STUMPS: 37th over: New Zealand 116-5 (lead by 94; Santner 13, Watling 7)
Hazlewood will bowl the final over, already his 16th of this short innings. Santner pushes him pleasantly down the ground for a couple, with Warner pulling up after chasing the ball from mid-off.
That didn’t look great, although he stays on the field for the last few deliveries. Santner then leaves a ball that misses the top of off stump by this much, and thick edges the next wide of backward point for a single. Watling offers no stroke to the final delivery, which concludes another cracking day/night of Test cricket.
There will be plenty of focus on Nigel Llong’s inexplicable decision to reprieve Nathan Lyon. New Zealand might be out of sight but for that; instead they are 94 ahead with five wickets remaining. If they can bat for three hours tomorrow, their bowlers will fancy their chances under lights.
Thanks for your company. Night!
36th over: New Zealand 113-5 (Santner 10, Watling 7) Mitch Marsh returns for the penultimate over of the day. Watling is acting as his own nightwatchman, eschewing all attacking strokes so that his run-scoring self will be at the crease when play resumes tomorrow afternoon. A soft-handed defensive stroke falls short of the slips and runs away for four.
35th over: New Zealand 109-5 (Santner 10, Watling 3) Watling is dropped by Smith! It was lovely bowling again from Hazlewood, just full of a good length and taking the edge as Watling pushed defensively. The ball flew to the right of second slip, where Smith couldn’t hang on at the first or second attempt. It was a sharp chance, though you suspect he would have taken that at 3pm rather than 9pm.
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34th over: New Zealand 108-5 (Santner 10, Watling 2) Ian Smith makes a good point on commentary: this is possibly the first time Hazlewood has led the Australian attack, because of the absence of Johnson and Starc, and he has done so splendidly. Santner, who looks very composed for a debutant, back cuts Lyon for four.
33rd over: New Zealand 104-5 (Santner 6, Watling 2) Watling is occasionally struggling to get on top of the ball because of Hazlewood’s bounce, but he otherwise looks solid and, with the close a few overs away, is content to play out a second consecutive maiden from Hazlewood.
Attendance at first two days of pink ball test (90,000) have beaten Adelaide record for first two days of Bodyline test
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) November 28, 2015
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32nd over: New Zealand 104-5 (Santner 6, Watling 2) Four from Lyon’s over. I can’t lie to you, wasn’t really paying attention. The fifth ball did turn sharply from outside Santner’s off stump, I saw that. New Zealand lead by 82.
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31st over: New Zealand 100-5 (Santner 3, Watling 1) Seven overs to go. Hazlewood tries unsuccessfully to tempt Watling into the drive outside off stump. Watling is probably New Zealand’s second best defensive batsman after Williamson, so you’d expect him to play for the close.
30th over: New Zealand 100-5 (Santner 3, Watling 1) Nathan Lyon comes into the attack in place of Mitchell Marsh (7-0-40-2). New Zealand surely can’t afford to lose any more wickets tonight. They need to bat at least three hours tomorrow, and then try to run through Australia under the lights. They almost lose Watling, who bat-pads a defensive stroke in the air but short and wide of slip.
Here’s Will: “Shane Watson would have reviewed that. Will (Project Manager.)”
29th over: New Zealand 98-5 (Santner 2, Watling 0) The Channel 9 consensus is that this is Hazlewood’s best bowling since before the Ashes. He is getting some lovely movement back into the right-handers, and then gets one to burst from a length and surprise Watling. Hazlewood’s figures are 12-3-28-3.
“Hi Rob,” says Shannon Campbell. “The best thing about these day-nighters is that I can now follow the game at a reasonable hour here in Berlin rather than having a restless sleep interspersed with glances at the OBO under the covers. I do hope NZ realises there is over three days to go and they can wait out the maidens till a fairer damsel does present herself.”
WICKET! New Zealand 98-5 (Taylor LBW b Hazlewood 32)
Hazlewood has struck again! That was terrific bowling: full and jagging back to pin Taylor plumb in front as he whipped desperately around his front pad. Not even Stuart Broad would have reviewed that.
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28th over: New Zealand 96-4 (Taylor 30, Santner 2) Marsh continues into a seventh over, and tempts Taylor into a drive that squirts safely off a thick edge for four. A quick 60 or 70 might win this match for either side, and Taylor is racing along at a run a ball.
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27th over: New Zealand 91-4 (Taylor 25, Santner 2) Josh Hazlewood replaces Siddle, and Taylor clatters his first ball to the cover boundary. That moves Taylor to 24 from 24 balls, which brings to mind the glee with which Tony Soprano informs Dr Melfi of the age of his Russian girlfriend. Santner is then almost dismissed twice from the same delivery. A leading edge goes safely through mid-off, and then he is sent back looking for a third run and has to slide desperately to make his ground. It went to the third umpire but he was home. The throw came in from Warner, who winced a little afterwards. Ian Chappell suspects he has a sore shoulder.
“I must admit I find the constant references to masseur Grant Baldwin rather comforting,” says Phil Withall. “It’s a little like the early rounds of the FA Cup when, irrespective of the person’s ability, they are always referenced by their day job. Splendid! Cheers, Phil (catering manager).”
26th over: New Zealand 84-4 (Taylor 20, Santner 0) Marsh (6-0-35-2) has been expensive but, frankly, who cares: he has dismissed Williamson and McCullum, and put Australia in a wonderful position. New Zealand are effectively 62 for four, and they still have 11 overs to survive tonight. Marsh has a huge LBW appeal turned down when Santner pushes around his first delivery. There was a big inside edge, and Steve Smith wisely decides not to review. Smith is good with DRS, very calm and logical.
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WICKET! New Zealand 84-4 (McCullum LBW b M Marsh 20)
He’s out! It was pretty similar to the Siddle appeal a few overs ago, except this time it hit him in line and was hitting middle four-fifths of the way up. Mitchell Marsh has got McCullum again!
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NEW ZEALAND REVIEW! McCullum LBW b Marsh 20
McCullum has been given out LBW to Mitchell Marsh, and has reviewed it after a chat with Ross Taylor.
25th over: New Zealand 80-3 (Taylor 20, McCullum 16) It probably won’t be long before we see Nathan Lyon, probably in place of Marsh (5-0-31-1). McCullum is starting to look dangerous and creams a wide half-volley from Siddle for four more. This is an excellent counter-attack from Taylor and McCullum, who have added 28 in five overs and, in doing so, changed the mood of the session. Their approach is risky, of course, and there’s a reminder of that when Taylor misses an attempted cut stroke and almost edges behind.
24th over: New Zealand 73-3 (Taylor 19, McCullum 10) McCullum gets his first boundary, slaughtering a full delivery from Marsh over cover. Marsh responds with an excellent bouncer which prompts not one but two of the Channel 9 commentary to call it a “good sniff”. Whatever happened to chin music?
A pretty eventful over continues with Marsh failing to get hands on a very sharp caught-and-bowled chance when McCullum hammers one back at him. The ball then goes through the substitute fielder - the masseur Grant Baldwin - at mid off for three more runs.
23rd over: New Zealand 65-3 (Taylor 19, McCullum 3) I need to reboot. Give me a second. It’s not you, it’s me.
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Australia review: McCullum not out 0
We’re having all kinds of technical issues here, but Siddle has just reviewed an LBW against McCullum. I think this might be out.
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REVIEW! New Zealand 63-3 (McCullum not out 0)
Brendon McCullum survives by a whisker. A beautiful delivery from Siddle snaked back to hit the pad a fraction before it hit the bat. It was going on to hit the stumps, but the point of contact was umpire’s call – just – and that meant S Ravi’s original decision was upheld.
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21st over: New Zealand 55-3 (Taylor 11, McCullum 0) Peter Siddle has replaced Josh Hazlewood, who bowled a terrific post-dinner spell and has innings figures of 10-3-19-2. He has a huge appeal for LBW against McCullum turned down by the umpire S Ravi. It looked too high. Steve Smith agrees, and so does the ball-tracker. Siddle was beseeching umpire Ravi there.
Man flu is rotten ...and there is nobody to rub my chest ....
— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) November 28, 2015
An orderly queue, please.
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20th over: New Zealand 52-3 (Taylor 8, McCullum 0) That was the last ball of the over, and the wicket also brings drinks. The new batsman is Brendon McCullum, who fell on his own brand of cricket in the first innings. It’ll be pretty interesting to see how he plays here.
WICKET! New Zealand 52-3 (Williamson c Nevill b M Marsh 9)
Mitchell Marsh has taken the big wicket! Williamson has gone, thin-edging a good delivery through to Nevill. It had been a much better second over from Marsh, bowling a fuller length, and that delivery seamed just enough to take the edge. Even Williamson’s soft hands couldn’t save him. That, you suspect, is game, set, match and series Australia.
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19th over: New Zealand 51-2 (Williamson 9, Taylor 7) Williamson’s performance in this series brings to mind those of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara in their first Test series in Australia in the early 1990s. I know Williamson played those two Tests in 2011-12, so it’s not quite the same, but there is a similar sense of watching a potential all-time great wow the most demanding crowd of all. Just as a rock band can feel like they have really made it when they crack America, so a batsman can feel the same when he has cracked Australia.
18th over: New Zealand 50-2 (Williamson 9, Taylor 6) Mitchell Marsh replaces Siddle. His first ball is too short and punched for three by Williamson. His third is even shorter and savaged to the point boundary by Ross Taylor, and Williamson completes a productive over with a delicious swivel-pull for four. Far too short from Marsh. Twelve from the over, which is as many as New Zealand had scored in the previous nine overs.
Joshy putting on a clinic here #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/5HWpYH1bUa
— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) November 28, 2015
17th over: New Zealand 38-2 (Williamson 2, Taylor 1) Now Taylor has been dropped! Another full awayswinger from Hazlewood, another wild drive from a New Zealand batsman – but this time Smith at second slip can’t hold to a very sharp chance high to his left. Williamson, pushing defensively, is then beaten by some beautiful outswing. He has bowled splendidly.
“Morning Rob, morning everyone,” says Guy Hornsby. “I’ve just spent the last 20 mins reading through the whole OBO in bed and I’m in a proper funk knowing the Aussies have got out of jail here. Isn’t that always the way though? Perhaps that’s just 35 years of mental scarring from an England fan. So here’s hoping for a ton for these two. Each. Is there a video of the DRS ca anywhere? Because we’ve not discussed DRS enough yet this year.” There’s bound to one on some popular social-networking travesty. It’s pretty bad.
16th over: New Zealand 36-2 (Williamson 1, Taylor 0) New Zealand’s lead is only 10, and this could get away from them very quickly. A beastly delivery from Siddle snaps off the seam, past Williamson’s inside edge and then past Nevill’s left hand for four byes. Williamson looks entirely unperturbed, mind you, and defends everything else with his Fairy Liquid hands. He is a classical treat.
15th over: New Zealand 32-2 (Williamson 1, Taylor 0) That was a textbook example of a batsman being denied the oxygen of runs, and his brain malfunctioning as a result.
WICKET! New Zealand 32-2 (Latham c Nevill b Hazlewood 10)
This is an awful shot from Tom Latham. He had been stuck on 10 since the interval, for 26 deliveries, and when Hazlewood tossed one full and wide he was unable to resist the bait. Latham lunged into the drive, hopelessly off balance, and edged it to Peter Nevill.
@robsmyth0 Jimmy Anderson might play until he's 40 if he can bowl with a pink ball.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 28, 2015
Imagine Damien Fleming with the pink ball. He wouldn’t just make it talk; he’d make it tell you the meaning of life.
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14th over: New Zealand 31-1 (Latham 10, Williamson 0) Latham hasn’t scored a run in this session, and that manifests itself in a slightly desperate attempt to steal a single before Williamson sends him back.
"Test match cricket is at its best when bowlers have a chance" @WWOS9 100% agree with Tubs 1dayers and T20 batter game
— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) November 28, 2015
A sentiment he doubtless expressed while he was splattering Zimbabwe for 380 in 2003.
13th over: New Zealand 29-1 (Latham 10, Williamson 0) You would probably pick Kane Williamson more than anyone else in the world to bat in these conditions. Australia will feel that if they can get him early, this game could effectively be over by the close. There are 24 overs remaining.
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WICKET! New Zealand 29-1 (Guptill c M Marsh b Hazlewood 17)
A wicket wasn’t just in the post, it had been sent by special delivery – and now it has arrived. The manner of the wicket was no surprise either. Guptill drove loosely at a full outswinger from Hazlewood and snicked it straight to Mitchell Marsh at gully. It was a good ball, tempting Guptill into a fatal drive. His miserable series - 82 runs at 14 - is over.
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12th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 17) After umpteen dot balls, Guptill drives Siddle impatiently over cover. He didn’t get hold of it, but it landed safely and they ran a couple. That wasn’t a great shot, in conception or execution. New Zealand are really struggling at the moment.
11th over: New Zealand 26-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 14) “Channel 9 and KFC give you the chance to win a year’s supply of KFC,” blah blahs Michael Slater. I’ve always wondered how they judge what a year’s supply is. One family’s feast is another fat ba- man’s light snack, surely. Anyway, Latham is having a bit of trouble with Hazlewood’s bounce, and again loops one in the air on the leg side. This time it falls not far short of mid-on. Another maiden, the third in a row. A wicket is coming, Frank says.
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10th over: New Zealand 26-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 14) Martin Guptill’s Test record is pretty ordinary for someone with his talent: 1937 runs at 28.91. Steve Smith implores his bowlers to pitch it fuller, using the universal sign for up. No not that one. Siddle’s natural length is good rather than full; it’s from that length that he beats Guptill with a beautiful lifter. The pressure is building, even though Australia are probably bowling a touch too short.
“For me the most fascinating aspect of the day’s play has been the Channel Nine commentary team struggling to maintain a consistent line,” says Phil Withall. “It would appear they can only cope with flat wickets that provide a straightforward narrative. Wonderful entertainment.”
Ha. What have been their different conclusions? Test cricket is surely at its best when nobody has a clue what’s going on, or who is winning.
9th over: New Zealand 26-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 14) It’ll be Hazlewood from the other end. He has been getting some lovely lift with this pink ball, and looks closer to his best after an underwhelming Ashes series. Glenn McGrath had a poor first Ashes series as well, didn’t he. He causes Latham a few problems in that over; first an inside edge loops to safety on the leg side, and then he is beaten on the drive. Beautifully bowled. That’s the length.
@robsmyth0 Great to catch sight of one of those old Australian scoreboards, still packed with info and still using letters of various sizes.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 28, 2015
Talk of old scoreboards always makes me think of this wonderful video.
8th over: New Zealand 26-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 14) There’s a fair chance that we may reflect on this as the decisive session of the series. The scores are level, but New Zealand have to bat under lights against a newish ball. Australia have to bowl without Mitchell Starc. Which is the bigger disadvantage? HAVE YOUR SAY.
Peter Siddle bowls the opening over to Martin Guptill, snapping the second ball back sharply off the seam to take the inside edge. The resulting two runs put New Zealand into the lead, and Guptill collects two more later in the over. A comfortable start for New Zealand to what is likely to be an uncomfortable session.
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Book plug Benaud in Wisden was released earlier in the month, and includes essays from Gideon Haigh, Tim de Lisle, Jack Fingleton and Richie Benaud, as well as a lovely foreword from Alan Davidson. You can buy it here.
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This is turning into a cracking Test match, thanks mainly to an heroic contribution from Nigel Llong, the third umpire. A controversial decision in a deciding Australia/New Zealand Test? We’ve been here before.
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Evening It’s 8am in England, and filthily cold, so please give me a moment to regain the feeling in my fingers. While I do, here’s a musical interlude.
The day so far
Australia entered this day’s play at 54-2. Remember those days? Good times. Anyway. They’d lost 6-62 when Nathan Lyon entered the fray and to be brutally honest, he should have departed not long after but an absolute howler of a call via DRS spared him, so he and diligent Peter Nevill piled on 74 runs for the 9th wicket. Lyon finally went for 34 and then Mitchell Starc joined in the fun with a quick-fire 24 not out before Nevill finally departed.
That left Australia 22 runs ahead on the first innings, a remarkable turnaround from earlier in the day, where a pair of Marsh-initiated calamities and various other batting disasters had put them at risk of coughing up a huge Kiwi lead. As it is, Latham and Guptill have wiped the slate clean and we’ve got a an absolute belter on our hands in the next few days. Nervy sub-200 run chase anyone? Yes please.
I’ll stick around for a minute until Rob arrives but thanks for all your emails and tweets today.
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Dinner on day two - New Zealand is back on level terms without loss
7th over: New Zealand 22-0 (Latham 10, Guptill 10)
Oof, Hazlewood thinks he’s trapped Latham in front here and he has a decent claim, but Umpire Ravi’s not interested and neither is Steve Smith in a review. Latham celebrates by cracking him for a boundary with a really lovely, Mark Tayloresque straight drive on the up. Hazlewood promptly cuts him in half with the next one. What a battle between bet and ball this game is producing. With that we’re done for the second session and New Zealand has wiped clean their 22-run deficit so it’s literally all tied up at dinner on day two. Cricket eh? Whaddaday.
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6th over: New Zealand 18-0 (Latham 6, Guptill 10)
Peter Siddle must have let all of our gushing praise go to his head because two unconvincing overs to start with here mean he’s replaced by fourth seamer Mitch Marsh. Latham drives two past Peter Siddle at mid-off which sets Grant Baldwin off on a sprint to retrieve it. The local broadcaster is talking up his athletic prowess (apparently he does a 2km time trial in 6 mins) but it has to be said that he’s got a bit of a custard arm. Cricinfo tells me he was a batsman. Anyway, we’re not far off dinner now which means some Rob Smyth for your reading pleasure.
5th over: New Zealand 15-0 (Latham 3, Guptill 10)
Guptill’s living on the edge now, pushing with hard hands when Hazlewood’s wide of off stump and sending an uncontrolled outside edge flying between the slips cordon and gully for four. Hazlewood has a bit of a chat to him at the end of the over. I think they’re discussing the finer points of batting technique but could be wrong.
4th over: New Zealand 11-0 (Latham 3, Guptill 5)
There’s a couple of leg byes at the start of this Siddle over and then two for Latham when he turns one out to deep mid-wicket, and it’s probably worth pointing out at this point that Grant Baldwin was a handy enough cricketer to make a Victorian state squad and played a lot of 2nd XI cricket for the Bushrangers. Certainly no mug.
3rd over: New Zealand 7-0 (Latham 1, Guptill 5)
Guptill has started positively in his attempt to emerge from this form slump of his and though his straight drive off Hazlewood here is honestly more of a leading edge, he picks up two to get the legs moving. Urgh, it doesn’t all go his way through; Warner zings a throw in towards the stumps for no discernable reason and it cannons into the back of the Kiwi opener. There’s profuse apologies all round but that’s not exactly ideal. It’s not like he’d set off for a run. Guptill survives the over and Warner also scrapes through without a bat to the rib cage.
Ooh, the sub-fielder situation has annoyed Matthew Hayden so I’ve gotta say, I’m now enjoying it even more.
Tell me what a massage therapist doing fielding for our country @CricketAus #respect @WWOS9
— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) November 28, 2015
2nd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 1, Guptill 4)
With Mitchell Starc out of the equation it’s Peter Siddle who pairs up with Hazlewood to start but his first nut’s the total opposite of his partner; slow, flat and spearing down Latham’s leg side. He almost gets a nick from the lefty with another one that brushed the thigh pad but otherwise it’s not such a tough over for the opener to negotiate as the sun begins the early stages of setting and the 40-minute dinner break approaches.
1st over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 1, Guptill 4)
Wowsers. So much for looseners. Hazlewood steams in to Latham and sends an absolute jaffa past his outside edge first up. That hummed through to Nevill. Next up there’s a near run-out chance but it’s Australian masseur Grant Baldwin at mid-off and he makes a bit of a hash of his gather and non-throw so it ends up in the hands of David Warner, who’d come around from mid-on. That was an eventful way for Latham to get off the mark. Guptill has a little better time of it, leaning into a cover drive from Hazlewood’s final ball and picking up an early boundary. Boy doesn’t he need a score here?
An attempt for the assisted run out! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/cpsmuzbfGT
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 28, 2015
We’ll have a ten-minute change over before the Kiwis bat again
...and if you don’t mind, I’ll take a quick breather after all that frenetic action. Jeepers. What a day of cricket it’s been so far.
Australia all out for 224 and lead by 22 runs!
WICKET! Nevill c Santner b Bracewell 66 (Australia all out for 224)
Peter Nevill’s brilliant innings finally comes to an end on 66 when he belts Doug Bracewell into the deep and Santner takes a super catch coming in and diving low to hold on. That’s the Aussies done but boy, they really pulled that out of the fire to go to the sheds with a first innings lead. It took an awful DRS call and some kamikaze tail-end batting but they’re back on terms.
71st over: Australia 224-9 (Nevill 65, Starc 24)
Australia has now put on 100 runs since that Nathan Lyon DRS howler; the Kiwis must be seething out there. Nevill takes a single early in this Boult over to hand the suddenly-buoyant Starc the strike and it must be said, he’s doing pretty damned well for a man on one leg, even if Boult is peppering him with yorkers at that fractured right foot. Ouchie.
71st over: Australia 223-9 (Nevill 65, Starc 24)
Starc is destroying Mark Craig now! He half-catches a biff over long-on to pick up four and then repeats the dose with an agricultural heave over the man at cow corner. The crowd is absolutely loving it and seconds later they’re in raptures when he gets down on one knee and bashes it in the same direction for a big six. He’s treating Craig like a mud-coated rental car, finishing the over with another towering six. Craig looks like he’s just had his wallet pinched.
Love it when a keeper digs in..... awesome stuff @pmnevill!! #keepersclub #legend
— Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) November 28, 2015
70th over: Australia 203-9 (Nevill 65, Starc 4)
Nevill pulls Boult out to deep mid-wicket but refuses the run, sensing that he’ll have a few more scoring opportunities before the over is up and he’s not only right, but moves Australia past New Zealand’s total in the most infuriating way possible, clipping a wide full toss through the vacant gully region to pick up four. He’s playing a gem of an innings today and has honestly kept Australia in the game.
Could have come from anywhere!!! (I spent ages making this) #AUSvNZ #pinkball #DayNightTest pic.twitter.com/Oh73zgDTyj
— Stephanie Whyte (@pinkstephness) November 28, 2015
69th over: Australia 199-9 (Nevill 61, Starc 4)
Thump! Nevill makes his intentions clear at the start of this Mark Craig over, skipping down the track and whacking four to cow corner. Brilliant stuff. There follows a single to bring Starc on strike and the big paceman gets a big stride in before belting Craig past the umpire’s hat for a boundary of his own. The Aussies are on the brink of New Zealand’s 202 now.
I don't care what you do in your own time but when you're on the field can you please concentrate on the cricket. pic.twitter.com/VHy7c3qlCt
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 28, 2015
68th over: Australia 190-9 (Nevill 56, Starc 0)
Starc negotiates his way through the final delivery of the Boult over and now the interesting part comes because Nevill probably needs to aim for boundaries in the next over because his partner can barely move. There’s a psychological blow to be made too if he can edge Australia past the Kiwi total.
NOT OUT! Starc survives
It’s another reprieve for the Aussies as ball-tracker indicates that it was moving well past leg. Umpire Ravi has to overturn his decision and Starc lives to hobble through another delivery.
REVIEW! Boult's trapped Starc in front first up and it's been given
Oof, did that crack him on his bad foot? No, it hit his pad and it might have slid down leg as well. We shall soon see.
WICKET! Lyon c Williamson b Boult 34 (Australia 190-9)
Gargh! Lyon departs. We shouldn’t complain really. He was a dead man walking when that review was botched and he ended up blazing 34 in a 74-run partnership with Nevill. Boult angles in a full one, Lyon swipes towards cover but only managed a thick edge to Williamson at second slip and so an entertaining hand comes to an end. He receives an appropriately rousing applause from the Adelaide crowd.
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67th over: Australia 190-8 (Nevill 56, Lyon 34)
Lyon is playing like Ranji now. I mean, I never actually saw Ranji but you know, I think it’s still a valid comparison. He sweeps Craig down to fine leg and picks up two, then gets off strike with a single. I suppose Ranji would have glanced the first one. Australia now trails by only 12 runs.
66th over: Australia 187-8 (Nevill 56, Lyon 31)
Crunch! Now Trent Boult is on to cop a dose of Nevill and like the others, he’s thumped out to the rope from a glorious square drive. Nevill and Lyon have put on 71 runs now, an embarrassment of riches after the shambolic batting that most of their teammates offered up.
65th over: Australia 183-8 (Nevill 52, Lyon 31)
Nevill is happy to milk Mark Craig for singles and all of a sudden there’s plenty of them on offer. Early in his innings he couldn’t buy a run but he’s really grown into this knock. Meanwhile, it’s safe to say that the entire nation of New Zealand is unhappy.
Nathan Lyon must be stuffed. 15 overs yesterday, batting for an hour, a walk to and from the boundary rope...
— Sports Freak (@Sportsfreakconz) November 28, 2015
Peter Nevill brings up his half-century
64th over: Australia 180-8 (Nevill 50, Lyon 30)
Now Nevill is coming into his own and emboldened by Lyon’s daredevil batting, cracks a late cut for four and then brings up his half-century with a cover-driven three. What a superb and gutsy knock from the Aussie keeper to keep his composure and seize the momentum back. It took, 84 balls, 105 minutes and featured five boundaries. Shuper shtuff.
63rd over: Australia 173-8 (Nevill 43, Lyon 30)
Now Lyon’s driving Southee for three down to long-on and in doing so, he brings up the 50 partnership off 63 balls, of which he’s contributed 60%. Nevill celebrates by spearing a square drive between gully and point to bring up four more and all of a sudden the Aussies are flying. What collapse?
62nd over: Australia 165-8 (Nevill 38, Lyon 27)
“But DRS won’t cause undue interruptions in the game,” says reader Robert Speed. “It’ll be different from all the other sports that use video review. Honest!” I think my beard actually got a full inch longer in the time it took to make the incorrect call on that Lyon review. Farcical. Anyway, Santner hasn’t been dragged after all and this over is a lot tidier.
61st over: Australia 163-8 (Nevill 37, Lyon 26)
“It’s a real even game now” says Mark Taylor, apparently convinced that Nathan Lyon is going to stick around with Nevill and continue to pile on runs. Mitchell Starc is padded up to come in, by the way. Stick yer fancy sports science theories, Cricket Australia.
The Lyon sweeps tonight. x3. #AusvNZ
— Cat Jones (@Cricketbatcat) November 28, 2015
60th over: Australia 158-8 (Nevill 33, Lyon 25)
Bang! Being declared not out when he was seems to have liberated Lyon and he celebrates his freedom by slamming Santner for four and then six with successive heaves to leg. Brilliant! McCullum moves across to give his bowler a pat on the back and make a fielding tweak but then...Lyon sweeps him for four more! Santner’s having a bit of a laugh too, which is nice to see. He’s probably been the best thing about this game so far, to be honest, but I think he might get a rest after that 16-run over; it’s an orgy by recent standards.
Lyon seeing it like a #pinkbeachball
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 28, 2015
59th over: Australia 142-8 (Nevill 32, Lyon 11)
Tim Southee’s back now because Nathan Lyon is for the umpteenth time in his Test career proving to be a real pain in the hide for the opposition. As if to emphasise that point he clips Southee down to the fine leg fence for four and picks up a single too. He’s hogging the strike!
Here’s another #Lynnsanity update. Get him into this Test side, I say. You know what they say; grade runs bring Test runs.
@rustyjacko - @lynny50 passing 200 again in club cricket today. Same club he got 200 against in a 50 over game 2 months ago.
— Damian Sharry (@DamianSharry) November 28, 2015
58th over: Australia 137-8 (Nevill 32, Lyon 6)
Of the many positives to come out of this Test for New Zealand, the serene composure of Mitchell Santner at all times is surely right up there. This is another probing over from him and when you look back at it, how valuable are his 31 runs looking? Some decent theories floating about now with regards to the delay on that DRS call before, too:
@rustyjacko a stunning effort to get the match to go into a fourth day #thirdumpirestalling
— phil withall (@phil_withall) November 28, 2015
57th over: Australia 133-8 (Nevill 28, Lyon 6)
Craig’s coming around the wicket to Lyon now and Lyon has another dash with a big slog sweep over mid-wicket to pick up two. This is all a bit of fun I suppose.
56th over: Australia 129-8 (Nevill 28, Lyon 2)
Not deterred by the events of the last over from Santner, Lyon sweeps at him again but this time makes contact to get of the mark with a single. Fifth time lucky. Nevill knows that runs are at a premium today and picks his mark by dancing down the pitch and lofting Santner’s final ball of the over down to the long-on boundary. It’s a shame none of his mates applied themselves like this. Australia still trails by 73 runs.
55th over: Australia 122-8 (Nevill 23, Lyon 0)
Geez that review process was a farce. Hot spot seemed to indicate it claimed the edge and they took well over five minutes to make the call but it ended up a non-event. Lyon seemed to fess up, too. Nevill picks up a pair of twos off Craig but Australia still face a truly dispiriting first innings deficit. Starc update: it actually looks like he’ll bat. Crazy.
54th over: Australia 118-8 (Nevill 19, Lyon 0)
Santner continues because, well, why mess with a winning formula eh? Nevill cracks a drive down the ground and takes one, signalling that he’s confident enough in Lyon to let him handle the spinner. Lyon’s already tried three ambitious sweeps, too, which hardly seems the shot for this situation but I suppose things can’t get worse.
NOT OUT! Lyon survives
That was Lyon’s third sweep in almost as many balls and he definitely didn’t hit it but geez, calm down Lyono. Where’s the fire? Also, any danger that decision could have taken a little less time than the Godfather trilogy? Absurd.
REVIEW! Santner thinks he's had Lyon caught in close
Lyon doesn’t think he nicked it.
53rd over: Australia 117-8 (Nevill 18, Lyon 0)
Starc is sitting there in a Test shirt in the player’s area, but surely he won’t come out, right? After Santner finishes off his over from before tea, Craig resumes to Nevill and he’s right on the mark to start with.
Sifting through the wreckage of that session
...what even was that? Awful batting, for one. Disciplined and lively bowling, for another. Australia’s lost six wickets in the first session, they’re 86 runs behind New Zealand’s first-innings 202 and they’ve only got one upright batsman left in Nathan Lyon. Will Mitchell Starc now bat? In his moon boot? Then there’s the small matter of the Marsh brothers descending further into infamy. Are you friend or family to either of them? If so, please don’t look on Twitter right now.
How did New Zealand do it? Well, every one of their bowlers contributed, they fielded like men possessed (McCullum’s run out of Shaun Marsh was a real gem, even if he was assisted by some comedy running between the wickets) and Australia played straight into their hands. As it stands, Mark Craig has 2-9 off 3 overs of the exact same spin that saw him belted from pillar to post in the first two Tests and debutant Mitchell Santner has 1-25 from 10.5 overs and must be thinking this Test cricket stuff is a right lark.
More on that maiden Test wicket reaction from Santner
Brilliant stuff. Turn that into a limited edition print, Channel Nine.
"What was that about two spinners?" pic.twitter.com/wwzofeXJCd
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 28, 2015
WICKET! Hazlewood b Santner 4 (Australia 116-8)
Hazlewood goes! This is just chaos. Now Santner gets his first wicket in Test cricket when he tosses up a full one and Hazlewood plays all round it to effectively york himself. Santner can’t believe it and in a truly comic sight, cranes his neck around the batsman to check that he’s really castled him. He has! The Australian pair trudge off for the tea break and the home side has somehow contrived to lose 6-62 in a single session. It’s a calamity.
50th over: Australia 115-7 (Nevill 16, Hazlewood 4)
Hazlewood cracks a four off the final ball of Craig’s next over. Speaking of the scoreboard, Ian Healy has made his way inside it as the result of a viewer poll that decided which of he and Mike Hussey would get the task. Here’s how New Zealand’s 140-character-Don saw it:
The poll never mentioned that microphones would still work in the scoreboard.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 28, 2015
49th over: Australia 110-7 (Nevill 15, Hazlewood 0)
Siddle’s wicket fell off the final ball of the Craig over and as Michael Slater correctly notes, there must be smoke coming off the cogs up in the Adelaide Oval scoreboard. There’s five men around Hazlewood’s bat as Santner does his thing and the Kiwis fancy ripping out another one before the 20 minute tea break. Thusfar the damage for this session is 56-5 in the space of 26 overs of brittle Australian batting. This Test will be over by Sunday night at the rate we’re going.
Updated
RUN-OUT REVIEW! Not out.
Is Hazlewood gone for a diamond duck? Ooh, he’s only just home but he really ran in sand there to get home for a Nevill single. It’s hard to keep up with all the madness right now.
WICKET! Siddle c Latham b Craig 0 (Australia 109-7)
Siddle departs for a duck! This is just farcical stuff from the Aussies. Now Craig pursues a leg stump line to Siddle and the big quick is a little hard with his hands as he pushes forward to defend, sending a relatively simple catch looping up to Latham under the lid at short leg. Urgh. Awful stuff.
Updated
WICKET! Smith c Watling b Craig 53 (Australia 109-6)
Smith departs with a kamikaze stroke! Oh my word. Mark Craig bowled some real trash in his first over but with 12 minutes left until the 20-minute tea break, Smith’s eyes light up as he dances down the pitch attempting to heave the ball towards cow. Not only does he miss solid connection, he sends an inside-edge flying high through to keeper Watling and departs. That was a bizarre dismissal; totally out of the blue. What was he thinking? Australia was just starting to rebuild there and now they’re a serious chance of slumping to a first innings deficit.
Updated
47th over: Australia 109-5 (Smith 53, Nevill 14)
Santner is looking far more like a Test spinner than his bowling partner but he drops one short outside off stump and Nevill scoots back and crouches low to play a very effective late cut down to the third man boundary as he continues to grow into this keeper-batsman role. He’s looked a hell of a lot more like a Test batsman today than Mitchell Marsh has at any point of the summer.
Smith brings up his half-century!
47th over: Australia 105-5 (Smith 53, Nevill 10)
With Mark Craig into the attack, Smith’s eyes light up and he hammers the offie for four through cover to bring up his half-century and the game’s highest score so far. That took him 108 deliveries and featured 5 fours across 181 minutes of unstinting concentration. A matter of four balls into his first spell of the game Craig is resorting to darting them two feet down the leg side. So far, so bad from him.
46th over: Australia 101-5 (Smith 49, Nevill 10)
The hundred finally comes up for Australia with Santner still wheeling away with his left-arm spin, and it has to be said, the Kiwi is surely the youngest-looking 23-year-old in the world. In the words of Malcolm Tucker, he looks like he’s about to trip on his umbilical cord.
This is a pretty decent point:
Neville's catch off Lyon is the sort of chance Haddin would drop & commentators would say "Keepers are not expected to catch those." #AUSvNZ
— Tony Tea (@AfterGrogBlog) November 28, 2015
45th over: Australia 98-5 (Smith 46, Nevill 10)
Again Smith gathers a single early in the Bracewell over and Nevill sees off the rest. He’s only 10 from 36, which is no better in the strike-rate stakes than Mitchell Marsh, but he is looking to score and thus rarely looking like he’ll get out. Good stuff.
44th over: Australia 97-5 (Smith 45, Nevill 10)
Santner’s dragging it down a bit and also bowling a little flatter than he might given the state of the game, but he’s getting away with it and Smith misses an opportunity to hammer a short one through mid-wicket, clocking an inside edge into his pad and out to the leg-side for one. It’s not inspiring stuff from the Aussies but they’ve now stemmed the tide, which raged against them for most of this firsts session.
Updated
43rd over: Australia 96-5 (Smith 44, Nevill 10)
Perhaps with the break in mind, Steve Smith seems unfussed by the lack of strike he’s had in the last few overs and again gets a single early in the over to hand Doug Bracewell over to Nevill. The best ball of the Bracewell over is the last, which curves away nicely to miss the edge as Nevill attempts an ambitious drive.
42nd over: Australia 95-5 (Smith 43, Nevill 10)
Ooh, a proper burst of Mitchell Santner now as the 20-minute tea break approaches. He had one over to start the day as Southee and Boult changed ends but he’s on for a real go now. It’s a tidy start to Nevill and a maiden to boot. Speaking of high percentages of your team score, how’s the work that #Lynnsanity is doing in grade ranks today?
.@lynny50 has tonned up in #premiercricket. @ToombulDCC 3/163 v Norths. Scores: https://t.co/Moc97y7ito
— Queensland Cricket (@qldcricket) November 28, 2015
Updated
41st over: Australia 94-5 (Smith 43, Nevill 10)
Doug Bracewell is keeping things tight again in this over, a far cry from the massive struggles he endured in Brisbane. He probably would have preferred to be playing this Test down in Hobart after his heroics there in 2012, but he’s playing his role perfectly today.
40th over: Australia 93-5 (Smith 42, Nevill 10)
Perhaps I’m being delusional and cursing him to a swift and needless exit, but Peter Nevill looks the goods at the moment and his best moment in this over is a crisp drive through cover for two.
Cowan-mentum?
#SheffieldShield 100 partnership between Cowan and Maddinson up off 153 balls. #NSWvQld
— NSW Blues (@CricketNSWBlues) November 28, 2015
39th over: Australia 89-5 (Smith 42, Nevill 6)
Two to Smith is the only damage in this over but ever-so-slightly, he and Nevill are turning the tide after all the downward momentum of the first session. Australia’s 35-3 from 17 overs today. Dismal.
38th over: Australia 87-5 (Smith 40, Nevill 6)
The key item of interest for me right now is figuring out what percentage of Australia’s first innings score will be made by Captain Smudge. 60%? More? He works Southee to leg for a single early in this over and there’s a neat drive down the ground by Nevill for two. He’s already looking more likely to make runs than any other partner Smith has had today.
WINVIZ thinks Gilly is still playing. #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/sHYc2LqV8B
— Paul Dennett (@the_summer_game) November 28, 2015
37th over: Australia 84-5 (Smith 39, Nevill 4)
This is either a nightmare scenario or a dream opportunity for Peter Nevill, depending on his mindset. He is at least a compact and busy batsman and it’s unlikely he’ll be as badly bogged down as Marsh was before that dismissal. He gets off the mark with an outside edge for four through gully and though the Kiwis like the look of it, Nevill was playing with nice soft hands to keep it down, which is more than you can say for some of his mates. He’s also calling loudly and decisively for runs and non-runs, which is ne’er amiss.
WICKET! M Marsh c Watling b Bracewell 4 (Australia 80-5)
Bracewell claims Mitch Marsh! And I’m sorry to say it, but in its own way that dismissal was every bit as ugly as his brother’s. It was a bog standard out-swinger and playing for preservation rather than runs, Marsh just sort of hung his bat out there to send an edge through to the keeper. What else did he expect from a half-shot like that? Pressure does strange things to batsmen I guess but that was pretty awful from the young all-rounder. Australia’s falling into a sinkhole here.
And their dad just split his pint.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) November 28, 2015
Updated
36th over: Australia 80-4 (Smith 39, M Marsh 34)
Oof, there’s a throaty LBW shout frojm Tim Southee here against Mitch Marsh but replays show it was probably slanting a little too far down leg and also well high of the stumps so the decision not to review is another judicious one by captain McCullum. Otherwise he’s keeping things very stingy and even the single Marsh gets from the final delivery is a streak inside-edge out to deep mid-wicket.
@rustyjacko If his brother somehow makes about 130, he'll surpass Shaun's lofty Test average of just under 32. #AUSvNZ
— Phillip Meng (@PhillipMeng) November 28, 2015
35th over: Australia 79-4 (Smith 39, M Marsh 3)
I’ll be honest, I spent the entirety of this Doug Bracewell maiden re-watching the Marsh run-out. It’s even more compelling that those kids bursting condoms over their heads, I tell’s ya. This is also a reasonable point because it’s been an exciting Test thusfar:
In all seriousness let's ignore the pink ball for a sec. How much better is it watching Test cricket when there's some help for the bowlers?
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 28, 2015
34th over: Australia 79-4 (Smith 39, M Marsh 3)
Bang! Smith gets positive again when he’s given some with and gently places a square drive between gully and point to pick up four off Boult and then there’s a single, paving the way for Mitch Marsh to launch into a ludicrous fresh-air shot in attempting to drive a wide one outside off stump. Calm down Mitch.
33rd over: Australia 74-4 (Smith 34, M Marsh 3)
The dot balls were really piling up there but Smith finally manages two when Doug Bracewell rocks up for his first bowl of the day and there’s a single to leg too. Geez, every replay of the Marsh run-out is more and more painful to watch; one of the more shambolic dismissals you’ll ever see.
Chris Rogers points out on @abcgrandstand that SMarsh has been spoken to in past about needing to be louder/more assertive in his calling
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) November 28, 2015
32nd over: Australia 71-4 (Smith 31, M Marsh 3)
Mitch Marsh is defending stoutly here, watching the ball out of Boult’s hand and striding forward purposefully on the front foot as he sees off another maiden. And it’s time for my first mea culpa of the day, as highlighted by Brendan Jones via email. “Two things. 1. Is this also the first Test match ever where the Umpires cannot go off for bad light? 2. Re your comment “nobody has actually hit a Test match six under lights yet” I respectfully point out that Southee hit a six off Hazlewood in the night session yesterday. So you can tick that box too.”
Err, awkward. It must have been while I was grabbing a drink out of the fridge. Trust Southee to be the one...
To commemorate Shaun Marsh's run out @WWOS9 have released this limited edition photo #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/rz2B6cnrOs
— Phil Sweeney (@PhilSweeney2) November 28, 2015
Updated
31st over: Australia 71-4 (Smith 31, M Marsh 3)
A maiden from Southee, which is another win for Australia because it means they haven’t lost another wicket. Is this the day we gain our first true insight into the batting talents of Peter Nevill? I can’t say my hopes for the younger Marsh are swelling right now but happy to be proven wrong.
Having watched McCullum field like a Dervish for 3 Tests now, it was only a matter of time before he got reward on the scoreboard. #AusvNZ
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 28, 2015
Updated
30th over: Australia 71-4 (Smith 31, M Marsh 3)
Well, at least the Marsh family have the consolation of watching another son now and Mitch duly drives Boult for three to get off the mark but up in the stands his Dad is looking red-faced and more than a little miffed. He’s had far more airtime in this series than either of his sons, I’m sad to say. Anyway, Australia survives the Boult over without further pratfalls. They’re really shooting themselves in the foot early on day two.
Updated
29th over: Australia 68-4 (Smith 31, M Marsh 0)
Urgh, replays reveal that it was Marsh’s indifference in calling his skipper through that was a the problem there, not Smith’s desire for a run. Marsh stuttered a number of times to leave himself in no man’s land and he can only blame himself for that fact that it’s his brother at the crease now. That was a an utter debacle.
That is such a Shaun Marsh way to be dismissed #AUSvNZ
— Roger Oldridge (@roger_oldridge) November 28, 2015
Wait! No, no.... Wait.... uuuum, sorry. #AUSvNZ
— Les Hunter (@huntiero21) November 28, 2015
WICKET! Shaun Marsh run out McCullum 2 (Australia 67-4)
Calamity for Shaun Marsh! What an awful run-out. Marsh plays a splendid drive to mid-off – so well that Smith assumes it’s beaten Brendon McCullum in that position so he takes off for a run but McCullum hares across, stops it with his left hand and then throws down the stumps as poor Marsh trots along miles out of his ground. That’s a disaster for the Aussies. New Zealand are all over them.
A mix-up and some superb fielding from McCullum. SMarsh gone, MMarsh to the crease: https://t.co/0nF46zDa50 #AUSvNZ https://t.co/d4Xwf0HXta
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 28, 2015
Updated
28th over: Australia 67-3 (Smith 31, S Marsh 2)
Steve Smith’s starting a mile down the leg side before walking across to protect his stumps as Boult delivers but the left-armer continues to pursue a line well wide of off stump before switching around the wicket and changing the angles slightly. He’s got three slips, a gully and everything else is conventional, but the clear intent is have Smith playing away from his body on the off side for the most part and leaving a faster, straighter one as the novelty ball. So far Smith’s remaining patient.
27th over: Australia 67-3 (Smith 31, S Marsh 2)
Ooh yeah, the Shaun Marsh leave is a thing of boundless beauty. I was talking him down yesterday; his leave really is stunning. I’d watch this man leave all day. It might be his best bet to be honest. He drives Southee to cover off the middle of the bat but McCullum’s on hand to cut off the single. Like Boult, Southee is probably a tad wide and one ball late in the over takes off at right angles past the popping crease and Watling does well to reel it in. Marsh turns two through mid-wicket to get off the mark as his father Geoff chews his nails in front of the players’ area.
26th over: Australia 65-3 (Smith 31, S Marsh 0)
Replays show that Voges played all around that Southee out-swinger that claimed him. What was I saying before about Mitch Marsh batting under lights? He’s more likely to be bowling again at this rate. Smith’s moving around his crease to Trent Boult and picks up two here but it’s a wide line outside off stump and there’s not a lot for him to work with.
25th over: Australia 63-3 (Smith 29, S Marsh 0)
Well, it’s a fair old job for Shaun Marsh now. His inclusion in this side was a contentious one and he’ll be under the pump early this morning after that quick breakthrough from Southee.
WICKET! Voges c Guptill b Southee 13 (Australia 63-3)
Southee claims Voges! That is a perfect start for the Kiwis as Southee appears and immediately sends Voges back to the pavilion. Two balls earlier the Kiwi quick claimed the outside edge of a driving Voges but it flied a ruler-length high and wide of the outstretched right hand of a diving Guptill at third slip, but he’s not so lucky the second time when he jams down on a fuller one and the edge flies straight to the same man.
Updated
24th over: Australia 58-2 (Smith 28, Voges 9)
Okay, looks like it was a change of ends that prompted that Santner over after all, because Boult emerges now for a trundle. He technically could have bowled the first over but clearly didn’t want to do so from Santner’s end. He’s got two slips and a gully but it’s all a bit ginger and gentle as the lefty warms himself up. A single to Smith is the only damage and Boult is now a little looser.
I have no idea what the context is for this but I’m still instinctively going with it:
@simmodross @rustyjacko pic.twitter.com/IPBaosy1M6
— Tommy (@ThomasLMM) November 28, 2015
23rd over: Australia 57-2 (Smith 27, Voges 9)
Ooh, we’re under way a little early in Adelaide and somewhat strangely, it’s debutant spinner Mitchell Santner who starts us off. Is this just to switch the ends of the quicks? Surely not. Then why? It’s a bit defensive to start like this, you’d think. What is McCullum’s game here? Smith gets going for the day by tucking him to leg for two and then a single, and it’s all a bit easy for the start of a day of Test cricket.
We’re going day-night Test crazy now
I think I’ll have to attend this one to be honest.
Gerard: Pakistan a D/N Test next year? Sutherland: "Absolutely" talking to them about it. #AUSvNZ
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) November 28, 2015
After the Australian team masseur’s fine fielding performance yesterday, I’d be okay with having, say, the coach bat at 5 today. #AUSvNZ
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 28, 2015
Our first email of the day
And it’s gentleman, scholar and all-round renaissance man Robert McLiam Wilson. “As I lay awake last night, tossing and turning, thinking of Peter Siddle, I had a revelation,” says Robert. “Or at the very least a damn good simile. New Zealand’s first innings was all about Peter S. The Aussies were a completely different proposition with him in the side. The great Mike Selvey often speaks of the importance of partnership bowling. El Siddle gives good partnership with absolutely everybody. He’s the glue, the hub. He’s the satisfying click as the self-assembly unit finally comes together.”
“And thus, I understood something. P Siddle is exactly like good grammar or deft punctuation. It may not win a lot of prizes, but stuff’s just gonna make a lot more sense when it’s included.”
I nodded my head through all of that, RMclW. Siddle is a phenomenon in a way; so often he’s the catalyst for a superb team bowling performance – nibbling away industriously and tying the batsmen down at one end while others go the jugular at the other – but equally, so often people completely disregard this fact and write him off.
Also, I think because he does the yeoman’s work, people assume he’s older than he actually is. He’s only just turned 31. With luck and with no further drop-off in pace, he could theoretically bowl this way for another 3-4 years. That’s a 300-wicket Test bowler, right there. A champion by many definitions. You compared him to Merv yesterday and I think that’s apt, because he’s equally at ease doing the team thing as he is pretending he’s a strike bowler. We all know he’s really not a strike bowler, but enough batsmen start to believe it that the basic facts don’t really matter. What’s not to love about the guy?
Emails please...
Has anybody read a decent new cricket book this summer? I’m putting together a Guardian wrap of all the Christmas cricket books for 2015 and am interested to know what everyone’s been reading and what they’ve thought of it.
So far I’ve done Chasing Shadows, the Peter Roebuck book, the new KP one (On Cricket), Justin Parkinson’s fascinating exploration of the death of English leg spin, I’m half-way through Jarrod Kimber’s Test Cricket: the unauthorised biography and there’s a few others that, well, it’s probably best not to mention yet. Anyway, let me know what cricket books you’re reading at the moment, even if they’re oldies.
History is still to be made today
...because nobody has actually hit a Test match six under lights yet. If Australia bats long enough today I fancy Mitch Marsh. Here’s Kim Hughes hitting Viv Richards – the master blaster himself – for the first ever ODI six under lights.
Another Mitchell Starc update
Hmm, this really doesn’t look too good, does it? Is it rash to question why he even played in this game? He clearly wasn’t 100% in Perth either.
Mitchell Starc arriving at the ground ahead of day two. More on his injury here: https://t.co/WAnX8Q5jAF #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/KE1ZnTrfI3
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 28, 2015
Preamble
Hello OBOers and welcome to day two of this historic, unusual and constantly intriguing pink-ball Test. Russell Jackson here to take you through the first two sessions before the arrival of Rob Smyth. The big news this morning, as you can already gather, is that Mitchell Starc will be playing no further part with the ball, in this Test and probably for the rest of the summer tool, which is good news only to West Indies batsmen. Looking ahead, it’s a real blow for the one-day series; there was nothing I was more looking forward to than Starc steaming in with the white ball.
This first session promises to be a fascinating one; Steve Smith and Adam Voges will doubtless find it a lot easier to negotiate than the tense closing stages last night and opportunities also await the Marsh brothers. My sense: we can probably make alternative plans for Tuesday at a minimum. Could be wrong. Feel free to get in contact throughout the day, one that might at least adding to the season’s list of novelty sub-fielders. I’m spewing that I missed out on welcoming Australian masseur Grant Baldwin to the fray in the final session last night. Maybe we’ll see him again today. You can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or via Twitter – @rustyjacko – with your thoughts on that and anything else.
Feel free to send me any updates on where you’re watching the game, too.
Day 2 preparations. British Hotel, Nth Adelaide #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/rVRoka24T8
— Smokie Dawson (@smokiedawson) November 28, 2015
A further update on Mitchell Starc
He’s entered the field in civvies and wearing a moon boot, which doesn’t auger particularly well for his ability to even have a hit later in Australia’s first innings. If they’re to win this Test they’ll do it with ten men.
Dirk Nannes, who had a similar injury to Mitch Starc, tells @FOXSportsNews he expects the Aussie to miss at least 6 weeks. So no more Tests.
— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_M_FOX) November 28, 2015
Russell will be here shortly, but in the meantime, you can check out yesterday’s match report or better still, Matt Cleary’s ‘Away Days’ account of life in the outer in this brave new world of day-night Test cricket. Max Opray also had a snoop around on day one too. On a negative note, it looks as though Mitchell Starc will feature as a batsman only for the rest of this game and potentially miss the rest of the summer after scans revealed that he’s picked up a stress fracture in his right foot.
Updated
