Day one match report:
Australia’s day. If the visitors did pick up a second scalp with that second new ball we’d be having a different conversation overnight but they didn’t so we’re not. Returning to the best of the hot conditions tomorrow, with New Zealand one bowler down after Ferguson did his calf, they’re now in the box seat to go big. Not least Labuschagne, who could make his third century on the trot into a very, very big one. Don’t doubt it. We’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye!
Marnus Labuschagne speaks, upon reaching his third Test ton. He’s just taking it one innings at a time. On bringing up a century with a six, says the boys were giving him grief during the week when he tried to do so at Adelaide. He didn’t know that he was one of the quickest to 1000 runs. He’s happy Australia are winning. The end.
STUMPS: Australia 248-4
90th over: Australia 248-4 (Labuschagne 110, Head 20) Wagner to Labuschagne from around the wicket with the field set for the short stuff, both with catchers in close and men back. And it nearly works! Ross Taylor, at third man, very nearly has a catch delivered to him! The number three has been brilliant today but that’s not much of a shot with a few balls until stumps. It’s Head once more for the final three balls of the day and he gets to the finish line safely. STUMPS!
89th over: Australia 245-4 (Labuschagne 109, Head 18) Labuschagne quickly gives the strike back to Head who is far more confident this time around, driving Southee compactly along the carpet for four. There’s a wobble - playing and missing again at a ball short of a length - but he backs it up with a pristine cover drive to the rope. With Labuschagne on strike for the start of the final over, that might be Head’s job complete for now. He’ll certainly hope that’s the case.
88th over: Australia 236-4 (Labuschagne 108, Head 10) Nathan Lyon is padded up in the viewing room, ready to come in if required as nightwatchman. It’s a job he knows well and one he was nearly required to play with Head playing and missing - only barely - with a prod at a Wagner ball he should be leaving be if he can. On the drive later in the over, Raval moves quickly to his right to stop a ball that bounces only once before reaching him. But once again, he keeps it together and gets through to the end of the over. Two to go.
87th over: Australia 236-4 (Labuschagne 108, Head 10) Southee will like this match-up against Head, who kept the strike with the final ball of the previous over. Going short, it nearly pays off immediately with a delivery that follows the bat on the angle after it has been withdrawn. With a bit more width from the next short one, Head has a dash and lifts it over the cordon for four. It doesn’t relieve the pressure though, each ball moving sharply back towards his stumps and pads. He’s through it. Three left until the close. And yes, you’re reading that correctly: play will finish inside the extra half hour.
86th over: Australia 231-4 (Labuschagne 108, Head 5) Wagner - who opened this final session up when removing Smith - gets a chance with the new ball before the close. Head plays the percentages until the final ball, where he has a crack on the front foot only for the ball to spit off his inside edge down behind square. They’re close here.
85th over: Australia 229-4 (Labuschagne 107, Head 4) Southee getting it to HOOP at Head, the South Aussie surviving a leg before shout early in the over - too high, just - then so close to falling in identical fashion to Wade when leaving one that went big. This is why we love Test cricket - hours of investment for periods like this.
84th over: Australia 225-4 (Labuschagne 107, Head 0) de Grandhomme has been so important today, this his sixth maiden in 16 overs to go with the scalp of Burns. Forget about his lack of pace, Labuschagne is right to defend and leave and not much more.
The new ball is talking! 👀#AUSvNZ live: https://t.co/0Uay6Vh9fg pic.twitter.com/SMuuKRZ4rK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 12, 2019
83rd over: Australia 225-4 (Labuschagne 107, Head 0) Watching the replay, Wade was about to play at that before removing the bat, the ball clipping the flap of his pad on way through to the very top of off. Delicious. And in comes Travis Head, the man who didn’t face a ball last week on his home deck at Adelaide - not required, of course. Southee is over the wicket to him initially before going back around. He leaves well too, a ball that this time swung the other way. Classy fast bowling from a classy operator. Once again, New Zealand have been rewarded for their patience. A fifth wicket before bed - especially if it is that of Labuschagne - and it is their day.
WICKET! Wade b Southee 12 (Australia 225-4)
Wade bowled leaving! Super delivery from the veteran Southee, swinging in with the angle from around the wicket, clipping the off-stump. That’s the stuff fast bowlers dream of. Game on now!
82nd over: Australia 225-3 (Labuschagne 107, Wade 12) de Grandhomme is tossed the new one instead of Wagner, his outswingers shown respect by Labuschagne outside the off-stump.
81st over: Australia 223-3 (Labuschagne 107, Wade 11) Southee takes the new pink ball straight away. We know from observing these contests over the last few years how tough these sessions can be ahead of stumps. Wade has a pop at one too; one he should have left alone and is fortunate not to tickle behind. They have to get a fourth.
For comparison with attendances, the last Test at the WACA had 22,000-plus on days one and two and nearly 21,000 on day three.
80th over: Australia 222-3 (Labuschagne 107, Wade 10) Final over with the old ball; Santner has it. And Wade goes at him on the sweep, down the rope but in the air for quite some time. They won’t mind that. Michael Vaughan laments that he hasn’t got a short leg in for the relatively new man when this will probably be the final over is this current spell. Instead, he drops short giving Wade the chance to drop back and cut. He didn’t get all of it, as he said himself through the stump mic, so they have to settle for three thanks to an enthusiastic Nicholls dive. The second new ball is now available.
The attendance at the Casino Stadium tonight is 19,084.
@collinsadam don’t mind the sub idea. i think the only way to prevent tactical gaming of injury subs / descending into a farce would be to make the subs at captains leisure. would change the game, but would still be cricket. could make bowling attacks very potent in 4th innings
— Dan Guidone (@DanGuidone) December 12, 2019
79th over: Australia 215-3 (Labuschagne 107, Wade 3) A wide is called for a bumper early in Wagner’s over for bouncing too high but he is not deterred, going hard at Labuschagne from around the wicket and prompting a false stroke, nearly picking out backward point when making room outside the leg stump. You don’t see that in Test ricket too often. Gosh, and again - this time in response to a full, straight offering. Had that bowled him it would have looked a tailenders’ dismissal. Ooh, and now nearly tickles the final ball down the legside into Watling’s gloves. Outstanding spell of short bowling.
They say Marnus Labuschagne likes to do most things that his idol Steve Smith does. So now he’s ensured that his name too is taken in the same breath as Don Bradman repeatedly during a day’s play #AUSvNZ @cricbuzz #recordbreaker
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 12, 2019
78th over: Australia 212-3 (Labuschagne 105, Wade 3) Are the Kiwis calling Santner ‘Slinky’? I’m ALL in for that. Isa Guha has just picked up on it too. I’ll add it to the list of toys I’ll buy my soon-to-arrive child but are really for myself. He slinks through a neat and tidy set.
Updated
77th over: Australia 211-3 (Labuschagne 104, Wade 3) Wagner to Wade with the light now looking a bit more night than day. Not before time. After finding the inside edge then going upstairs, the slower yorker follows. Top bowling, this. Another bumper, which the left-hander sways away from. Two sharp runs follow behind the square leg ump to finish. He would have been up against it at the danger end had the throw been on target, but it wasn’t close.
Nice work from the Cricket Ground DJ at drinks.
A handy list Labuschagne has now joined.
Australians to score a century in 3 straight Test innings:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) December 12, 2019
Warren Bardsley (1909-10)
Charles Macartney (1926)
Jack Fingleton (1936)
Arthur Morris (1947)
Sir Don Bradman (1948)
Adam Gilchrist (2005)
David Warner (2014 & 2015)
Adam Voges (2015-16)
Marnus Labuschagne (2019)#AUSvNZ
DRINKS!
76th over: Australia 209-3 (Labuschagne 104, Wade 1) Santner is playing his role here too, Labuschagne given no option but to defend after singles were exchanged to start the over. Four overs until the new ball and they are all important. Gotta keep it tight and tough.
75th: Australia 207-3 (Labuschagne 103, Wade 0) Wade leaves and ducks the last couple of balls in Wagner’s successful over. So much admiration for Williamson’s approach to Smith. They earned that.
WICKET! Smith c Southee b Wagner 43 (Australia 207-3)
Smith caught in the legside trap! It works for Wagner as it did for Stokes at The Oval (and Ferguson at Lord’s during the World Cup), Smith picking out leg gully on the pull shot. He’s furious. New Zealand made him wait and never let him free. This is their reward: Smith back to the pavilion ahead of the second new ball. Excellent.
Updated
74th: Australia 206-2 (Labuschagne 102, Smith 43) I know I’m fascinated with Mark Waugh’s commentary - he was my childhood hero, don’t you know - but he absolutely called that, saying that Marnus should hit Santner over his head to move from 95 to the ton. And so it was. With Smith on strike later in the over, Santner got one to turn big - so big that it ended up with Taylor at first slip diving behind Watling. A good sign for the visitors. But, with Marnus in this kind of shape, it might not matter. What an incredible run he’s on.
Marnus Labuschagne brings up his third Test ton on the trot!
And seals it with a SIX, launching Santner over long-on!
73rd over: Australia 199-2 (Labuschagne 95, Smith 43) Okay, now Wagner is getting the party started with the field set for his short-pitched barrage. Not before time. Smith wants nothing of it, though.
Injury replacements are needed ASAP in test cricket. Instantly dilutes the contest.
— Trent Woodhill (@TrentWoodhill) December 12, 2019
Interesting perspective from Trent Woodhill, a man who is always worth listening to. Is this viable? How to avoid manipulation?
72nd over: Australia 198-2 (Labuschagne 94, Smith 43) There’s the bounce Santner craves from his height, dropping the pace right back and turning past Smith’s edge. “I’m not sure if he hit a footmark?” says Mark Waugh - gotta love his consistency when it comes to finger spinners. He completes the maiden, which is important ahead of this second new ball. They can’t let these two to shift up the gears now.
71st over: Australia 198-2 (Labuschagne 94, Smith 43) Wagner change ends Labuschagne immediately elects to play a deft late cut, steered to the boundary with true class. But he’s not happy, apologising to Smith for playing a shot that could, in theory, see him caught behind the wicket. A touch odd. He’s far happier with the two he takes behind square off the hip, with it raising 1000 runs in Test cricket in this his 12th start. He celebrates by moving to 94 with a bullet, hammering a pull shot to the rope. Fantastic batting.
70th over: Australia 188-2 (Labuschagne 84, Smith 43) Mark Waugh, perfectly in character, is keen to make sure everyone knows how little Santner spinners it. Until, sure enough, he does rip one to Smith. He’s well set now though, playing it late with soft hands.
Confirmed from the NZ camp that Ferguson is off to hospital for an MRI on his right calf muscle. He sustained the injury bowling in the second session - the spell he had Smith dropped at second slip.
69th over: Australia 183-2 (Labuschagne 81, Smith 41) It looks like we’re still some way from the artificial light taking over, which New Zealand need - especially when the second pink new ball arrives in 11 overs time. For now it’s Southee to Labuschagne, up for leg before when beating his inside edge for about the fifth time today. Good bowling but too high for it to be given out or to warrant a review.
Lockie Ferguson is off for scans
68th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 80, Smith 41) Wagner returns and starts off on a good line and length to Smith rather than going upstairs as he did so routinely in Christchurch a few years ago. On that occasion, Smith got himself a ton. Great contest, though. The bouncer does arrive to finish the set but it isn’t on target.
Uh oh... Lockie Ferguson has been sent for scans of his calf. This is terrible news for New Zealand when you consider how hot it is going to be at Perth throughout this Test Match. If they have lost their fastest bowler, on debut, they could be in real strife.
67th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 80, Smith 41) Southee is back to replace de Grandhomme, prompting respect from Labuschagne until he angles in at the woodwork, Australia’s in-form number three whipping him away through midwicket to move into the 80s. To think how his recall was reacted to in January this year.
66th over: Australia 178-2 (Labuschagne 76, Smith 41) Santner is into his groove at Smith, trying with all his might to drag him forward in order to bring a stumping into the equation. Not to be. Patience.
They are discussing on commentary the Liam Gallagher circus in Melbourne the other night. A suitable excuse to share the Channel Seven yarn on telly tonight, featuring Amelia, one of my best pals. Advance Australia Fair.
65th over: Australia 178-2 (Labuschagne 76, Smith 41) de Grandhomme’s first misdirected delivery since the break and it is taken by Labuschagne to the fine leg rope. Easy peasy. It brings up the 100 partnership between these two, sharing a hug in the middle to reflect the milestone. It’s the second time they have added triple figures in a Test. Huge smiles - ala Paul Rudd. As is so well documented, they are very fond of playing in the same team.
64th over: Australia 174-2 (Labuschagne 72, Smith 41) Nice shot, Smith into the 40s with a flourish, getting to the pitch of Santner before stroking him expertly through exta cover for four. They have a man catching close in there but this is all along the carpet.
63rd over: Australia 169-2 (Labuschagne 71, Smith 37) Clever captaincy from Williamson bringing de Grandhomme back into the attack after tea, the all-rounder floating down his third straight maiden. Smith has the light-sabre out for the most part, the Black Cap all-rounder very happy to hang out on the fourth/fifth stump.
62nd over: Australia 169-2 (Labuschagne 71, Smith 37) Runs against Santner this time, Smith not missing out when the spinner drifts down leg, glancing three, Labuschagne giving the strike straight back with one to mid-off. He’s collecting so many runs to that part of the ground. Smith finishes with another down the ground. Anyone else curious as to what the attendance figure is going to be?
61st over: Australia 164-2 (Labuschagne 70, Smith 33) Back to back maidens from de Grandhomme, this time keeping Labuschagne defending on the stumps then leaving just outside. Always tidy.
Around the grounds, England’s women have won, by 127 runs, their second ODI against Pakistan in Malaysia to go two up. All-rounder Nat Sciver smashed her third international ton along the way.
60th over: Australia 164-2 (Labuschagne 70, Smith 33) Santner is giving the ball a chance to turn, but it isn’t doing much. Of course, the tweaker made his impressive Test debut with the pink ball against Australia in the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide in 2015.
59th over: Australia 163-2 (Labuschagne 69, Smith 33) de Grandhomme is given first crack after the break, in an effort to keep the Australians thinking about it, no doubt. He does beat Smith with a ball well wide off the off-stump, almost going under his bat at just 120kph. Sure enough, the clever all-rounder banks another maiden.
58th over: Australia 163-2 (Labuschagne 69, Smith 33) Smith tucks twice into the gap, Labuschagne pushes into another at cover. These two are straight back into their work. They’ve put on 88.
The players are back on the field. Santner to Smith. PLAY!
Bad light has again stopped play prematurely at ‘Pindi between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. That’s prompted a few tweets my way in relation to a familiar whinge of mine. We have this pink ball, right? Why don’t we use it when the light fades? Given the balls are changed all the time in Test cricket, why not just chuck the bowling team a pink ball under lights until the scheduled close then return to the red in the AM? Of course, a pink ball of comparable overs. Sure, it’s not absolutely perfect as a solution but it is better than sending players off for bad light in this day and age when we have a ball for it.
Almost forgot it is Election Day over here. Without wanting to go all Australian Exceptionalism on you (it isn’t a thing), I can’t get over the public knocking back preferential voting here in 2011. Anyway, cricket! That great, enduring distraction.
Another? Nonsense XIs. Music. Yes, Lee Henderson, Yes. He writes: “Great to have you back and in tandem with Lemon again.” Love to be back. “Bunch of us sipping IPA’s here in the drought stricken sub tropics of the Byron region NSW and we have the OBO up on a 75” monster screen which is split between the Guardian and Radiohead tracks for Kid A. which are playing through a killer system. We’re matching the team to the tracks.”
This is brilliant. And I know about four posts ago I was talking about essay ideas, but an enduring entry on my “stuff to write” list is linking songs on an album as to where they would be in a batting XI.
So, here goes, via Lee:
1.Everything in it’s right place= Smith
2. Kid A = Marnus Labuschagne
3. The National Anthem= The GOAT
4. How To Disappear Completely = Joe Who?
5.Treefingers= Josh Hazlewood
6. Optimistic = Matthew Wade
7. In Limbo = David Warner (or is that purgatory...)
8. Idioteque = We passed on this one, too cruel.
9. Morning Bell = Tim Paine obviously ( each morning his alarm goes off and Alexa says: Good morning captain my captain)
10. Motion Picture soundtrack = Pat (Hollywood good looks) Cummins(Had to grab two tracks from Radiohead’s oeuvre to make up the numbers)
11a. Prove Yourself (Pablo Honey) =Travis Head
12a. Reckoner(In Rainbows) = Mitchell Starc
Idioteque can also be interpreted as the best song on the album, thus, Smith? Great OBO areas.
TEA: Australia 160-2
57th over: Australia 160-2 (Labuschagne 68, Smith 31) Jeev Raval with a few old-school loopy leggies before the session break. Neither man takes the bait, happy to operate exclusively in singles. Oh, scrap that - Labuschagne punches a drive to extra cover for a couple to finish. That’ll be tea. A wicketless shift for the Australians.
56th over: Australia 155-2 (Labuschagne 65, Smith 29) Smith’s turn to show some authority, once again coming down the track to Santner before bisecting the fielders through the onside. Class. Alongside the crosscourt forehand smash he plays when racking up third innings declaration runs, that’s my favourite shot of his.
55th over: Australia 148-2 (Labuschagne 65, Smith 22) Ferguson to go again for his maiden wicket. He joins a list of bowlers who have been so close but so far from breaking through in Australia only for it to go wrong. Off the top of my head, Michael Beer’s no-ball when Cook was on a million in Sydney in 2011. Stokes in 2013 at Adelaide, overstepping to Haddin. Of course, Tom Curran on Boxing Day 2017 when Warner was 99. Over the last couple of weeks, the teenagers Naseem and Musa Khan both won edges after overstepping. There’s probably a pretty good Nighwatchman essay in that. Don’t steal it. Back to the middle, Labuschagne does keen pushing, thumping a pull shot through midwicket and out to the boundary. This partnership has moved from 50 to 77 in about five overs.
54th over: Australia 143-2 (Labuschagne 61, Smith 21) The dropped catch doesn’t get better on replay, Latham’s disappointment palpable. “Next one!” says Watling, as is the custom. But with Smith being Smith, might that be in 24 hours from now? Smith hits Santner hard and straight but Umpire Llong’s boot stops an otherwise certain boundary. What a sport. Labuschagne then picks up a couple through cover. It might be nearing the break but after a dropped catch, this might be the time to pile in and punch the bruise.
Smith dropped!
53rd over: Australia 140-2 (Labuschagne 59, Smith 20) Rapid running from this indefatigable pair, scampering back for three at top gear after Labuschagne flicks out towards the midwicket rope. It’s still the better aprt of 40 degrees out there. Oh no! SMITH DROPPED AT SECOND SLIP from the final ball. It was to Latham’s left but he went right - didn’t pick it up at all, going quickly to him from a miscued cut. Still, he had to take it. Ferguson is denied a first Test wicket as a consequence. After a tight session, that hurts a lot.
52nd over: Australia 136-2 (Labuschagne 56, Smith 19) Back to Santner now with 20 minutes until the short break. If you weren’t following earlier, they have reversed the usual day-night intervals for this Perth fixture because of, I can only assume, the TV news bulletins. So, we’re back to normal - kinda. Smith might never have batted so slowly in Test cricket for this number of balls (I’ll check at tea), but he adds two here off his pads. That’s his lot.
51st over: Australia 134-2 (Labuschagne 56, Smith 17) Shot! Smith might be the senior man out there but you wouldn’t know it from the way Labuschagne is striking the ball, leaning onto the front foot to drive Southee straight down the ground on this occasion. Granted, two balls earlier he was beaten on the inside edge again by the New Zealand veteran, but when contact is made, it’s sweet as can be. The TV tells me that Labuschagne is averaging 83 in his last ten Test hits.
Labuschagne to 50!
50th over: Australia 130-2 (Labuschagne 52, Smith 17) Ferguson bangs it in short at Labuschagne to start his fresh set but a long way from the lid, giving the number three enough room to lift him safely over the cordon for his eighth boundary. And with that, he moves to another Test half-century. What a year this man has had from the moment he was called off the bench as Test cricket’s first concussion sub at Lord’s. Nobody has more runs than him this year and he’s now well on his way to a third ton on the trot this season for Australia.
49th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 47, Smith 17) Southee is still generating plenty of swing with the pink ball. He’s straight to Labuschagne in the first instance, a clipped single to midwicket bringing this partnership to 50. But to Smith the radar is well outside the off. They’re patient with him, bowling to a plan. Tick, tick.
48th over: Australia 124-2 (Labuschagne 46, Smith 17) The full body experience that is Lockie Ferguson is back into the attack. As the radar graphic shows, he is far and away the quickest of the Kiwi bowlers so far today, hitting 145 clicks in both spells so far. I’m a bit flat that he’s shelved his black boots, but you can’t have it all. Banging it in short of a length, Smith tucks one before Labuschagne does the same to finish. He’s uncharacteristically slow making it down the other end, prompting an appeal when the stumps are hit direct. Umpire Llong sends it upstairs but he’s comfortably in.
“Southee, Boult, Ferguson & Wagner might just be the finest quartet of outfielders the test fast-bowling scene has ever seen,” writes Ben Bernards, questioning Geoff’s earlier charactertisation of Wagner’s snaffle. “Screamers galore amongst that lot over the years, Southee & Boult especially since they’ve been around the longest obvs.”
Yup. If putting together a bracket on the best fielders in world cricket, Boult is at the very least in the semi-final. It’s not worth much now, but the most underrated part of the World Cup Final was his collect on the final ball of the 100th over to complete the run out.
47th over: Australia 122-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 16) Two strong shouts for LBW to start the Southee set, both beating Labuschagne on the inside edge with decent movement off the seam. But Umpire Dar keeps his finger down and Captain Williamson correctly assesses the deliveries to be going over the top. Even so, they are high-quality dots after a couple of productive overs for Australia. This New Zealand team don’t lose their bundle. Ohhh, and to finish the Aussie number three throws his hands at a conventional outswinger well outside the off-stump, beating the blade on the way through. Hmm.
“Colin DeGrandhomme is swiftly becoming my favourite player,” says tom V d Gucht. “His control of line and length paired with his muscular batting making him an undervalued player. He always seems to get unfairly referred to in the press as, “agricultural” or, “cross-batted” or receive digs about him fluking his wickets due to his, “lack of pace” confusing batsmen who are used to facing better bowling. Give the guy a break!” This is a good take. Big fan, me.
46th over: Australia 122-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 16) That’s Smith at his best, leaning forward to clip Santner through midwicket with precision placement. Four lovely runs. “You just sense Australia are getting the momentum back,” says Ian Smith on the telly. Having been on radio at home for the Pakistan Tests, this is the first I’ve seen of the Fox coverage this summer. I couldn’t have picked a better time to start this stint with Smith, Isa Guha and Kerry O’Keeffe on duty.
45th over: Australia 118-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 12) Southee gives Labuschagne enough time to get deep in the crease, whipping three to square leg start the new over. Nice timng. After absorbing a couple of dots, Smith turns a straighter offering to long leg for one. Labuschagne keeps the board ticking with another fine shot, chopping down hard on a cut in front of point, racing away for four. Has he played a false stroke this summer? Not that I’ve seen.
44th over: Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 38, Smith 11) Santner is back after the understandably long drinks break. He keeps Smith at bay, calling his familiar “wait on” then “not now” and so on. He changed bats during the breather - a response, no doubt, to his quiet start. At Smith’s best, he’s 20-odd before you look up. Today, he’s 11 from 64. A maiden here makes it 18 runs from the last ten overs.
Hello! Thanks, Geoff. As I was just gibbering on twitter, this is the first home Australian Test I’ve missed in six years. Blimey. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than Guardian Towers at Kings Cross for the duration of this series. So, drop me a line. G’morning.
43rd over: Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 38, Smith 11) Short cover and quite a close gully for de Grandhomme against Labuschagne, who lashes a full ball straight to that short cover man. Then an error from the bowler, on leg stump and Marnus glances four to fine leg. That makes life easier. Overpitched next up, and a perfect straight drive, but the bowler does well in his follow-through to get enough on it and stop that ball.
That’s drinks after an absorbing day so far, and that marks the time to hand over to your friend and mine, Adam Collins.
42nd over: Australia 106-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 11) Santner on for more spin. Interesting move from Williamson. A lot of loop from Santner. Just a single for Marnus to the leg side.
41st over: Australia 105-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 11) The job for de Grandhomme has been to bowl outside the off stump and tie the scoring up. Which is exactly what he does, except he’s bowling to Steve Smith. Somehow Smith finds his first boundary of the day, walking so far across his stumps that he can glance de Grandhomme from outside off stump through fine leg for four. Rude.
40th over: Australia 101-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 7) Smith with the wide reaching drive again, and absolutely nails it, but straight to mid-off for a dot ball. Eventually nudges a single to point, not his preferred spot.
Ok, this is bloody adorable from Ricky Ponting. He’s finally joined Twitter in the last couple of days and was ribbed about it on air. He said that he and his wife had decided that since their daughters were likely to be on social media in the next few years, he thought he should understand what the platforms are and how they work.
39th over: Australia 100-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 6) Colin de Grandhomme continues, and his disciplined line continues too. He draws a false shot from Marnus, off the inside half away through the leg side, then another slight miscue from Smith fending away a short ball to leg. Two singles result.
Updated
38th over: Australia 98-2 (Labuschagne 32, Smith 5) A couple of decent shots from Labuschagne but straight to the field. He’s remained very positive even while Smith has been more circumspect. Finally he goes get a shot away with a cut, when Wagner gets too wide, but it only yields a single.
37th over: Australia 97-2 (Labuschagne 31, Smith 5) Smith keeps stepping across to de Grandhomme, trying to wrist him away but not able to time the ball to the leg side. Just one of those slippery type bowlers, hard to get onto. Then there’s some serious bounce from de Grandhomme that zips past Smith’s bat! Made him jump. Smith blocks out rather than looking to score. A maiden. He’s faced 40 balls for his 5 runs thus far.
36th over: Australia 97-2 (Labuschagne 31, Smith 5) Smith is still settling, and Wagner helps with a short ball down leg that Smith can pull easily enough for a single. Twice then Wagner tests out Labuschagne with the yorker. The bowler’s famous endurance is on display today, with the temperature approaching 39.
35th over: Australia 96-2 (Labuschagne 31, Smith 4) Colin de Grandhomme is back with his mediums. Swing! And bounce. His first ball careers through past Labuschagne’s push. It’s swerving away from the batsman. Movement all day so far. What might the pink ball do under lights here in Perth? The bowler overpitches, undoing some of his good work as Labuschagne drives through cover for four. Out of his crease, Labuschagne lunges down at the ball to punish it.
34th over: Australia 92-2 (Labuschagne 27, Smith 4) Slightly sheepish from Wagner after he leaps up in a huge appeal for lbw, which was optimistic given that Marnus had played the angled ball off the full face of the bat for a single through point. Smith starts outside leg stump to the lefty, ends up outside off stump. Two men out on the hook, plus a leg slip and a midwicket. Two slips, gully, cover, mid off. Short ball, shocks him! Smith flinches, as Wagner snorts one up that seeks out his gloves, up in front of his collarbone. No bat-pad in catching, could have been into play. This is a terrific spell from Wagner.
33rd over: Australia 91-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 4) Ferguson bowls, and Smith chases again! Beautiful bowling from Ferguson, back of a length and swinging before seaming away. Smith is shaping to defend off the back foot, then is drawn by the movement into pushing at that ball. It moves too much to take the edge though. That’s uncharacteristic of Smith to follow the ball. He got out that way twice to Morne Morkel in Cape Town while his world was falling apart. The extra bounce did for him, I suspect. Then a brilliant bit of fielding from Raval saves four at midwicket as Smith flicks away, and nearly runs him out as well with a quick throw back at the striker’s end. A maiden for Ferguson.
32nd over: Australia 91-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 4) Steve Smith is really moving across his stumps now, defending with both feet well outside off by the time he steps around. At one stage though he can’t help chasing the wide one, reaching well outside the line of his body and lacing the ball, but straight to cover.
31st over: Australia 90-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 3) Ferguson gets through a tidy over, which might help settle his nerves. The more ominous interpretation is that this is just Smith settling into his work, taking a few overs to feel comfortable at the crease and assess the conditions. Four times Smith blocks or leaves before taking his usual run.
30th over: Australia 89-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 2) Wagner still bowling a full length, very little short stuff early, though that has been suggested as a possible tactic against Smith. Instead Smith just tucks his trademark single, and Labuschagne flays the only slightly short ball through backward point for four.
29th over: Australia 84-2 (Labuschagne 22, Smith 1) Good captaincy from Williamson, getting Ferguson back on after hitting refresh, after Ferguson was expensive and a bit wayward in his first spell. He starts with a good ball, beating Marnus outside off, but also offers an overpitched one that the batsman drives straight for four.
28th over: Australia 80-2 (Labuschagne 18, Smith 1) Ok, I lied. That was the long break. It’s impossible to tell in this day-night format. Presumably they schedule the long break first in Perth so that it matches up with the TV news on the east coast of Australia. Wagner has the ball first, and nearly has Smith miscuing another low full toss to mid-off. It worked for Warner. Smith survives though, and gets off the mark with a nudge. Labuschagne chases a wide one to drive three.
Tea – Australia 76 for 2
A session that New Zealand have just about kept themselves in. They looked in trouble early when Ferguson was going for runs and Warner was hungry, but Burns had a fairly scratchy time and eventually was given out – it looked dead when viewed live – and Warner eventually found an unlucky dismissal. Smith and Labuschagne are a pretty intimidating duo for bowlers these days though, and they’re the major obstacle that must be removed in the second session for New Zealand to have a chance. Batting should get easier as the ball gets older. The short break comes first in day-night cricket, then we’ll have the longer meal break after the second session. See you soon.
27th over: Australia 76-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 0) Time to bunker down for Australia, with a couple of minutes until the tea break. Labuschagne leaves Southee with the sabre style a couple of times, then digs back a yorker to the bowler. A wide is the only score from the over. That’s tea.
26th over: Australia 75-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 0) A wicket-maiden for Wagner, who starts with two bouncers against Smith. Porque no los dos?
Wicket! Warner c & b Wagner 43 (Australia 75-2)
What a catch! A fluke dismissal really, and that’s what it would take to dismiss Warner. He has now made 819 international runs this season and this is just his third dismissal. Wagner bowls a yorker, Warner digs it out, hitting hard back down the ground but just above the turf, and somehow Wagner gets down for a one-handed snare in his follow through. He’s more surprised than anyone, a beaming smile breaking out belatedly on his face.
25th over: Australia 75-1 (Warner 43, Labuschagne 15) Southee to Labuschagne, and there’s still a bit of swing for the bowler. The pink ball holding up so far. Trent Boult is running drinks rather than using the ball, which hurts New Zealand. Labuschagne gets a single after five balls, Warner drives a wide one but now has a sweeper cover.
24th over: Australia 73-1 (Warner 42, Labuschagne 14) Santner bowls width, and while that might have skipped through on a different surface, this one has enough bounce that it sits up a bit for Labuschagne, who throws his hands through a cover slap with an angled bat for four.
23rd over: Australia 67-1 (Warner 41, Labuschagne 9) Southee to Warner, and just the single from the over. Warner perhaps flagging a bit after a couple of hours in the heat. The DRS animation meanwhile has arrived. “That was absolutely plumb,” emails Jake Santa Maria. “How does DRS have the Burns dismissal missing?” No idea.
22nd over: Australia 66-1 (Warner 40, Labuschagne 9) Santner to Warner, landing them better this over, tighter on off stump. But that won’t stop Warner, who backs away to force a run through point. Labuschagne stretches forward to defend immovably.
21st over: Australia 65-1 (Warner 39, Labuschagne 9) Southee is back to partner Santner. Warner is up on his toes first ball to nudge a run behind point. Marnus sees out the next five balls.
An email from Scott Lowe. “Hi Geoff, looking forward to a high quality contest here. Looking at the scorecard for the Test against India played at Perth Stadium last year, and I have to be honest, I would not have picked Travis Head to be the only survivor from that top six.”
Fair point there – just trying to name them off the top of my head. Marcus Harris opening with Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja first drop, Mitch Marsh wasn’t in the team yet but Shaun still was, and was Handscomb still there? Goodness.
20th over: Australia 64-1 (Warner 38, Labuschagne 9) After a lengthy seam-bowling attempt it’s time for spin. Mitchell Santner, the left-arm orthodox, is on. He doesn’t start too well, first drifting down the leg side to beat Watling for two byes, then bowling too short to Warner who can cut off a thick top edge for four. He lands a couple after this, but Warner shovels another run through mid-on.
19th over: Australia 57-1 (Warner 33, Labuschagne 9) Warner just doesn’t look like he trusts his timing against de Grandhomme. Finally gets a stride into a drive, but short cover gets a hand to it and turns four into one.
18th over: Australia 56-1 (Warner 32, Labuschagne 9) Wagner to Warner, who takes three balls to get off strike with a leg-side nudge. Labuschagne drives the last ball of the over for four, though mid-off made rather a hash of that. Didn’t get down quickly enough to stop the ball.
17th over: Australia 51-1 (Warner 31, Labuschagne 5) Warner eventually gets a run against de Grandhomme, driving him through the covers and decided against a second. Labuschagne is batting well out of his crease against Colin’s lower pace, trying to cut down the swing. I wonder whether it might be worth Watling coming up to the stumps, though with the bounce in this pitch it might not be advisable.
16th over: Australia 50-1 (Warner 30, Labuschagne 5) Wagner doesn’t go down the short route any longer. Bowls the entire over full against Labuschagne, working with the angle across him. Gets the batsman driving square from the second-last ball, then nearly has him nicking a similar shot from the last. That was beautifully set up by Wagner, and it nearly worked.
15th over: Australia 48-1 (Warner 30, Labuschagne 3) Warner has decided that de Grandhomme is his main concern today, and is very watchful through this over. High elbow, defending under the eyes, as Colin works away accurately at off stump. The only run is an extra for a slight overstep.
14th over: Australia 47-1 (Warner 30, Labuschagne 3) The new run machine arrives at the crease, Marnus Labuschagne. Off the mark quickly, trading singles with Warner. A productive over for the Australians, as Warner slips the ball through square leg for three, then Marnus takes on Wagner’s first short ball to pull two runs. He played that shot very productively against Pakistan, and likes the Perth bounce too at first taste.
Wicket! Burns lbw de Grandhomme 9
13th over: Australia 40-1 (Warner 26) Burns goes, last ball of the over! Warner takes the first five and then turns over the strike with a nudge. Perhaps de Grandhomme’s lack of pace foxed Burns with only one ball to face. That was a replica of the Wagner ball, swinging in to the pads, but this time the batsman can’t get a touch. Warner at the non-striker’s end shakes his head when asked about the DRS. You’re plumb, Bob. Umpire Aleem Dar called it spot on.
12th over: Australia 39-0 (Warner 25, Burns 9) Swing for Wagner from a full pitch, this time into the pads of the right-hander from the left-arm line over the wicket. Burns gets off strike after streakily blocking it out to mid-on, who fumbles. Then Warner plays a false shot, a leading edge that bounces in front of short cover! Away swing to the left-hander. Wagner bowls too full to follow, and Warner pushes a run wide of mid-on. More swing to Burns, who mistimes his block of the ball, hard into the pitch. Wagner hasn’t bowled a short ball yet, smart to use the swing while its there. Last ball of the over, he nails Burns on the pad! But a bit of inside edge on the way there, I think. That swung in sharply, perfect length to challenge the pads. Top bowling.
11th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 24, Burns 8) Colin de Grandhomme the next bowling change, who bowled so well at times during the World Cup in England. His sort of conditions. He’s getting swing immediately, down the leg side first, then making Warner stretch forward on off stump next up, and getting a ricochet to bounce back towards the stumps. Done for lack of pace there. Warner drives, but there’s a short cover in for Colin who dives and saves. A good first over there, a maiden.
10th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 24, Burns 8) First change in the bowling, with Ferguson given a rest after his exertions. Wagner is New Zealand’s long-spell specialist but even he will be hard pressed to do so in this heat. He’s also a short-ball specialist, but his whole first over to Burns is pitched up. There’s a raucous appeal as the left-armer finishes with a ball angled across Burns that doesn’t angle much, Burns shouldering arms and watching it crash into his pad. The line was still going across him, but a batsman deserves to be fired for that anyway to be honest.
9th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 24, Burns 8) Warner isn’t watching as Southee steams in, and the batsman looks up just in time to pull back from his stumps. He apologies to Southee for the dead ball, because the withdrawal was very late. New Zealand could rightly have felt aggrieved had that ball cleaned up his stumps and been ruled inadmissible. Southee bowls too wide, trying to swing the ball in but it holds its line, and Warner drives square for four! He reverts to leaving and blocking as Southee winds his line tighter to the stumps.
8th over: Australia 33-0 (Warner 20, Burns 8) Watch out, Warner’s up and running. Pace and width again from Ferguson and the batsman lashes out through the line, lofting it through cover for four. Ferguson goes short but Warner is up on his toes, hopping in the air to ride the bounce down to fine leg for one. Keen for the second, but eventually his habitual cry of “Waiting, waiting!” rings out as the return comes in. Ferguson back over the wicket to the right-hander, and he looks a much better bowler to Burns. Pace and leap past the bat again, and even when he overpitches Burns rather clonks the mistimed drive through cover, though it earns him three. Deep square leg going out for Warner with one ball left, three slips and a gully still in, and Ferguson in the end bowls for the cordon rather than the leg theory field, but Warner blocks the length ball to cover for another darted run. You can’t keep him down.
7th over: Australia 24-0 (Warner 14, Burns 5) Another maiden for Southee, who works over Burns on and around the off stump. Also gives him a workout by throwing the ball back at the striker’s stumps from a defensive shot, which Warner objects to from the non-striker’s end as the arbiter of decorum, and Southee tells him exactly which bus to catch.
6th over: Australia 24-0 (Warner 14, Burns 5) Ferguson is bowling around the wicket to Warner, trying to exploit that line as Stuart Broad did in England. Rather different bowler and conditions here though. Ferguson in short at the hip, and he’s got a square leg now for Warner who stops the fended run after Ferguson previously conceding a couple. Cranking up past 147 kilometres an hour with the last three deliveries. But too full from the final ball, and Warner in his current touch has no problems cover-driving for four.
5th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 8, Burns 5) Gorgeous from Southee to Burns! Away swing, fractionally, with the ball soaring through with serious bounce from just back of a length, and spooking Burns trying to defend off the back foot. So nearly nicked that one. Southee goes fuller and Burns defends. So hard to get that perfect length. Southee hits a yorker instead and Burns only just gets down on it. This is a good early contest, and Southee bowls a maiden, but how much longer will the life in the ball last?
4th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 8, Burns 5) Pace and swing! Too much for Ferguson, as he bangs in short and the ball flies high down the leg side for five wides. Then too much for Burns, as Ferguson pitches outside off stump, angling in, beats the edge and the stumps, and then swings late so drastically that it again nearly beats Watling to the leg side. That ball veered absurdly. Ferguson angles in at the pads next, but there’s no movement and Burns clips him nicely for four! Plenty of pace to work with through backward square leg. Last ball of the over, Burns edges short of the slips! Couldn’t help fencing slightly, some movement away from the batsman, and the edge bounces a few inches in front of Latham at second slip and through him for a single. Eventful over, 10 runs from it, and Warner didn’t face a ball.
3rd over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 8, Burns 0) Warner gets busy from the first ball again, deflecting Southee’s straight and full line into the leg side for two. Southee nearly gets reward with that length to follow, with Warner just squeezing a bit of bat down on a full swinging ball, but to close the over Warner pushes away through the covers, and despite a chase and a slide and a save, the batsmen run back and forth for four! One run for each ten degrees Celcius.
2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Warner 2, Burns 0) Ferguson’s first ball in Test cricket now, and it’s fast but short on leg stump. Warner again gets a run to start an over, fending it away towards fine leg. Ferguson gets his line right against Burns though, with pace and a touch of seam away to beat a groping forward push. That’s lovely bowling. The same a touch wider and Burns leaves.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Warner 1, Burns 0) Warner doing Warner things. He plays the trademark shot of his later career, dropping Southee’s first ball towards cover with an almost dead bat and sprinting a single. First ball of the match, alive to the opportunity. There was some inswing from Southee, right arm over to the left-hander, but Warner accommodated it. That becomes outswing to the right-handed Joe Burns, who connects nicely with a drive despite the movement but hits it straight to cover. Southee draws back his length slightly, and Burns defends stoutly. Ricky Ponting on the telly reckons that this Perth wicket will play quite like a first-day Gabba pitch, where Burns bats for Queensland, so chalk him up for a dispiriting ton today. Burns, not Ponting. Wouldn’t put it past Ponting though.
Milestones to keep one’s eye on: David Warner needs 53 runs to reach 7000 in Test cricket, the same mark that Steve Smith blew past against Pakistan. Warner has taken a few more innings, and his career average dipped below 50 with the battering he took in England this year, but he’s back up to high 48s and could be back past the mark by the end of the summer.
When New Zealand bat, I want to see if Tim Southee can hit a six to move to 73 career sixes, thus equalling Ricky Ponting. Southee is already 15th on the all-time list, ahead of big-hitting luminaries like AB de Villiers, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi, Ian Botham, Clive Lloyd, Ben Stokes and Sachin Tendulkar.
Teams
Boult is out, Lockie Ferguson will make his Test debut. A handy inclusion on this wicket where he can unleash his pace and his short ball. The seam-up all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has recovered from his recent injury.
Australia
David Warner
Joe Burns
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Matthew Wade
Travis Head
Tim Paine
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
New Zealand
Tom Latham
Jeet Raval
Kane Williamson
Ross Taylor
Henry Nicholls
BJ Watling
Colin de Grandhomme
Mitchell Santner
Tim Southee
Neil Wagner
Lockie Ferguson
Australia win the toss and bat
No surprises there – Tim Paine says with a smile that after bowling first at The Oval, he’ll never do it again. Best to bat first on this surface though. Kane Williamson smiles wryly at the thought of standing in the field for another 600-run innings, and says there’s some moisture in the wicket so they’ll just have to make the most of it. Good luck...
Preamble
Aloha Hawaii. It’s Test time yet again, and time for New Zealand to become the main event of the cricketing summer. It’s, hot, hot, hot in Perth, 40-plus predicted for most of the match, and while Optus Stadium may presently sporting a greenish tinge as it did last year, it should offer bounce and bake and open up as this match progresses. Australia will field the same XI that pulverised Pakistan twice in a row, but Trent Boult looks to be missing for New Zealand through injury. More on line-ups as they come through. The No.2-ranked Kiwis are supposed to give Australia a run for their money in this three-match series. The formbook suggests New Zealand might even win. But precedent is against them: we’ve had 22 Tests on these shores since the Kiwis last won a Test series in Australia. That was at the Waca way back in 1985, the year Mental As Anything unleashed Live It Up on the expectant masses (RIP Andrew ‘Greedy’ Smith). It’s not crazy to imagine that New Zealand can compete on this tour but they’ll have to beat history as well as Australia. Sam Perry has already had his thoughts on this, as did I a few days ago.
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