping over a flailing BJ Watling.
10th over: Australia 16-0 (Warner 9, Burns 3) Colin de Grandhomme is the first bowling change of the innings but his arrival does not magically energise this torpid spectacle. We. Are. Going. Through. The. Motions.
9th over: Australia 15-0 (Warner 8, Burns 3) Oooh, genuine beauty from Boult that beats Warner outside off, followed up by one that spits off a length.
8th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 7, Burns 3) Maiden from Southee. Maiden from Stratford:
7th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 7, Burns 3) One more for Burns, couple more for Warner. Jeopardy in short supply. Australia lead by 331.
6th over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 5, Burns 2) If you want to know where New Zealand’s fielders are stationed, just ask Joe Burns, because everything he hits finds one. Eventually he locates a gap and doubles his score.
Burns has avoided the ignominy of an MCG pair. The last to endure the pain was Michael Atherton back in 1998.
5th over: Australia 10-0 (Warner 5, Burns 1) O Burnso! O Burnso! You are Burnso no more. A streaky single through gully means only Burns now. Or Joe. Or Burns Joe, to be sure. I’ve been reading my four-year-old way too much Dr Seuss.
4th over: Australia 9-0 (Warner 5, Burns 0) New Zealand burnso through a review when Southee gets one to jag back into Warner from around the wicket. Erasmus declines the LBW appeal and DRS confirms his judgement that there was probably an inside-edge before the ball struck the pad. Maiden over.
3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Warner 5, Burns 0) Warner again gets off strike smartly, this time with a three through midwicket, allowing his partner to continue the pretence his name is actually Burnso.
2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 2, Burns 0) Tim Southee shares the new ball, and after Warner earns his second single of the innings, the right-arm swing bowler probes outside Burns’ off stump. The Queenslander remains on a pair.
“Can’t shake the feeling that this Aus v NZ series is like a rehearsal for the pasting England are facing in the next Ashes,” emails Brian Withington. “How did Aus get so bloody good again at this game? Any chance Cummins & co would like to spend more time with family, or focus on white ball cricket?” Indeed Brian, Australia - and their attack in particular - is going to be very good for quite some time. For them, the only question remaining is whether it’s equipped to do it in India?
1st over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 1, Burns 0) Trent Boult opens for New Zealand, silencing the hubbub over his injured hand. It’s a tidy start from the Kiwi quick, featuring a sharp single to David Warner and four legbyes off the pads of Joe Burns.
Time to reawaken the #Declarationspeculation leviathan. 50 overs remaining today, so Australia could even be back out tonight. It would be unlikely though, so I’d expect shortly after lunch tomorrow, giving them the best part of five sessions to dismiss New Zealand with a target of around 550 to defend.
The players are back out onto the field for a 45-minute or so session before tea. It matters for Joe Burns, who remains uncertain of his medium term future in the side, but not a lot for anyone else.
Now Adam’s snatching some low quality shut-eye, remember to retune your emails and tweets to the following addresses: @JPHowcroft and jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
After that flurry of activity, a belated chance to thank Adam for his sterling work, and invite him to enjoy being awake at 3am, for now, and - once his soon-to-arrive firstborn pops out - forever.
New Zealand 148 all out (trail Australia by 319)
Australia have not enforced the follow on, so the remainder of the day will be centre wicket practice for Australia’s top order.
Updated
WICKET! Boult b Starc 8 (New Zealand 148)
Boult moved to off, revealed his stumps, and Starc shot them down like tin ducks at a carnival popgun stall. When the fun stops, stop.
Updated
54th over: New Zealand 148-9 (Wagner 18, Boult 8) Lyon is brought on to replace Pattinson to finish it off, Boult immediately smashing him over long-on for six! It lands just short of the quasi-corporate enclosure in the bottom of the Great Southern Stand. Have that. He goes again, with far less force, his swipe landing at midwicket for a couple. Next? A reverse sweep! Oh, stop it Trent. Now Wagner smashes six more! Over long-on again, just clearing Head on the boundary there. An eventful way to round out my stint, 15 coming from the over. With that, and drinks on the field, I’ll hand over to JP Howcroft. Will I see you tomorrow? I expect so... unless Australia pop them in again and finish it quick. Entirely possible. Bye!
53rd over: New Zealand 133-9 (Wagner 10, Boult 1) Boult wants nothing to do with Starc’s array of short balls from around the wicket, dancing around the crease like Phil Tufnell. Very No11 areas. He’s eventually off the mark taking a ball from a metre outside the off-stump down to fine leg with his back foot behind the stumps when he makes contact. Yeah, that’s what I said. Wagner’s turn and he strokes a lovely cover drive for four! The visiting fans love that. The physio is out at the end of the over - one of those short balls hit his right hand. Send in the magic spray.
52nd over: New Zealand 128-9 (Wagner 6, Boult 0) Wagner tries to hook Pattinson, the ball coming from the back of his bat over first slip for four. They’ll take it. Andrew Samson on SEN notes that between them, Cummins and Pattinson have missed 135 Tests since their respective debuts in consecutive matches in November 2011. Blimey. Wagner has another go at Pattinson and this time the ball comes off the bottom of the bat spitting out to cover, but not to hand. The bouncer follows, which he misses. Will Australia enforce the follow-on? In Adelaide it was easier to justify because of the forecast rain - there’s none of that this week. On that basis, I wonder whether they’ll let the quicks have a breather? No rush here.
WICKET! Southee c Paine b Cummins 10 (New Zealand 124-9)
Cummins gets his fifth! After playing and missing a couple of times, Southee edges the final ball of the over through to Paine, who claims his fifth catch too. Cummins has 11/45 in his most two recent Test bowling innings at the MCG.
51st over: New Zealand 124-9 (Wagner 2)
50th over: New Zealand 123-8 (Southee 10, Wagner 1) Edge, four! Pattinson finds he right part of Southee’s bat but it flies through the cordon instead of going to hand. Wagner’s turn later in the over, exposed two more of bouncers. He won’t see many balls in his half. He does get off the mark with a clip, keeping the strike.
Want to learn more about James Pattinson? Geoff Lemon and I sat down with him at Lord’s in August on The Final Word podcast for an extended chat. Great fella.
Things you love to see: a big Victorian quick taking wickets in the Boxing Day Test
— Rudi (@RudiEdsall) December 28, 2019
49th over: New Zealand 117-8 (Southee 5, Wagner 0) Another near run out! Southee pushes Cummins’ first ball to cover and takes off straight away, exposing Wagner to a diamond duck had Lyon’s throw been on target. Of course, Wagner cops a bumper first up - they wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sure they will be sledging him relentlessly to go with it and I’m even more certain that Wagner won’t care. Another bouncer, ducked more convincingly the second time around. Wade now drops him at short leg! In and out! Played from the gloves, turned right into the fielder, but his fingers got tangled up in the helmet grille before arriving. It’s hard to think of how Australia could have bowled better today.
WICKET! Santner c Paine b Pattinson 3 (New Zealand 116-8)
Pattinson’s turn! It’s a peach of a delivery, angling in before seaming away then catching the edge. The local boy loves it. He has 3/24. We aren’t far away from Australia enforcing the follow-on here, their lead still 351 runs.
48th over: New Zealand 116-8 (Southee 4)
47th over: New Zealand 116-7 (Santner 3, Southee 4) Cummins now searches for a fifth, adding to the ten he took on this ground 12 months ago. For the briefest moment it appeared Southee might have given him that chance, flicking high in the air off his pads, but it doesn’t go to the man at deep backward square.
New Zealand's best performer is gone for 50.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2019
Cummins gets his fourth wicket and third of the day.#AUSvNZ | https://t.co/Q5Lvt45rWO pic.twitter.com/ze5nk9dkZ3
WICKET! Latham c Paine b Cummins 50 (New Zealand 112-7)
Latham didn’t need to play at that but this is the pressure a bowler of Cummins’ quality creates from that angle around the wicket. Quicker with a bit of shape after pitching - enough to find the outside edge, straight into Paine’s gloves.
46th over: New Zealand 112-6 (Latham 50, Santner 3) Pattinson is too good for Santner’s outside edge once more after probing in at the stumps earlier in the over. Classy bowling, moving it both ways at pace. Deserves a couple more. The quick bouncer is on him in a flash as well, ducked just in time. Oooi! Nearly a run out! Santner did well to play it with soft hands behind point and called Latham through for two. Coming back to the danger end, a direct hit and he was gone. Not to be.
45th over: New Zealand 110-6 (Latham 50, Santner 1) Latham has turned his last five Test half-centuries into tons. The trend of this innings would suggest he will run out of partners to do so again, but if Santner can find a way to hang around... okay, I won’t get ahead of myself. A maiden from Cummins to the opener, both players at the top of their games. One edge is found, deflected with soft hands.
Latham to 50!
44th over: New Zealand 110-6 (Latham 50, Santner 1) Boy, he’s earned that. Latham moves to his half-century with three past point, collected across 132 relentless deliveries. Pattinson will fancy is chances against Santner and goes very close to finding his edge with the final delivery of the over, sent down at pace.
There are more than 40,000 people currently in the MCG today to go with 80,000 on day one and 60,000 on day two. A fantastic turn out from the sporting capital.
43rd over: New Zealand 107-6 (Latham 47, Santner 1) Huge inside edge for four first ball! Cummins was ever so close to either going through the gate or Latham chopping on from around the wicket. There’s the bumper, ducked by the opener - his default option when it comes each over. That wouldn’t be a bad study: in this series, has there been a greater percentage of short balls bowled since the provision was brought in to deny more than two bouncers an over? He gets one chance at Santner here, who was both lucky and vulnerable before the break... and he’s through the gate! BIG shout for caught behind - not out. There was a sound as the ball past the blade but the conclusion from the captain, which the replay confirms, is that it was ball on pad not the inside edge. Yet another fine over.
The players are back on the field. Cummins has the ball in his hand. Who else would you want to start a session? Latham is the man on strike, who batted so well after his life early in the day. PLAY!
Six out of 137 (!). Today’s was the first I haven’t been at the ground to observe.
The six lbws of Pat Cummins' Test career
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) December 28, 2019
Root: Brisbane, November 2017
Bairstow: Sydney, January 2018
Markram: Port Elizabeth, March 2018
du Plessis: Johannesburg, March 2018
de Kock: Johannesburg, March 2018
Nicholls: Melbourne, December 2019https://t.co/ZNpidYw5Jh#AUSvNZ
A special report on a special bloke. I can’t think of a better human being than Jesse Hogan, who I’m sure all of you would know for his writing on our game. This is a fantastic piece about his recovery from the stroke that nearly killed him in 2016 and the book he triumphantly released before Christmas - For Cap and Country.
In February 2016, @Jesse_Hogan suffered a stroke which left him fighting for life.
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2019
The swelling on his brain was so large that part of his skull had to be removed.
Yet Jesse persevered, and with an assist from @AndrewFaulkner9, For Cap And Country was released 🙏 pic.twitter.com/AtChYVrlOW
LUNCH: New Zealand 102-6
42nd over: New Zealand 102-6 (Latham 42, Santner 1) Big spin and considerable bounce from Lyon, who has bowled his own lovely spell leading into the lunch break. He beats Latham with one that goes a long way, taken tidily by Paine. The opener finishes the session positively, getting down the track to drive a single.
41st over: New Zealand 100-6 (Latham 41, Santner 1) Such good bowling, in keeping with the theme of the morning for all three Australian quicks. Latham isn’t giving it away this close to lunch, the strike returning to Santner. The short ball arrives to finish, whacking him on the arm. This has been a nasty spell. They will get one more in, Lyon racing around to give his hat to ump to make sure of it.
40th over: New Zealand 100-6 (Latham 41, Santner 1) Probably Lyon’s last over before lunch, with fielders around the bat including a silly point. Warne makes the good point that he rarely has a man under the lid on the off-side. He’s getting him in the game with ample flight, Santner leaping forward to defend. There’s enough turn there to beat the edge once, the left-hander doing well not to follow it.
39th over: New Zealand 100-6 (Latham 41, Santner 1) There are still plenty of Black Caps fans in the MCG and they give it big when the the 100 is brought up by Santner, off the mark (and out of the Starc firing line) in the process with his tuck behind square. Latham is well set, refusing to give an inch to the Australians.
Strong from Ricky Ponting. When he talks, people listen.
Ponting: "the sweatband was definitely moving on the glove... that has been missed by the third umpire, absolutely as plain as day. If you can't get that right, you shouldn't be doing it. That is a very, very obvious decision to make". Long chat between Paine and Erasmus #AusvNZ
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 28, 2019
38th over: New Zealand 99-6 (Latham 41, Santner 0) Lyon does his job, sending down a tidy over that gets Santner back on strike for Starc next up.
37th over: New Zealand 97-6 (Latham 39, Santner 0) The end of a successful over that should have been a double-wicket maiden for Starc. As Ian Smith clears up on telly, if there is a sweatband on the glove, it is part of the glove. That’s conclusive - it was, therefore, his glove. It’s beyond belief how often we are seeing mistakes in the third umpire’s booth in Test cricket.
The wicket from earlier in the over.
First of the innings for Starc! #AUSvNZ live: https://t.co/Q5Lvt45rWO pic.twitter.com/lwvI5j43LR
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2019
Updated
NOT OUT! Unbelivable decision from Aleem Dar. It clearly hit Santner’s glove wristband. You can see it move!
WHAT? That's absolutely ridiculous from Aleem Dar. We need specialist TV umpires ASAP. #AUSvNZ
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 28, 2019
IS SANTNER CAUGHT SECOND BALL? Starc’s bumper came off something before landing in the cordon. About five players convince Paine to have a pop upstairs.
WICKET! de Grandhomme c Warner b Starc 11 (New Zealand 97-6)
Nup, he couldnt do it. de Grandhomme prods at the first ball of Starc’s fresh over, staight into the hands of Warner at gully. No footwork. Poor cricket.
36th over: New Zealand 97-5 (Latham 39, de Grandhomme 11) Latham is setting in for a long stay - if he can find someone to ride shotgun, that is. Here, against Lyon, he plays inside a huge turning off-break before getting well forward to drive beautifully down the ground - shot of the morning. But then when de Grandhomme is at the business end, he nearly holes out to midwicket. Yes, the all-rounder is built to biff but he’s not at all convincing so far so he has to support Latham by getting himself to lunch - not hitting out.
35th over: New Zealand 89-5 (Latham 32, de Grandhomme 10) Latham’s turn for a Starc working over. But after getting underneath both the bouncers - coming from the first two balls - he’s able to watch from the front foot for the rest of the set.
34th over: New Zealand 88-5 (Latham 31, de Grandhomme 10) Lyon is already bowling with serious flight and drift. He’s going to be a handful here. Kerry O’Keeffe says that he spoke to the spinner last night and he was excited to be bowling on an MCG track with some bounce. The last time he had one of those here, for the 2013-14 Ashes Test, he picked up a six-wicket bag in the second dig.
33rd over: New Zealand 85-5 (Latham 29, de Grandhomme 9) Starc wants in on this, attacking Latham’s stumps with the opener getting his bat down just in time through an inside edge for a couple. There’s the bouncer at de Grandhomme we’ve been waiting for - a fast one, ducked. They will come at him constantly with this.
32nd over: New Zealand 80-5 (Latham 26, de Grandhomme 8) Nup - one and done: Wade is off, Lyon is on. He misses his mark first up, Latham taking full advantage with an easy sweep for four, fine of the man on the 45. Sure enough, he’s right on it thereafter, flighting his stock delivery beautifully. By the middle of the set he’s appealing for leg before wicket when the opener misses a clip after dancing at him.
31st over: New Zealand 76-5 (Latham 22, de Grandhomme 8) Starc had to wait a full hour to get his go this morning so he’s had plenty of time to limber up, shown by how fast he’s already sending them down. Early in the over he hits de Grandhomme on the pad before twice beating his inside edge. Oh, make it three! The all-rounder is nowhere near it so far in this innings. Will Wade continue?
“Hi Adam.” G’day, Graeme Thorn. “I think the argument should be that the ICC should get teams to concentrate on getting their 90 overs bowled in the six hours before more are crammed in to allow four-day Tests.”
Yep, that too. Look, I see merit in four-day Tests if it means getting an extra fixture into series that would otherwise be one or two. Take the disgraceful way Australian administrators have treated Bangladesh, a nation they haven’t hosted in Test cricket since 2003. If four-day affairs can help with that, well, it’s worth a look. Tim Wigmore has written passionately on this point, one that New Zealand officials are keen on for similar reasons. But should bad behaviour be rewarded?
30th over: New Zealand 76-5 (Latham 22, de Grandhomme 8) Ummm, Matthew Wade replaces Pattinson for the first over after drinks. As I’ve said before on the OBO, he takes a lot of scalps bowling in the nets, routinely making life difficult for players as capable as David Warner. Even so, it didn’t feel like this was the next move after such a relentless first hour for the home side. Latham takes full advantage, twice carving shorter balls behind point, the second of those beating Lyon to the rope. It’s a no-ball, too. He gets half an over at de Grandhomme, which is a better match-up for his away-swingers. The all-rounder obliges, driving at the first of those, stopped in Wade’s follow through. There’s no stopping the square drive that follows though, a second boundary from a ball well wide of the off-stump. He’s furious at himself. 13 runs from it but New Zealand still trail by 391.
Cummins talks to TV at drinks. He’s very polite and positive. “At the moment it is all going to plan.” It sure is. Three wickets in that first hour, very much Australia’s.
29th over: New Zealand 63-5 (Latham 16, de Grandhomme 2) Starc replaces the captivating Cummins, who now has 137 Test wickets in his 29th Test. A reminder that he’s only 26. He has 57 of those scalps at 19.82 in 2019, by far the best in the world. de Grandhomme is in strife here when the left-armer brings a full ball back at him, the inside edge his saviour. There’s no let up with this attack. DRINKS!
28th over: New Zealand 63-5 (Latham 16, de Grandhomme 2) de Grandhomme doesn’t settle here, beaten by Pattinson to begin then hacking when he should have been defending. Crucially, he gets off strike. Latham has to deal with another rapid short ball, ripping his bat out of the way at the last possible moment.
27th over: New Zealand 62-5 (Latham 16, de Grandhomme 1) Another Andrew Samson gem on SEN, with respect to Tom Latham, who is on for carrying his bat here. He already has the highest ever score when acheiving that feat - 264 not out. The lowest total for an opener not out at the end of a completed innings is 26, from 1889. History: we’ll take it where we can get it. His edge is found by the final ball of this Cummins over, albeit on the bounce to Warner at gully. He’s playing well as these wickets fall around him, comfortable ducking the short stuff too.
Brute of a ball from Pattinson to get Watling, not too far away from the spot Smith talked about on day one #AusvNZ pic.twitter.com/2bb8sI1ZsT
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 28, 2019
26th over: New Zealand 62-5 (Latham 16, de Grandhomme 1) All of a sudden, that follow-on mark has to be in the frame. You don’t normally expect that at the MCG but they have only been out there for 25.2 overs - with a sleep in between - as de Grandhomme walks to the middle. He’s off the mark first ball behind square. Latham has a crack at a bumper now that he’s back on strike, pulling in front of square for three. Nicely played. Pattinson is all over the new man with the two balls he has to come, beating him outside the off-stump them crashing into his front pad with an off-cutter. These two have been quite magnificent this morning.
Kevin Roberts was on SEN radio this morning, the main news point that the CA boss is very keen on four-day Tests, saying they will “seriously consider” them. I’m far from convinced. Yes, you can point to the number of Tests that would have finished in four days if applying the extra overs but the rhythm of the game changes entirely when that fifth day is taken out of the equation. Not for me.
WICKET! Watling c Burns b Pattinson 7 (New Zealand 58-5)
Outstanding bowling, Pattinson angling in at pace, Watling edging to first slip from the shoulder of his bat. He tried to keep it down but there was too much going on.
25th over: New Zealand 57-4 (Latham 12, Watling 7) Cummins keeps the cordon jumping, hitting Latham on the arm with a short ball that he can’t get out the way of. Next up, showing his class, the off-cutter finds the inside edge and nearly deflects back onto the woodwork. Andrew Samson reveals on SEN radio that Nicholls wicket was the first lbw decision Cummins has won for 70 dismissals!
McCullum reckons Williamson hasn't been enjoying captaincy much of late. He spoke to him this morning to remind him that there are a lot of NZ supporters who have come to MCG to see them play and want to see team enjoying the game #AUSvNZ
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 28, 2019
24th over: New Zealand 56-4 (Latham 11, Watling 7) Another testing Pattinson over, Latham playing a short ball early in the over with both feet off the deck. Plays it well. Ooh, less so later in the over when wafting at a ball outside the off-stump. There have been a stack of those already this morning. Deserves a scalp.
23rd over: New Zealand 55-4 (Latham 10, Watling 7) Good again from Watling, playing carefully through cover with the movement of the ball, taking a couple. That shape is there again next up, beating his outside edge. Once again, there isn’t a lot he could have done about that. Cummins has 10-3-16-3. What a bowler.
“Good morning from a 25C beach shack in northern Tasmania,” reports Tom Lewis. “With that and OBO, my day is set.” Great to have you with us.
“You suggest that ‘technology confirms that was the right call’. Could it be instead that technology hinted/indicated/postulated ... etc.” I’m Team Technology, mostly because it pits me against the dinosaurs and that’s usually the right lane to be in.
22nd over: New Zealand 53-4 (Latham 10, Watling 5) Smith DROPS LATHAM! It was going straight down the throat of Burns at first slip but Smith decided to dive right in front of him from second and put it down. That should have been three wickets in eight balls. Disappointing for Pattinson, who has been just as good as Cummins this morning. It’s hard to understand why Smith went there. It’s different going the other way when the ball isn’t going to carry but that was not an issue there. He ran down to apologise to the bustling quick at the end of the over.
Dropped! Latham gets a life! #AUSvNZ live: https://t.co/Q5Lvt45rWO pic.twitter.com/xsksVsB35I
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2019
21st over: New Zealand 51-4 (Latham 9, Watling 4) Watling is off the mark with a crisp off-drive for four. It’s a rugged time for him to be walking out, but if we’ve learned one thing about the Kiwi stumper it’s that he’s unflappable.
Here’s a replay of that first Cummins wicket.
WATLING DEFENDS THE HAT-TRICK BALL. He had to play and did it well. That’s the fourth time in four Tests this summer an Australian has been on one.
WICKET! Nicholls lbw b Cummins 0 (New Zealand 46-4)
Oh, that’s out! It’s hitting leg stump, Cummins having beaten the inside edge from around the wicket on the angle. Superb bowling. He’s on a hat-trick! An Australian man hasn’t taken one in a Test since Siddle - on his birthday - in November 2010.
CUMMINS IS ON A HAT-TRICK! So long as DRS agrees that Nicholls is lbw first ball. He was given on the field and looked very, very good.
Updated
WICKET! Taylor c Burns b Cummins 4 (New Zealand 46-3)
Taylor dropped by Labuschagne but is caught on the deflection by Burns at first slip! Miller and Tavare, anyone? Such good bowling. Taylor never settled.
20th over: New Zealand 46-2 (Taylor 4, Latham 9) Wheels from Pattinson to begin from the Great Southern Stand end, where he will be well supported today. Into Taylor, he thumps into the back thigh pad then beats the outside edge with a lovely little bit of movement away from the bat. He has three slips, Labuschagne setting up nice and close at third. Taylor is a cool customer and responds with a neat tuck, behind square for one. Latham’s turn now, who has a couple to get through. He’s forward defending the first of those with a nice, straight bat but he’s beaten on the angle to finish. That wasn’t far away at all. Two tip top overs to begin for Australia’s big, bad right-arm fast bowlers.
19th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Taylor 2, Latham 9) Cummins is right on it to Taylor, finding the outside half of his bat. The Black Caps veteran gets down the other end for his first run of the day from the fourth ball, pushing to mid-on. He requires 49 further runs today in order to overtake Stephen Fleming as New Zealand’s highest Test runscorer. We’ll keep an eye on that. Latham plays and misses his first delivery of the day, an excellent offering from around the wicket cutting away off the seam after angling in. Not a lot he can do about it. A huge shout from the Australians to finish the over! Cummins has beaten the inside edge and he wants an lbw decision; the fielders around the bat are also interested in whether it hit an inside edge on the way through before landing in Warner’s diving hands at gully. They elect not to review and technology confirms that was the right call - the lbw was going over the stumps and the sound was bad on pad, not ball. Great over.
The players are on the field! Cummins, the world’s best quick, will be starting us off from the Members End. Ross Taylor is on strike. This should be good. PLAY!
Another from Tim Paine last night. He said that Travis Head was always playing and commentary from the skipper about potentially playing five bowlers ahead of this Test was strategic misdirection of the New Zealanders via the media. Hmm. I know there’s a lot of distaste for cricket reporters and plenty of conspiracy theories about us concocting our stories, but, yeah, I’m not sure about this.
Updated
It’s becoming one of the great midsummer traditions. Backyard cricket, the Boxing Day Test and questioning the ball-tracking technology used by DRS. Tim Paine played his part at stumps last night, saying he’s lost faith in the system.
Have you ever wondered how the DRS works?
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2019
Howie takes us on a tour backstage at the MCG and into the DRS truck.#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/Zk97tUFk81
Back to the MCG, where solar panels are on the way. Good get this, from Andrew Wu at the SMH. It follows an Australian Conservation Foundation report yesterday, which detailed some serious challenges for the Boxing Day Test.
Speaking of the England team, did you catch the highlights overnight? Crazy scenes from start to end at Centurion. As one colleague noted, it can sometimes be quite a lot of fun watching two teams who can’t bat. Delicious fast bowling, too.
Eoin Morgan CBE, Ben Stokes OBE... and so on. Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Trevor Bayliss, Alan Knott! Sir Clive Lloyd. Colin Graves is in there too, of course. It must be the New Year Honours list!
Welcome to day three at the 'G!
Good morning to you all. Day three, or moving day as we cricket writers call it when there’s no better introduction to go with than ripping something off from golf. But for New Zealand, this is survival day first and foremost. At different periods through this series, the the visitors have found something from nothing. Having lost Kane Williamson, their skipper and superstar, not long before the close last night, they now need plenty to go their way if they are to withstand the inevitable Australian surge. In simple terms, they have to bat all day.
With Ross Taylor, there is always hope of such a feat. Yes, he was lucky to survive a compelling leg before shout when James Pattinson was steaming in just before stumps, but the veteran is in form and has the patience for the task. Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling have also achieved this often enough in Test cricket. The real quiz here is whether they can do so on this much bigger stage.
For the home side, their quicks were swaming last night in the best traditions of a bowling group who had their feet up for nearly two days. It being Saturday, there’s every reason to think there’ll be another 60,000 Melburnians in to urge then on - especially Pattinson, the home town boy who has been waiting for an MCG return for eight years. With a hint of volatile bounce on show already, the dice is loaded their way. The Kiwis, of course, are still 223 away from the follow-on. Eeek.
But let’s be positive. Let’s hope the Black Caps can show some of the backbone that has elevated them to the second ranked team in the world. Let’s hope we’re sitting here in seven hours with a serious contest on our hands. And if not, let’s enjoy the world-class Australian bowlers going to work. And whatever the case, enjoy it with myself and JP Howcroft. We’re looking forward to your company.
