The inevitable result with an odd finish – Trent Boult swinging for the fences after McCullum looked like he might smash a triple century in front of an empty Gabba.
There was a bit of frustration as the last pair kept at it and Mitchell Starc was losing his cool. He looked a lot happier when he picked up his second wicket of the innings to finish things off. The series now moves on to Perth and New Zealand have a few selection issues to mull over, with Jimmy Neesham out for the tour and Tim Southee being closely monitored. Both have back injuries.
As for Australia, things could not have gone better with the bowling attack dovetailing well while Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja registered maiden hundreds, at opener and first-drop respectively.
You can check out the full match report from today right here.
That’s all from here – we’ll see you at the WACA on Friday!
Updated
89th over: New Zealand 295 (Craig 26)
Starc back in and Craig gets a full toss which he flicks around the corner for one. Boult back on strike and he’s ducking straightaway as Starc follows him into the legside. With all his weight back, Starc goes very full outside off stump and Boult swings hard but can only edge behind.
Australia win the first Test by 208 runs.
WICKET! Boult c Nevill b Starc 15 (New Zealand 295 all out)
Fun’s over – Boult swings and snicks Starc through to the keeper.
88th over: New Zealand 294-9 (Craig 26, Boult 15)
No messing about now – Mitchell Johnson’s on to bowl. Craig hits him to deep square leg but decides not to take the single on offer to protect Boult. Does take one off the fifth ball as he drops into the offside and backs himself ahead of Joe Burns, who is late on the ball. Boult finishes the over stepping away to the legside and swiping and missing.
Trent Boult has just fused cricket with the Crane Kick. #AUSvNZ
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 9, 2015
87th over: New Zealand 293-9 (Craig 25, Boult 15)
Craig gives the people what they want and takes a single off the first ball to give Boult five balls to pretend to be a tree. A wild hack brings another four, this time off the inside edge through to fine leg. A one-legged forward defensive is pipped by a straight slap that goes for four.
86th over: New Zealand 284-9 (Craig 24, Boult 7)
While Mitchell Starc is coming around the wicket to finish this match off, Trent Boult is indulging in some interpretative dance. After hopping outside off stump and crabbing it up on the legside, he finishes the over by hitting Starc inside out over cover.
85th over: New Zealand 280-9 (Craig 24, Boult 3)
Hazlewood bowls right in Craig’s slot and the front leg is clear and the ball sent back over the bowler’s head for six! The length is brought back and Craig reads it out of the hand, giving himself room to clobber through midwicket for four. Swing and a miss for none the ball after. Hazlewood goes wide and Craig misses but the delivery takes off and goes well above Nevill’s reach for four byes.
Hamish Coney emails in and he’s not happy at some marginal calls going against New Zealand:
“Really looking forward to NZ getting three DRS decisions going our way in the fourth innings of the deciding test – I’m thinking Warner, Smith and Marsh should even up the ledger. All 3 just snicking top of leg or just for laughs outright missing – jeez mate you wouldn’t read about it.”
Well said, Dirk...
Dirk on Starc's throw: "I'm sorry, but that's not on. He had three stumps to aim at and he threw it straight at the batsman." #AUSvNZ [1/2]
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) November 9, 2015
84th over: New Zealand 266-9 (Craig 14, Boult 3)
Craig clears Starc’s head for four and then cuts through the cordon for another. The next ball, Craig strikes back to the bowler and Starc gathers and throws at the feet of Craig, who jumps out of the way and gets another four. Needless – borderline moronic – from Starc.
83rd over: New Zealand 253-9 (Craig 1, Boult 3)
Hazlewood’s got the chance to buff his figures with the wicket of Boult here. Second ball, Boult decides to upper-cut the ball over the cordon. It goes very high and Marsh is interested but it lands a few yards in front of him as he runs towards third man from gully. Two more to Boult. A good old fashioned play and miss completes the over.
82nd over: New Zealand 251-9 (Craig 1, Boult 1)
Mitchell Starc will share the new nut. Can’t imagine this innings will last longer than 10-minutes. The first couple are fired down the legside before Craig gets one on leg stump and flicks it around the corner. He’s reluctant to run but Boult calls him through anyhow, meaning the no.11 has to survive three balls from the best yorker bowler in the world. He plays the first ball completely front on, pushing into the offside with all the grace of a dog on a unicycle. Same again but this time he gets a better contact on the ball and gets a single into the covers.
81st over: New Zealand 249-9 (Craig 0, Boult 0)
Josh Hazlewood is back into the attack as Australia take the new ball. The first delivery with it is thrashed through backward point for four. Southee then has a big heave at the next ball and nicks it behind. He doesn’t think he has and reviews: Hot Spot was unclear but Snicko sends him down. Boult keeps out the last ball of the over, which looked destined for his stumps as he stepped away.
Updated
WICKET! Southee c Nevill b Hazlewood 5 (New Zealand 249-9)
Southee’s not happy but the review shows a big noise as the ball passes the outside edge of the bat.
REVIEW...
Southee swings and seems to have nicked through to the keeper. Everyone goes up but Southee reviews anyhow...
80th over: New Zealand 245-8 (Southee 2, Craig 0)
Southee is not one to die wondering and even when he’s defending, he looks on the cusp of going through the shot and trying to clear mid off. Lyon turns one into him but it’s short enough for Southee to work it behind bat-pad for a single.
79th over: New Zealand 244-8 (Southee 1, Craig 0)
The end is nigh. McCullum goes when a review would have saved him, Bracewell walks all the way out and all the way back for one ball and Southee daps one to point for a single.
Nine balls from NZ getting their reviews back, McCullum gets a rank howler from the umpire. DRS fail. #AUSvNZ
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 9, 2015
The decision to give McCullum out really was quite poor. But it is exactly why you shouldn’t burn reviews. #AusvNZ
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) November 9, 2015
WICKET! Bracewell LBW Marsh 0 (New Zealand 243-8)
No debate about that one – a cracking yorker pins Bracewell in front of all three. Marsh on a hat trick...
WICKET! McCullum c Smith b Marsh 80 (New Zealand 243-7)
Poor B-Mac – he’s adjudged caught (bat onto pad supposedly) but there was no bat involved. Nigel Llong gives it out and, with no reviews available, he’s got to go...
And here’s the Craig one...
Unsuccessful review from the Aussies on that occasion! LIVE: https://t.co/o52TkG2knd #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/ssMI1h3AB6
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 9, 2015
78th over: New Zealand 242-6 (McCullum 80, Craig 0)
Big turn from Lyon gets Watling LBW and he nearly has Craig the very next ball. While the ball hits the left-handers pad first, it was outside the line and also shown to be turning past off-stump anyhow. Ah well, wicket maiden it is.
Lyon gets the breakthrough and NZ are 6-242! LIVE: https://t.co/o52TkG2knd #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/D4i0sxjq3H
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 9, 2015
NOT OUT
It was pad first but the impact was just outside the line...
ANOTHER REVIEW!
It’s new batsman Mark Craig and this time Australia are reviewing the “not out” decision. First ball, Craig defends forward but it looks like it was pad first...
WICKET! Watling LBW Lyon 14 (242-6)
Nothing on the bat and the ball is hitting the top of leg stump – no “umpire’s call” on any tab of the four tabs – and Watling is on his way. Lyon’ third wicket of the innings...
REVIEW...
Lyon turns one sharply into the pad of Watling, who’s on the back foot. The umpire’s finger goes up but Watling reviews. Looks good from the first replay...
Updated
77th over: New Zealand 242-5 (McCullum 80, Watling 14)
Watling beavering away while Marsh tries to join some dots. Marsh wins on points but Watling is able to get his single off the last ball, pushing it just wide of mid on.
76th over: New Zealand 241-5 (McCullum 80, Watling 13)
Lyon does Burns no favours at bat-pad as he drops one short to McCullum, of all people, who winds up to smash a hole through Burns, who turns away as McCullum’s wind-up begins. Luckily, he’s nutmegged for a single. McCullum back on strike after Watling works behind square leg for a single of his own.
No comment pic.twitter.com/sFyyOEaTpm
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 9, 2015
75th over: New Zealand 239-5 (McCullum 79, Watling 12)
Eventful start to the second Marsh over. McCullum charges him but Marsh spots the move early and digs one short and at the batsman. McCullum pulls out of the shot and ducks but still gets clocked square on the helmet. He’s OK and mistimes a hook next ball but gets it inside fine leg for four. Off strike to midwicket and then Watling punches two off the back foot behind point.
74th over: New Zealand 232-5 (McCullum 74, Watling 10)
A maiden for Lyon, as Watling tries to give himself space to off and leg but can’t quite find a gap in the field.
73rd over: New Zealand 232-5 (McCullum 74, Watling 10)
Mitchell Marsh gets his first bowl of the morning. McCullum works him to midwicket for a single, as his loosener settles in on middle and leg. Better to Watling, though, as the keeper-batsman pushes forward but is done on the outside edge. Stays outside off stump before he has a go at middle and Watling picks off a single to the right of mid on.
72nd over: New Zealand 230-5 (McCullum 73, Watling 9)
Lyon to continue after the drinks break and he leaks four immediately as he drops short and Watling is quick to punish him through point. A couple skid on and Watling plays them with soft hands to keep short-leg at arm’s length but gets a loopy delivery to sweep around the corner for a single. McCullum does the same next ball but is uppish. However, well short of Mitchell Starc, who comes in to field.
71st over: New Zealand 224-5 (McCullum 72, Watling 4)
More savagery from McCullum as Johnson goes across him and those fast hands come into play once more – four, through point. Then wow! Astonishing shot next up: Johnson digs one in and McCullum puts everything into it, smashing it into the stand for six! As a result, Smith stations a third man out in the deep. Johnson tries to tempt McCullum with another short ball but he simply ducks under to see out the over.
With that last scalp, @MitchJohnson398 joins @BrettLee_58 with 310 Test wickets for Australia! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/bALY65ZhBr
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 9, 2015
70th over: New Zealand 214-5 (McCullum 62, Watling 4)
McCullum defends a couple and then manages to slash Lyon, from the top of off stump, through point for four. Watling gets the strike with one ball remaining in the over and proceeds to sweep Lyon fine, inside deep fine leg, for four.
69th over: New Zealand 205-5 (McCullum 57, Watling 0)
McCullum is allowed to get off strike and Johnson senses this is Neesham’s time. He gets Neesham in a tangle with a ball at his hip which finds its way into the hands of Burns, but not via bat or glove. Same combination next ball, only this time there is bat, as the ball is popped in the air as Johnson digs one in with a bit more venom. Quality fast bowling.
WICKET! Neesham c Burns b Johnson 3 (New Zealand 205-5
Vintage Johnson – a short-ball has Neesham fearing for his safety: he averts his eyes and brings his bat up for protection and fends the ball in the air, into the hands of an expecting short-leg.
68th over: New Zealand 204-4 (McCullum 56, Neesham 3)
No sweep from McCullum, as Lyon probes a line that requires the New Zealand skipper to explore the off-side once more. He does in the end, getting a couple in the covers. He gets one in the legside eventually, moving across and working to midwicket to get that single and the strike.
67th over: New Zealand 201-4 (McCullum 53, Neesham 3)
Johnson drops one short and McCullum can’t help himself, hooking aerially into the vast green of the legside. For a moment, it looks like he has picked out the man at deep square, but it drops well short and he takes the one to collect his thoughts. Johnson decides to go around the wicket to test Neesham’s nerve. Aside from hitting high on the bat, there is little alarm.
66th over: New Zealand 200-4 (McCullum 52, Neesham 3)
HUGE six from McCullum, as he skips down to Nathan Lyon and puts him into the empty stand (there are many) over long on. It takes him to his half-century, from 44 balls (seven fours and that six). A sweep to long-leg gets him one.
We often say how sad it is to see Pakistan playing in empty stadiums, but the Gabba today is just as dire. #AUSvNZ
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 9, 2015
65th over: New Zealand 193-4 (McCullum 45, Neesham 3)
Johnson goes short and McCullum pirouettes into a hook shot, but only toes the ball. In fact, the contact is so poor, that as he spins back around, his bat clips the ball again. Luckily it bounces beyond his stumps and away from Burns at short-leg. Runs come – three from the penultimate ball – as McCullum jumps into a push through cover. Khawaja puts a dive in but can’t retired the ball.
64th over: New Zealand 190-4 (McCullum 42, Neesham 3)
McCullum sweeps Lyon again, behind square and straight to Mitchell Johnson, for a single, giving Neesham another over to close out. Lyon varies his flight and length but Neesham plays each comfortably.
63rd over: New Zealand 189-4 (McCullum 41, Neesham 3)
Here’s Johnson. Well, not quite yet as there’s an issue with something behind the bowler’s arm – some green tenting has come, erm, un-tented. The first ball is fairly gentle by Mitch’s standards, coming up off a length and safely into the middle of Neesham’s bat. The rest is of a similar length – maybe slightly fuller – and outside off stump. Neesham leaves them all.
62nd over: New Zealand 189-4 (McCullun 41, Neesham 3)
Pace off the ball – about time, really, especially given McCullum’s mindset – as Lyon replaces Hazlewood. A low full toss is swept to the legside sweeper, bringing Neesham on strike. Immediately, there’s action, as he tries to leave and nearly drags the ball onto his stumps. Lyon drifts one a bit full and Neesham finds room to push him into midwicket for a single.
61st over: New Zealand 187-4 (McCullum 40, Neesham 2)
BOSH goes the first ball of this new Mitchell Starc over. It’s a very full ball outside off-stump and rather than thread it through the covers, McCullum splays him down the ground for four. And another, this time through cover – almost a carbon copy of his boundary off Hazlewood in the previous over. Starc digs one in very wide and the umpire signals as much. He’s not a happy chappy, is Starc. Understandably so given how McCullum is treating him right now. A single into the legside – McCullum’s first run in that region – allows him to retain the strike.
60th over: New Zealand 177-4 (McCullum 31, Neesham 2)
Hazlewood staying over the wicket to the left-hander. Strays on his pads third ball and Neesham deflects him around the corner for a single. Absurd hand-speed from McCullum allows him to crack the right-armer off the back foot through cover for four. Hazlewood over-corrects and McCullum presses forward and pushes into the offside for a quick single. CRICKET.
59th over: New Zealand 171-4 (McCullum 26, Neesham 1)
McCullum, unperturbed by the wicket, pushes into the offside first ball to get two. A stronger drive, straighter, through mid off, gets him three and allows Starc a go at the left-handed Neesham. A signature yorker is dug out well – so well, in fact, that Neesham can get a single into the legside. A couple of short-balls test McCullum’s nerve: he bats one down into the offside before leaving the other.
58th over: New Zealand 165-4 (McCullum 21, Neesham 0)
Another skew through gully gets McCullum two. He then pushes into the covers for one to bring Taylor onto strike. After a solid block, he’s trying to hook a short-ball which balloons off the wrist strap of his glove and balloons to Smith at second slip. Jimmy Neesham, dicky back and all, comes to the crease.
WICKET! Taylor c Smith b Hazlewood (New Zealand 165-4)
The Hazlewood surprise bumper does the trick – Taylor’s attempt to hook lacks conviction and he can only glove the ball in the air for Smith to take a simple catch at second slip.
57th over: New Zealand 162-3 (Taylor 26, McCullum 18)
Starc’s line this over is bringing short-leg into play. Taylor drops one short of him – comfortably so – before later dropping his hands and taking one on the forearm, as Starc goes for the armpit. A short ball has Taylor hooking and missing.
56th over: New Zealand 162-3 (Taylor 26, McCullum 18)
Taylor gives mid-off some fielding to do and in the process gets himself off strike. Hazlewood is straight – both back and full – waiting for McCullum to tick. As soon as he gives him a bit of width, he’s slashed over the slips. Four. They’re going for it. They’re really going for it.
Tilo Fobes emails in: “Considering Lyon will get the Kiwis out cheaply today showing that offspin is still a great weapon in Australia, I predict NZ to recall Vettori. Clearly still better than Mark ‘shit-does-not-get-wickets’ Craig and he even got Sewag out in All Stars game.”
I’d judge Craig outright on this Test as much as I would Vettori in *that* match. Vettori and Sehwag were two of the five people across both teams that could actually move.
Updated
55th over: New Zealand 157-3 (Taylor 25, McCullum 14)
Soft hands keep McCullum safe as he deflects all the way to third man for one. Taylor, feet in concrete, drives uppishly past point for four. His feet are moving this time, as he gets them out of the line of a Mitchell Starc yorker and clamps down on it. Gives the strike back to McCullum who goes on to nail the final ball for four along the carpet through mid off. Glorious.
54th over: New Zealand 147-3 (Taylor 20, McCullum 9)
Full blooded slap, second ball, gets McCullum a four literally through point (Nathan Lyon), who got his hands to the ball – it wasn’t a catching chance – but couldn’t save the runs. The Channel Nine commentary team seem to think McCullum can’t go under a run-rate of 50, otherwise he’ll explode. He’s 81.81 at the moment...
First email of the day comes from Michael Tilly”
“Very cunning of Uzzy (Khawaja) wearing an expensive watch while fielding. No doubt the conversation went like this:
‘Smith: Ok Uzzy or Burnsy under the lid. Decide among yourselves.
‘Uzzy: ah bummer, I forgot to take off my very expensive and collectible Swiss watch...’”
Uzzy’s no fool.
If Trent Boult’s net session this morning is anything to go by, New Zealand fancy a crack at the remaining 362 runs...
Trent Boult getting ready for day five in the nets at The GABBA #AUSvNZ ^CE https://t.co/WjpNB2zN7q
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 8, 2015
Morning all – Vish here on your earlier than usual OBO for the final day of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand.
A few bits of admin just to get off to a reeeeaaaaaallllly sexy start: play is due to begin at 10:30am after we lost a session and a half to rain yesterday. Any rain today should hit before lunch (it’s currently drizzling in Brisbane) but there should be enough overs for Australia to manufacture seven chances. The pitch is still very good to bat on and Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum are the two Blackcaps at the crease. Both struggle to curb their attacking instincts. Should be a fascinating start.
Will finish this entry on a bit of a downer – Jimmy Neesham is out of the tour with a back injury and will be replaced by Mitchell McClenaghan. A shame for Jimmy after just coming back from a long lay-off. Small, small bonus for us to have Neesham back on Twitter for the rest of the tour, though. We at OBO-towers wish him well. He will bat today if needed.
Could play on it for ten days. #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/dmlghHD3oA
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 8, 2015
Updated
Vish will be along shortly to take you through all of the action from the first session before Russell mops up the tail in the afternoon. In the meantime, here’s where we are heading into the final day:
Updated
