Well batted Ross Taylor is the message we firmly take away from today at the Test. New Zealand scored 370 today, and he got 209 of them! Brilliant. His highest Test score, the first Kiwi double ton against Australia and the highest visiting score at the Waca. He shared buckets with Kane Williamson, who was equally marvellous but eventually fell for 166. taylor made it to the close in the company of the tail and New Zealand are just 49 behind heading into the fourth day.
For Australia, Mitchell Johnson struggled, but Mitchell Starc was glorious and touched 160.4kph (99.7mph), which is staggering heat. Right up until the last over he was steaming in.
All four results are possible and we are set for two great days of cricket! New Zealand will want to go bigger, then skittle a Khawaja-less Australia. Australia will want to roll the Kiwis then smash some quick runs on day four to give themselves a decent chance of bowling them out. The pitch is still a highway, but there are cracks, and there is turn. Hazlewood and Starc found the Fremantle Doctor late on day three too.
Basically, you’d be mad to miss it. Russ Jackson will be back with for the first two sessions tomorrow, then Vithushan Ehantharajah will take over for the evening. Join them then. Turrah!
That's the close of play on a great day for New Zealand
129th over: New Zealand 510-6 (Taylor 235, Craig 7)
Craig gets in behind a fullish one, then ducks under a good bouncer. He tries to drive a very full one third ball but doesn’t quite catch it and it rolls to mid-on. The fourth is a veritable pearler, 144kph (90mph) and beats the bat, whistling past with a chorus of umms and ahhs from the baying cordon. Starc’s annoyed with the fifth, which is shorter, left outside off and swayed under. The final ball of the day is a trademark yorker and he’s dug it out brilliantly. That is brilliant from Starc after 30 overs of graft, he’s still bowling heat.
128th over: New Zealand 510-6 (Taylor 235, Craig 7)
Lyon is back over the wicket, which is good. His line is tighter to Taylor too, and for the first four balls he can’t play his two get-outs - the sweep or nudge round the corner for one. The field is up for the last two as there’s only one over left. He can’t get a single off either, so job done by Lyon. Another maiden. Starc will have a dart.
127th over: New Zealand 510-6 (Taylor 235, Craig 7)
Starc’s back - his skipper wants one last push from his gun bowler. Craig battles hard against a series of yorkers and shorties, but Starc has no luck, until the final ball of the over, when he aims one at the armpit and it goes through to Nevill via a big appeal! Umpire Ravi says no, but Smith goes for a reasonable-looking review. There’s nothing on Hotspot, and a spike on snicko when it hits Craig’s shirt. There’s nothing there to overturn it, so Ravi’s decision stands. Steve Smith has a bit of a moan as there’s the tiniest spike on snicko near the bat. He’s wrong, and doesn’t really have much of a case. Well done Umps. Maiden.
Rowan’s been in touch on the twitters, and it’s with a very reasonable request, so I’ll help him out.
So Australia flew out the blocks and made 559-9dec, thanks to masses of runs from Davey Warner. It’s a flat deck and, as the end of the third day approaches, New Zealand are moving towards parity. So there’s lots of time for all three (or four results) - New Zealand will look to bat as long as possible (going up and beyond Australia) before trying to bowl them out. A key point is that Australia will be without Usman Khawaja, who has done his hamstring and will miss two Tests. Equally, if Australia could skittle the Kiwi tail, they will try to score quick runs then bowl the Kiwis out again. Great last two days in prospect.
@willis_macp Enjoying the #Aus #Nz OBO but have no idea what the match situation is. Any chance of a small summary at the top of the page?
— Rowan Searle (@Coruscite) November 15, 2015
126th over: New Zealand 510-6 (Taylor 235, Craig 7)
Lyon’s twirling away with amount much venom as the close approaches. The batsmen take a single each as he comes around the wicket to both. Craig is looking comfy enough.
125th over: New Zealand 508-6 (Taylor 234, Craig 6)
Taylor moves into the top 10, then nine, highest scores for New Zealand with two to midwicket, then a wild slashed drive for four behind point off Mitch J. Brilliant, brilliant innings. He takes a single to leg, so Mitch gets a bowl at Craig, who is exactly the kind of bloke he likes to ping ‘em down at: a lower order leftie. With leg gully and short leg in place, Mitch stays over the wicket, not resorting to full leg theory. The last ball of the over is full and straight and is driven beautifully for four straight past the bowler. Textbook from Craig. I love it. 11 from the over.
By the way, with the wicket of Bracewell, Mitch went past Brett Lee to fourth (on his own) in the all time Aussie list with 311. Well done, sir.
124th over: New Zealand 497-6 (Taylor 227, Craig 2)
There’s a bit of excitement first ball of Lyon’s over as the ball balloons up, apparently off Craig’s bat, but falls just short of the diving Smith at slip. Actually maybe it didn’t hit anything relevant. Anyway, the rest of the over passes without much incident, with a single to each of the batsmen.
123rd over: New Zealand 495-6 (Taylor 226, Craig 1)
Wowzer. The first ball of a newly spring-stepped Mitchy J’s over hits a crack and goes up, up, up and over Taylor and Nevill’s head for five wild wides. Both batsmen go gardening after that. Three well-defended dots followed, before Taylor pushed deep into the offside for a single. Craig gets a single to get off the mark, punching to wide mid-off, then Taylor squeezes it behind square on the off-side for two (he definitely wanted three).
Genuinely, my admiration for Ross Taylor, not to mention statisticians, knows no bounds. Great numbers. There have been some handy Taylors, too:
Ross Taylor has scored 23.06% of all Test runs made by Taylors.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 15, 2015
Updated
122nd over: New Zealand 486-6 (Taylor 223, Craig 0)
That was a wicket maiden from Mitch, and Taylor knows it’s knuckle down time. He must be knackered, byt defends Lyon carefully for four balls, before taking a single behind square on the legside. Craig is definitely #NoMugWithTheBat and he defends the last ball of the over. Yet another key period coming up here...
WICKET! Bracewell c Nevill b Johnson 12! (New Zealand 485-6)
121st over: New Zealand 485-6 (Taylor 222)
With 111 wicketless runs to his name, Mitchell Johnson is back and he starts by digging a couple in to Bracewell, who is a happy ducker.
Oh dear. After those two balls, the third ump is out again with a silver box and they’re taking another one out. So that’s the third ball used since the new one was taken after 80 overs. So the third in 40.2 overs. Real bugbear of mine this. As Warner suggest the other day, maybe Kookaburra just haven’t been good enough over the last couple of years? If a ball is too soft, it’s not fit for purpose.
Anyway, the second ball Johnson bowls with this one is wide outside off and Bracewell slashes but misses by a mile. The fifth is turned to leg, and then he slashes at the sixth and nicks off! Very good catch by Nevill, but poor from Bracewell who had resisted well. The new ball does the trick....
More on #TaylorTongueWatch: Ian Smith on comms - who knows the man well - says it’s simply a symbol to his family at home, which is rather lovely.
Updated
120th over: New Zealand 485-5 (Taylor 222, Bracewell 12)
The sub Jonathan Wells has been in the action all day. He fields as Taylor takes a single to him at 45, then they scamper through for a bye which Nevill looks angry with. Taylor sees out Lyon’s over.
A little on a hot topic at the moment.... crowds:
Day 3 WACA Ground crowd of 9263 for #AusvNZ. Running total: 32,903.
— Jesse Hogan (@Jesse_Hogan) November 15, 2015
So Usman Khawaja is going to sit out the next two Tests with his gammy hammy. Who would you pick at number three? Why not hitch yourself to this bandwagon?
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 15, 2015
119th over: New Zealand 483-5 (Taylor 221, Bracewell 12)
Uh oh, trouble. Taylor defends a steepler from Hazlewood off the back foot to Warner coming in from point. Bracewell is desperate for a single but is sent back and would have been out if the usually eagle-eyed Warner had hit at the non-strikers. But he misses, and Mitch Johnson backs up at mid-on. Careful, fellas. Taylor takes a single to deep-square from the third, then Bracewell ducks under a decent bouncer. The last two are safely defended.
118th over: New Zealand 482-5 (Taylor 220, Bracewell 12)
More sweeping from Taylor gets him a single, and Bracewell nudges Lyon to long-on for another. Oh dear, he’s on the front foot driving and it’s gone straight through the man at mid-off for four. That’s his highest Test score! Phenomenal knock, now the third highest at the WACA, overtaking Michael Slater’s 219 against Sri Lanka in 1995. Slater’s on comms and is pretty phlegmatic about the whole thing. A single next ball takes Taylor one closer to Warner in second. It’s a flat old track, but the four centuries so far in this match have been of the highest order. Chapeau.
117th over: New Zealand 475-5 (Taylor 214, Bracewell 11)
Bracewell is steady to Hazlewood (who Ian Healy is still calling Jos!), defending diligently when there’s definitely a bit of inswing about. He’s bowling well but I reckon he’ll sit out Adelaide, he looked knackered by the third Ashes Test and Peter Siddle is a more than capable replacement for what could be a pretty attritional Test match with the suspect pink pill. The fifth ball is cut to backward point and they take a single, then Taylor crunches to deep cover for another. He’s approaching his Test best, 217*.
More on Ross Taylor’s suns out, tongues out. Kev O’Brien’s emoji game is strong:
Well played old boi!!!! @RossLTaylor 👅 #AUSvNZ
— Kevin O'Brien (@KevinOBrien113) November 15, 2015
116th over: New Zealand 473-5 (Taylor 213, Bracewell 10)
Australia are giving Taylor singles, and he takes one, sweeping to fine leg. He trusts Bracewell, who takes a step down to Lyon and drives, but it’s fielded well by the bowler. He gets it much better next ball, and that’s SIX! Just skipped down and sent it over mid-off. Shot, boy. Bracewell takes a single next ball to midwicket and Taylor sweeps again, this time finer and for two. 10 from the over.
115th over: New Zealand 463-5 (Taylor 210, Bracewell 3)
All change for Smith as Starc takes a spell after a very fine five overs. Hazlewood swaps ends and second ball he makes Taylor play and miss, which not many can claim today. Well bowled. Taylor takes a single to square leg next ball, and Hazlewood gets it to tail in to Bracewell - who is defending carefully. Until the next ball, that is, which is dug in a bit and he tries to pull but he’s early on it and doesn’t catch it at all and it balloons up safely. The last is just left alone outside off.
114th over: New Zealand 462-5 (Taylor 209, Bracewell 3)
Nathan Lyon is back. The first two are defended by Taylor, back then forward, and then he sweeps hard at the third for a single. There’s slip, leg-slip and short leg for Bracewell, who defends to midwicket, then under his nose, then uncertainly on the back foot to short leg. Lyon will be encouraged, you’d think.
113th over: New Zealand 461-5 (Taylor 208, Bracewell 3)
Starc’s got a go at Bracewell here. The first four alternate full, short, full, short and are all pretty threatening. The fifth is somewhere in between and defending, then Starc strays onto his pads with the last and they take two to midwicket.
Talking of Ross Taylor’s tongue (sounds odd), this is cute:
Father like son. #Jonty pic.twitter.com/DNlOxuX2qv
— Ross Taylor (@RossLTaylor) July 27, 2014
OBO regular Gary Naylor has been in touch and he’s got a good point. Taylor’s mother is Samoan and *I think* it is to do with that. He certainly does it every time he makes a ton. I hadn’t noticed they were cutting away, but very odd if they are. They seem happy to show it on replays.
@willis_macp TV seems to cut away from Ross Taylor when he celebrates by sticking his tongue out. It's a nod to his Maori heritage isn't it?
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 15, 2015
112th over: New Zealand 459-5 (Taylor 208, Bracewell 1)
Bracewell turns the returning Mitch Marsh into the legside for a single to get away. Taylor defends four, and admonishes himself after the third for some reason. It was short and at him so don’t know what the fuss was about. The last ball is slashed behind point for four. Cracking stroke.
Looks like they’re going to get themselves a drink.
Watching @RossLTaylor get to his double hundred, my thoughts turn to Martin Crowe.
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) November 15, 2015
111th over: New Zealand 454-4 (Taylor 204, Bracewell 0)
That’s also the first double ton for a visiting player at the Waca, which is a marvellous effort. The ball after reaching the milestone, Taylor cuts a single behind point, then Bracewell digs a fine Starc yorker out. Next ball is turned round the corner off the pad, and Taylor calls him through! Direct hit and it’s out by a mile.... but sub fielder Jonathan Wells misses. His Gary Pratt moment is gone. The last ball is defended by Taylor, who might need to just chill, there wasn’t much need for that run.
Taylor 200! What a knock.
Starc starts the over with a horrid one down the legside which Nevill does brilliantly to save one-handed. The next is driven uppishly through cover for four and that gives him his double-ton! The first for a Kiwi against Australia. The celebration is muted - he knows his work is not yet done. Brilliant, brilliant innings.
110th over: New Zealand 448-5 (Taylor 199, Bracewell 0)
Watling will be filthy with himself for that. He’s steady as normally but that was very ugly. Doug Bracewell joins Taylor, who plays his first false stroke for ages, miscuing a pull, but it’s safe. He gets a single. Bracewell defends Hazlewood, then ducks under a telegraphed shortie after Joe Burns moves into a shortish square leg. He defends a full one to midwicket and a shorter one to point. Everyone is up saving one, and the last is defended firmly into the offside. HUGE MINI SESSION COMING UP.
WICKET! Watling c Lyon b Starc 1!
109th over: New Zealand 447-5 (Taylor 198)
Taylor really hasn’t left much, I don’t reckon. He defends Starc’s first into the offside, then takes a single to point. Watling is a bit of a limpet, and gets under a bouncer then onto the front foot to defend. He barely needs to sway under the fifth which was a bit wide.
Starc goes round for the last and Watling takes his guard on off stump. It’s a highish full toss just outside off and he just slaps it to point where Lyon takes a fine catch to his left! From nowhere! Starc can’t quite believe he’s got a wicket with one of his worst nuts of the day. The surprise stinker works nicely.
Updated
108th over: New Zealand 446-4 (Taylor 197, Watling 1)
Josh Hazlewood replaces Mitch Marsh. The first three are all defended into the offside by Taylor, but the fourth is just beautiful. It’s straight driven past the stumps - really close, actually - and he moves to 196. It’s still the sexiest shot in the book, isn’t it? He takes a single into the offside and Watling leaves outside off.
The internet enjoyed Nigel Llong’s hat flying away (there should be a verb for that - de-chapeauing...? Anyone?)....
Nigel Llong's head of hair deserves to be shown off and adored. #AusvNZ
— Jesse Hogan (@Jesse_Hogan) November 15, 2015
Would anyone like to see that footage of Nigel Llong chasing his hat sped up and set to the Benny Hill theme music? #AUSvNZ
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 15, 2015
107th over: New Zealand 441-4 (Taylor 192, Watling 1)
This is top stuff from Taylor. He’s farming the strike in a crucial period of the match. New Zealand’s tail is lengthy (although not quite as long as Channel Nine would have you think) and they do not want to be bowled out tonight. Watling wants a bit of the strike too and call him through for a quick single when he fends the third ball of the over away. BJ sways a short one, defends a fully, then - after Umpire Nigel Llong has his hat displaced by the Fremantle Doctor, much to the delight of the crowd - defends firmly on the back foot. Starc still up around 150kph. Marvellous.
Ross Taylor now has the highest score for the Kiwis against the Aussies!
106th over: New Zealand 440-4 (Taylor 191, Watling 1)
Well done Ross Taylor. He defends Marsh’s first nut, then cuts behind square - just evading the gully - for a four that takes him to 190, the highest score for New Zealand against Australia, overtaking his friend and mentor Martin Crowe. Taylor has looked scratchy all year, which makes this even better. His single to mid-off off the last means he keeps the strike.
That's the record. Taylor 190 not out, the highest score by a New Zealander against Australia. #AUSvNZ
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 15, 2015
105th over: New Zealand 435-4 (Taylor 186, Watling 1)
Good move from Smith, firebreather Mitchell Starc replaces Mitchell Johnson, who was just looking rather lacklustre. Starc has possibly had some trouble with his side but there’s been little evidence of that today. Taylor leaves a loosener, then defends. Both batsmen pick up a legside single, before Taylor cover drives beautifully for one, but he wanted two and isn’t happy with BJ for sending him back when halfway down. No dramas: Watling defends firmly.
Ooohhhh harsh from our man Russell Jackson.
Forgot to flick over from GEM, where Antiques Roadshow was on. Trying not to take is as a sign about Mitchell Johnson.
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) November 15, 2015
104th over: New Zealand 432-5 (Taylor 184, Watling 0)
Well bowled Mitch Marsh. There are tons of other Marshes cheering the hometown hero on from the stands. Swampy and the gang. SOS is in Victoria playing for WA, so he’s not here. Anyway, Watling sees out the over. This was nice:
Australia 3/427, New Zealand 3/429 #austvnz
— Greg Baum (@GregBaum) November 15, 2015
WICKET! McCullum b Marsh 27! (New Zealand 432-4)
Taylor takes a couple with a nice swivel pull for two, then clips a single. McCullum tries to cut the third but it’s too close and the fourth gets him! He’s beaten all ends up and bowled! Looked a bit quicker, and he tries to play to leg but it goes through his defences and that’s a big old wicket.
103rd over: New Zealand 429-3 (Taylor 181, McCullum 27)
McCullum gets off strike with a leg bye, and Johnson continues his slightly odd round the wicket ploy to Taylor. Taylor obviously thinks it’s odd too, the first he gets is wide and full, so sent beautifully to the point fence, the next full again and straight driven. It still goes for four despite Mitch getting a hand on it. Tricky for Mitch - he’s tonned up with the first of those boundaries, and his pace is right down. A single for Taylor is just 129kph. McCullum defends the fifth and cover drives the last of the over beautifully for four. 14 from the over. The gap between the main Mitches hasn’t looked this wide since the World Cup, sadly.
102nd over: New Zealand 415-3 (Taylor 172, McCullum 23)
McCullum’s crouching deep as ever, but he’s resisting tucking into potential treats, and rightly so. There’s a leave when he could have cut, then a solid defence back to Marsh, before a controlled pull to the man at deep square for one. Couple of dots to Taylor, before he pulls himself, better timed and in front of square, they get two for it.
Bit of perspective on quite how good Kane Williamson has been this series...
Williamson is 20th on list of NZ runscorers v Aus. Most are only a few hundred above him, but he's played 7 innings to their 20+. #AUSvNZ
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) November 15, 2015
101st over: New Zealand 412-3 (Taylor 170, McCullum 22)
More from Mitch J. Another single for Taylor out to deep cover. McCullum’s looking a little tetchy but isn’t tempting by, well, a tempter outside off, but does try to pull a shortie next up and gets a miscued single to fine leg. Then there’s a lovely cover drive from Taylor for two, which encourages Mitch to go round the wicket for the last ball, which is full and straight and padded back to the bowler. A calm start to the session.
100th over: New Zealand 408-3 (Taylor 167, McCullum 21)
Ian Smith’s not happy about that review situation. He’s annoyed that the umpires went upstairs seemingly because the Australians showed some interest. McCullum got a stinker in the second dig at Brisbane - Smith wants to know why they didn’t check that then? Mmmm.
Anyway it’s another Mitch from the other end, but not the Mitch of the moment. Marsh is on, and there’s one from the over, a single to Taylor when he strays onto his pads. Decent bouncer at B Mac ends the over.
99th over: New Zealand 407-3 (Taylor 166, McCullum 21)
Mitch Johnson’s on, maybe feeling like he’s got some fire to breath to keep up with Starc. The first ball of the session suggests just that, a venomous shortie that hits a turning Taylor on the arm. There’s a single next ball to deep point, before McCullum sees out the over, the only moments of note a bouncer that just jagged slightly off a crack, and a driven crowd catch which Dave Warner seemed mildly keen on at point.
Oh, third umps is checking it! Australia have reviewed?! Bump ball confirmed, although the crowd still seem to think they have their man. Strange. Boos!
Ah ok, it was the umpires who reviewed, not the Aussies. Still mighty strange.
Updated
Players are out, here’s what that Starc spell did....
Brendon McCullum's damaged bat courtesy of a Mitch Starc yorker #youwantapieceofme pic.twitter.com/dJWieZLiOT
— Gerard Whateley (@GerardWhateley) November 15, 2015
Well hello everybody. Will back in the chair - thanks to Russ for taking us this far.
When I checked out of Hotel OBO yesterday, the Kane train was chugging along nicely, and Taylor had hitched a ride. By the time I woke a couple of hours ago on a very autumnal London morning, they were still going strong, after an absurd sounding sightscreen delay and, the pair of them were accumulating records. The new ball - or in truth a couple of new balls - stymied their progress a touch, with Williamson finally removed, and Mitch Starc bowled a spell of fury and fire, crossing the 160 click mark (he was just 0.3mph away from 100), taking a corner of Brendon McCullum’s bat and finding his edge a remarkable amount. But Baz survived and Taylor thrived, so New Zealand are 266-1 for the day. Should be a belter of a final session if Starc can find some of that thunder and the Kiwis can continue on their merry, smiley way.
I’m here until the bitter end so come say hi! I’m on the twitters at @willis_macp and the emails at the cumbersome address up top. Please tell me what you’re up to, where you’re following from and what you make of the criggit. Look forward to hearing from you. Nearly time for play.
Tea on day three - the run-feast continues at the Waca
98th over: New Zealand 406-3 (Taylor 165, McCullum 21)
Nathan Lyon has the honour of the last over before tea but Taylor and McCullum are as watchful as the situation dictates, defending stoutly to go to the break undefeated. The Kiwis have now piled on 266-1 for the day and bar a magnificent spell of hostile fast bowling from Mitchell Starc, one in which he passed the 160kmph mark, it’s been one-way traffic and a quite joyless experience for the bowlers.
Taylor has been supreme to reach 165 by the break and I envy Will Macpherson, because he’ll be taking you through until stumps, in which time the resurgent Kiwi may well reach a double-century. Thanks for all your emails and tweets today and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.
97th over: New Zealand 404-3 (Taylor 164, McCullum 20)
As a single to McCullum brings up New Zealand’s 400, there’s something a bit sad about the sight of Mitchell Johnson bowling at such reduced capacity and being belted around by Ross Taylor. It’s a bit like watching Eddie Murphy in those Nutty Professor films; a once-vital and explosive talent reduced to something so noticeably inferior. Am I being too bleak? I just don’t want to watch Mitchell Johnson bowling at 136kmph, that’s all I’m saying.
96th over: New Zealand 399-3 (Taylor 160, McCullum 19)
Lyon continues and with tea now firmly in sight, McCullum is finally starting to curb his instinct to thrash wildly at everything, though he’s a little uppish in pulling the spinner out into the deep, where a man is stationed at deep backward square leg. Taylor has two deliveries to deal with and glances the second of them for his 25th boundary. He’s so far out of his form slump now it’s hard to remember what it looked like when he was in it. New Zealand have reached 1-150 in the 30 overs of this session. Superb.
95th over: New Zealand 394-3 (Taylor 156, McCullum 18)
Mitchell Johnson does appear to replace Starc in the final moments of this session but he’s soon throwing his head back in anguish as Taylor thumps him through mid-wicket for a boundary of uncomfortable familiarity. Johnson’s just never looked like it today, the poor bloke.
94th over: New Zealand 388-3 (Taylor 151, McCullum 17)
Mitchell Johnson probably wouldn’t mind a go at this point but if he’s being brought on in this 15 minute period before tea it’s going to be from Starc’s end because Nathan Lyon has replaced Josh Hazlewood and starts with a maiden. I’ve just realised that Andy from Far North Queensland sent me an email 35 minutes ago complaining about the docile wicket. Still want me to publish it Andy? I’d feel a bit mean. I certainly didn’t see that spell coming.
Updated
Taylor brings up 150!
93rd over: New Zealand 388-3 (Taylor 1451, McCullum 17)
As magnificent as he’s been in the last half hour (have you seen a guy bowl with such menace lately without actually taking a wicket?) it’s slightly inevitable that Starc is now flagging a little physically and feeling his side, which isn’t great. The over finishes with a crunching straight drive for four by Taylor, who accordingly reaches 150. He’s been superb today.
92nd over: New Zealand 380-3 (Taylor 142, McCullum 17)
There’s a brilliant piece of commentary here with Mike Hussey describing what it’s like to face fast bowling like this at the Waca. “It’s like a time warp” he says, noting that there’s a ‘lost’ moment in between the release of the ball and your reaction to where it pitches, where things get weird. If that’s what is happening to Brendon McCullum he’s not letting it show. I think it’s just ‘hit and hope’ for him right now. He spears another four through gully but every ball he looks like he’s also just as likely to get out. It’s his eternal appeal. Might the Aussies really rue those drops?
91st over: New Zealand 374-3 (Taylor 142, McCullum 12)
The crowd is cheering every ball from Starc now. It’s 2013-14 Mitchell Johnson stuff. Or 1974-75 Lillee and Thomson. There’s another scorching yorker angled across McCullum but somehow he and Taylor survive another fiery over. Starc is a man possessed at the moment.
90th over: New Zealand 371-3 (Taylor 141, McCullum 10)
Seriously, get near a TV. Now the pitch is playing up as well. Hazlewood fires on down and it lifts off the edge of a crack to move away from McCullum at pace. That jagged away from him a good 30cm or so. McCullum responds by belting him over cover for four. This is proper, wild and wooly Perth Test cricket right now. In the last 25 minutes I’ve somehow grown mutton chops, acquired a gold chain and skolled a can of Emu Bitter. This is bloody brilliant.
Updated
Mitchell Starc has broken the 160kmph mark! And there's another drop!
89th over: New Zealand 366-3 (Taylor 141, McCullum 6)
Gawd. McCullum is edging everything in sight now. Warner’s back on the ground (better late than never) but a thick outside edge flies over his head and Mitch Marsh does well to dive at the boundary and turn four into one. Then Taylor digs out a yorker that Starc fires down at 160.4kmph! This is crazy stuff.
But it gets better/worse, depending on your allegience. Taylor edges towards gully and a diving Mitch Marsh drops a tough chance to his left. This is utterly thrilling bowling from Starc. He’s angry. He’s fast. It’s compelling stuff.
88th over: New Zealand 361-3 (Taylor 137, McCullum 5)
The Starc thunderbolt that took off a part of McCullum’s bat came down at 154.8kmph, by the way. This new ball they’ve got is doing all sorts for both bowlers and it’s really fired them up. Hazlewood has a whole-hearted LBW shout against Taylor to start this over and after he survives it the Kookaburra is soon whistling past his eyes. Get near a TV if you’re not already.
McCullum is dropped by Nathan Lyon!
87th over: New Zealand 359-3 (Taylor 135, McCullum 5)
Oh my. McCullum is really living on the edge here. He flashes at Starc early in this over and it flies over the cordon for four and then a ball later he sends another thick edge straight into the cordon where Nathan Lyon makes a complete hash of a catching chance at waist height. Am I being unfair? Starc did fire that one down at 152kmph but an international cricketer should catch that. Lyon’s only in there because David Warner is off the ground and we’ve just seen why he’s not normally stationed in the cordon... Steve Smith is livid. Again.
Brilliantly, Starc finishes the over with a yorker that takes a solid chunk of willow out of the bottom of McCullum’s bat. This is thrilling Test cricket all of a sudden. Chaos. The splintered timber from McCullum’s bat could have claimed his wicket there. He was actually lucky again.
Updated
86th over: New Zealand 353-3 (Taylor 134, McCullum 1)
Wowzers. Hazlewood’s first ball to McCullum rears at him awkwardly and an outside edge high on the bat drops just short of the man at gully. He gets off the mark by nudging one out to leg and there’s a noticeable increase in bounce from this brilliant new ball the Aussies have plucked out of the 3rd umpire’s case, like it’s stuffed with elastic rather than cork.
Sub-fielder update! It’s WA U23 batsman Jaron Morgan who gets the nod. What a thrill for him but mainly, it has to be said, for this blog.
WICKET! Williamson c Johnson b Hazlewood 166 (New Zealand 352-3)
Williamson is out! He’s actually bloody out! Oh dear, that is most unfortunate for the Kiwi ace. For a few moments leading up to that one – a short ball from Hazlewood that he artlessly pulled into the hands of Johnson at mid-on – there had been conjecture over a replacement ball as yet another new Kookaburra bit the dust. What hope have they got of creating an acceptable pink one if they can’t even get the red ones right?
Anyway, the James Bond-style hard case was brought out onto the ground and the replacement chosen from it has done the job straight away for the Aussies. They’ve finally got their man!
Updated
85th over: New Zealand 352-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 134)
It’s entirely possible that Ross Taylor is actually enjoying the newer, harder ball here because he’s again shifting his weight onto the front foot and pasting Starc through cover for four. David Warner has also stepped off the field temporarily, which for the fellow enthusiasts playing at home, probably means we have two substitute fieldsmen on at once. More on that once I have a name. I regret to take the majesty of Williamson and Taylor for granted, but this is about the most exciting thing that’s happened in the last half hour.
84th over: New Zealand 348-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 130)
This is better stuff from Hazlewood, who often takes an over or so before he starts “hitting good areas”, as they say. He’s in a tighter channel outside off stump and a leg bye is the only damage for the over, so it’s a maiden for the bowler if not the team.
Michael Klinger update: he ended up with 70 in WA’s Shield game; 6 more than Shaun Marsh but 28 fewer than, ahem, Glenn Maxwell.
83rd over: New Zealand 347-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 130)
Taylor is punishing Starc now, creaming him to the boundary twice when he over-pitches outside the off stump. His teammates have been on the receiving end of some harsh treatment out in the middle in this series but with their feet up on the balcony now they look like they’re at Club Med.
82nd over: New Zealand 338-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 121)
Hazlewood returns as well but rather oddly, he’s only got two slips and a gully. A little bit pessimistic from his skipper, non? It’s a funny old over; either too wide outside off or a little straight and Taylor picks off a single to the right of the man at mid on.
81st over: New Zealand 337-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 120)
He might have fancied his chances with some reverse swing at the start of this session but having bided his time, Mitchell Starc is finally back with a brand new Kookaburra in his hand. His over is fast and accurate and for the sheer bloody novelty of it, a maiden is no bad thing.
First 80 overs for each team in this Test not very productive for bowlers: 3-701 combined. #AusvNZ
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 15, 2015
80th over: New Zealand 337-2 (Williamson 166, Taylor 120)
Lyon continues for what will probably be his last over for a while, as the new ball is due in the next. He’s doing Joe Burns no favours by dropping it short and the man under the helmet cops a pull shot to the backside as he takes evasive action. Like all good club cricketers, Jono Wells is offering enthusiastic verbal encouragement to the bowlers to overcompensate for his error in the last over.
79th over: New Zealand 334-2 (Williamson 164, Taylor 119)
That’s better Smudge. Smith returns with his leg-spin and throws up a loopy full toss for Williamson to crash down the ground for four, giving us something completely out of the ordinary. There’s then a horror moment for sub-fielder Jono Wells when he somehow loses the ball in the deep and runs in the opposite direction required to ensure Williamson picks up four more. It’s one of those ones where people say “poor bloke, we shouldn’t laugh” instead of just giving in to the hysterics. Steve Smith certainly doesn’t see the funny side of it.
78th over: New Zealand 325-2 (Williamson 159, Taylor 115)
Lyon’s shifting around the crease a little in his delivery to establish a different line of attack each ball, but he’s not getting much drift because his trajectory is flat as a tack. Williamson is sleep-walking his way towards 200 now.
77th over: New Zealand 322-2 (Williamson 157, Taylor 114)
As Starc and Hazlewood continue to languish in Siberia, Smith brings himself back into the attack in the hope of some grievous error by Taylor or Williamson. I know he wants Starc and Hazlewood to take the new ball in 15 minutes but he’s really let this slide in the last hour. Couldn’t they have had a pair of 2-over spells 20 minutes ago? Anyway, Smith’s over is half-decent. What happened to the filth? We don’t even get that.
76th over: New Zealand 320-2 (Williamson 156, Taylor 113)
“C’mon boys” is the cry from Peter Nevill behind the stumps as Lyon continues but it’s said in a tone of desperation. He’s trying to convince his teammates that they’re a sniff of a wicket but the pitch and this Kiwi pair tend to suggest otherwise.
75th over: New Zealand 319-2 (Williamson 156, Taylor 112)
Is there something drastically wrong with Starc and Hazlewood to the point that they’re unable to bowl? Am I being a bit obvious by pointing out that Marsh poses a reduced threat at this point? Williamson moves forward as if in slow motion and strokes Marsh to the fence through cover. I think I’ve already seen this episode. That’s 70 runs in 9 overs for the session. Smudger, give us a hand here buddy.
74th over: New Zealand 313-2 (Williamson 151, Taylor 111)
Nathan Lyon enters the hurt locker now as Taylor, a bystander to the run glut in the previous over, hops his way down the track and hammers the spinner for a lofted four down the ground. Lyon ducked as though he was avoiding a cannonball.
Fan bloody tastic.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 15, 2015
Williamson brings up 150!
73rd over: New Zealand 308-2 (Williamson 150, Taylor 107)
I wasn’t of the view that this situation was screaming out for some more Mitch Marsh, but I guess that’s not the only difference between Steve Smith and I and he’s still doing okay. Anyway, Williamson promptly pastes Marsh to the fence with another classic square cut (shout-out to Robert Wilson, who has probably overheated at the sight of such splendour). The rest of the over is muck as well so Williamson feasts to bring up his 150. That milestone gets a quick raise of the bat and half a smile. He’ll give us a full one when he passes Brian Lara’s world record I guess.
72nd over: New Zealand 295-2 (Williamson 137, Taylor 107)
Lyon’s coming over the wicket to Williamson now but he could probably sneak up behind the Kiwi batsman and not get him out at this point. This is getting a little desperate for the Australians now. Even teammates are crossing to the dark side...
I'm going to name my son Kane.
— Kane Richardson (@KRichardson63) November 15, 2015
Run-out review! But it's not out
Has sub fielder Jono Wells entered the ranks of sub-fielding heroes? Urgh, no, Taylor made his ground. Never run on a misfield is the lesson there.
71st over: New Zealand 289-2 (Williamson 136, Taylor 102)
Smith keeps the faith with Johnson, or perhaps he’s just viewing him as the carthorse at this point and conserving the collective energy of Hazlewood and Starc. He’s duly dispatched for another pair of boundaries by Williamson, who looks like he’s planning to bat until the Adelaide Test starts in two weeks, or perhaps longer.
Robert Wilson thinks I need a cold shower. “Did you cool off after your Usmanian flourishes and Waughesque palpitations?” he asks. “Honestly, it’s all about the cover drive snobbery with you cricket writer types. Do you guys have formal cover drive entry exams? Chatlines where you drool to each other about Gower and Sangakkara? Is it your definition of a quality player?”
“For me, it’s all about the square cut. Mostly because I couldn’t play one to save my life (I did once get a very thick edge that fooled everyone). There are outliers like Ponting’s ludicrously easy pull shot or just about anything by Viv Richards. But the square cut is the man’s man of cricket shots. And there is only one ultimate practitioner...”
Is there anything better than a flat, crowd-killing pull shot that rockets into the seats at deep square leg? Actually, I’ll tell you what’s even better and sexier than all those shots; Viv Richards’ chest-puffing strut as he walks to the crease right at the beginning of the documentary below. Compare and contrast with Larry Gomes, who paces back to the pavilion like a nervous schoolboy. Viv is the man. I’d have his babies if it was medically possible, for sure.
Ross Taylor brings up his 13th Test century!
70th over: New Zealand 281-2 (Williamson 128, Taylor 102)
With Taylor within reach of his milestone Lyon stars the over be wheeling away to Williamson, who sweats on the bad ball and when he gets it, shuffles back and across to belt a late cut between point and gully for four before picking up a single. He wanted two from the latter but Taylor fancies his chances of picking off the ton and duly does the job with a late cut of his own that’s streak but effective. Great stuff from Taylor. I thought he’d do this today.
His ton came from 135 deliveries in 205 minutes and featured 15 fours. He really toughed it out early and now he’s getting the rewards for his labour. And with that he moves past Williamson and John Wright to make second spot on the NZ century-makers list his own. He’s got 13. Only Martin Crowe (17) has more.
Updated
69th over: New Zealand 272-2 (Williamson 123, Taylor 98)
Taylor is having absolutely no difficulties after lunch, especially when Mitchell Johnson is slinging down half-trackers that he can pull to the fence at deep mid-wicket. He gets a snorter after that; a short one that really balloons past the bat as Taylor attempts to hook and races out to the boundary behind Nevill. Is that a hundred for Taylor? No, byes.
Taylor moves to 98 by stepping back and confidently punching Johnson through the gap at cover for two but the impending milestone doesn’t prompt any extra pressure from the Australian field placements.
68th over: New Zealand 260-2 (Williamson 123, Taylor 90)
Nathan Lyon continues around the wicket to Williamson, pursing a leg stump line with men in at short mid wicket and short leg. He gets off strike and then Taylor takes an age to face up before doing likewise. We’ll be here until midnight at this rate. Play’s already had to be extended due to the farcical sight screen delay earlier.
67th over: New Zealand 257-2 (Williamson 123, Taylor 88)
Geez, what a start here after lunch. Mitchell Johnson comes back into the attack to start with and Williamson biffs his first ball perilously close to the outstretched arm of a diving Lyon at leg gully. That would have been a miracle catch but it flies down to fine leg for a single. I’ll put it down as a quarter of a chance.
Then Williamson pulls one inches past Burns’ scone at short leg. He must be hating life in there. Johnson’s first over is patchy to say the least and when he over-pitches, Taylor cracks him for four wide of cover and then moves off the unlucky 87 with a single. Australia’s policy of sticking the last guy picked in at short leg is neither fair nor profitable for the side, you’d have to conclude.
Klingermentum continues to gather steam
...but I’m talking myself into Maxwell now. He’d offer a genuine spin option too, though both he and Marsh in the same XI would be a little bit ‘India 2013’, wouldn’t it?
No chances since the tea break with Klinger reaching 50 from 100 deliveries. WA 4-155.
— Victoria Bushrangers (@bushrangers) November 15, 2015
The race to replace Ussie - Part Two
The plot thickens further in the Western Australia-Victoria Shield game, where Shaun Marsh has been dimissed for 64 but Michael Klinger soliders on at 43 not out. We’ll be keeping a close eye on that one throughout the afternoon.
New Zealand’s first session in a single tweet
That’s bloody good #cricket
— Richard Irvine (@richirvine) November 15, 2015
I want the cricket show at tea to be replaced by a 20 minute montage of Smithy saying testicles.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 15, 2015
Lunch on day three - New Zealand have played superbly for no loss
66th over: New Zealand 249-2 (Williamson 120, Taylor 82)
Taylor faces up to Lyon and steels himself for a few more minutes of concentration before he can go and put his feet up for a well-earned rest. Oof, there’s almost another chance for Burns when Taylor rocks back and defends into the path of short leg but the downward trajectory of the stroke and its forcefulness negates a catch. Taylor holds firm and as he and Williamson trot off, he can be well pleased with his efforts this morning.
New Zealand posted 108 for no loss in that session as they continue to claw their way back. Williamson was simply superb and Taylor has worked his way back from an abyss in determined fashion, getting better and better as his innings progresses. I’ll go and grab a drink and then we’ll be back with the post-lunch session.
65th over: New Zealand 249-2 (Williamson 120, Taylor 82)
Oh brilliant, Steve Smith has brought himself on now in the hope that his filthy long-hops and full tosses will break the concentration of the well-set pair before the break. It’s his usual mixed bag but Williamson in particular resists the urge to smash a full toss somewhere out in the deep and instead taps it along the carpet for a single to deep cover. All of this means Lyon will get one more over in before lunch.
Updated
64th over: New Zealand 245-2 (Williamson 117, Taylor 81)
Burns is in the action again now in Lyon’s over when Taylor sweeps one low and fairly hard to his right and his reflexes are quick enough for him to get a hand to the half-chance. But it doesn’t stick. Lyon is patient in this over and it nearly brings success when he darts in a quicker one with his final delivery and Taylor on just manages to keep it out. Looks like we’ll have one more over before lunch.
63rd over: New Zealand 242-2 (Williamson 116, Taylor 79)
Johnson’s still bending his back in this last ten minutes before the lunch break but he’s not getting any reward for his efforts yet. The toughest job on the ground right now is Joe Burns’ at short leg, because Johnson’s not bowling quick enough to frighten this pair into jumpy back foot play and instead they’re enthusiastically pulling his short balls past Burns’ nose. Urgh.
Confirmation of what seemed obvious. What a shame. Channel Nine are saying he’ll miss two Tests at a minimum. He’s only a “chance” for Boxing Day.
Usman Khawaja expected to miss Adelaide Test v NZ and first against West Indies in Hobart with hamstring injury #AUSvNZ
— Andrew Ramsey (@ARamseyCricket) November 15, 2015
62nd over: New Zealand 239-2 (Williamson 114, Taylor 78)
For Williamson, Lyon brings mid-wicket closer and he’s also got a short leg in place in addition to his skipper at first slip. Williamson is down the wicket and defensively smothering the spinner before he’s able to shuffle onto the back foot and pick off a single to leg.
61st over: New Zealand 236-2 (Williamson 112, Taylor 77)
Reader Rob (I can’t see a surname so we’ll consider his name a Brazilian footballer style singular statement) has emailed in with a beauty via the world wide web. “Oh lord, thought you might like to know that Wikipedia presently speaks of Kane “the sex machine” Williamson,” he informs us. “No doubts as to the machine reference I am just not sure that James Brown had the best New Zealand batsman in history in mind when things got funky.”
I think it’s a perfect description, Rob, because Williamson’s batting isn’t “sexy” per se. He’s so clinical and efficient. “Sex machine” is much more like it. He’s pleasuring us in the most efficient and economical way possible; none of the Usmanian flourishes or M-Waughesque style, just minimal effort for maximum joy.
I think I need a shower.
60th over: New Zealand 233-2 (Williamson 111, Taylor 76)
Finally the people get what they want when Lyon’s brought into the fray for his first trundle of the morning and there’s an awkward moment for Williamson immediately when he’s too loose with a sweep and opens up numerous modes of dismissal in the process. “Oooooh” coo the Australian fieldsmen in the time-honoured style. See, Lyon makes stuff happen. Keep him on all day I say.
I don’t really know what this 140-character Don tweet on Williamson’s muted century celebration even means but I’ll instinctively agree with it.
Hahaha his celebration lasted about 4 seconds, that's so chat.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 15, 2015
59th over: New Zealand 230-2 (Williamson 109, Taylor 75)
Hmm, Marsh gets another over and it’s not as scattergun as the previous one but still not all that inspiring. I think Nathan Lyon should start vigorously warming up in Smith’s line of sight at about this point.
58th over: New Zealand 226-2 (Williamson 107, Taylor 73)
Is it time to talk about Mitchell Johnson? I’m loathe to write him off after his jaw-dropping feats of fast bowling brilliance in the last few years but he looks like a man in need of a holiday. The pace is right down (mid-130? Mitch? Really?) and when it’s coming down at that rate and he’s slinging it aimlessly across Williamson, boundaries like the one he creams through cover here have a ring of inevitability about them. Rest him for the day-night Test in Adelaide? Ian Healy’s talking reverse swing. I think he might need even stronger glasses than mine.
@rustyjacko Mitchell Johnson is playing on reputation isn't he?
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 15, 2015
57th over: New Zealand 220-2 (Williamson 102, Taylor 72)
A less patient skipper than Steve Smith might have dispatched Mitch Marsh into the deep after his last few overs but the Australian captain continues to resist the urge to bring on Nathan Lyon for some spin. Marsh digs one in short on Taylor’s hip and he swivels around to clip it for a boundary down at fine leg. This is all a bit too easy for the Kiwi pair since Starc and Hazlewood finished their spells. Marsh and Johnson are bleeding runs. Taylor thumps another boundary from the final ball of the over. C’mon Smudge, time for some Nath.
Kane Williamson brings up a brilliant century for New Zealand!
56th over: New Zealand 212-2 (Williamson 102, Taylor 64)
The only thing going in Johnson’s favour here is the potential that Williamson is perhaps a little nervy about bringing up his century milestone, but if that’s really the case the batsman isn’t showing it and sure enough, he gets a short and wide one that he’s able to spear between point and cover to bring up his hundred. What a superb knock.
It took him 266 minutes, 158 deliveries and featured 16 fours. Only Martin Crowe sits ahead of him on the list of New Zealand Test century-makers now as he joins John Wright and his partner Ross Taylor on 12. He’s batting like a genius now, so much so that it’s hard not to see him doubling his current century tally at an absolute minimum. As if to say “I’m not done yet”, the milestone is acknowledged with a calm handshake with Taylor and he only briefly raises his bat.
55th over: New Zealand 208-2 (Williamson 98, Taylor 64)
New Zealand’s pair aren’t exactly slogging at the moment but they’re going along at an alarming clip as far as the Aussies are concerned. With Marsh continuing it’s Taylor who gets in on the act with a thick outside edge through the vacant third slip region, which rolls away for four.
54th over: New Zealand 204-2 (Williamson 98, Taylor 60)
Johnson does indeed replace Starc but again it’s not an ideal start to his spell when Williamson pummels him wide of cover for a truly glorious boundary. That also brings up 200 for New Zealand and moves the batsman ever-closer to a second century in as many Tests. After the final ball he’s even closer having walloped another four between the two men placed in the cover region. I think you call that precision.
Gabrielle Liddle has an addition to the cricket fiction files. “ I recall Douglas Adams liked a cricket reference,” she says. “The whole premise of the Krikkit Wars being the celestial beginnings of our beloved game is pure genius. This from Life, the Universe and Everything.”
“Of all the races in the Galaxy, only the English could possibly revive the memory of the most horrific wars ever to sunder the Universe and transform it into into what I’m afraid is generally regarded as an incomprehensibly dull and pointless game.”
53rd over: New Zealand 196-2 (Williamson 90, Taylor 60)
Hazlewood has a chance to cool his jets here but Mitchell Johnson must want Starc’s end because it’s Mitch Marsh who comes on to replace the right-armer. Marsh makes the mistake of offering Ross Taylor a half-volley and he leans in to stroke it through cover for four before repeating the dose when Marsh is both short and wide next up. That one’s driven hard and square and really thumps into the fence. Having withstood the earlier assault from Starc, Taylor is really cashing in.
A telling stat on multiple levels:
Kiwi's first 100 partnership for the series. Looking good...
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 15, 2015
Ross Taylor reaches fifty!
52nd over: New Zealand 188-2 (Williamson 90, Taylor 52)
Taylor’s fighting back now and not only pulls Starc for a boundary with strength and conviction, but also brings up his half-century in fine style, cracking an on-drive straight to the pickets*. To celebrate the feat, Ian Smith spends the rest of the over talking about Taylor’s testicles, but in a medical sense so it’s all above board, if a little too detailed. He copped a ball in the nether regions on New Zealand’s tour of Zimbabwe, you see. Now the nation knows more about it than they ever realised was necessary.
*Not actually pickets but again, an advertisement for a bank. As long as those guys are getting rich.
51st over: New Zealand 177-2 (Williamson 88, Taylor 43)
This is a fascinating little bowling partnership between Starc and Hazlewood, with the latter also attempting to hide the ball in his approach but not quite as successfully as his partner. You get the feeling that doing so would disrupt the right-armer’s equilibrium. Maybe he should just keep it simple.
Taylor drives him straight when he’s too full but having been able to conserve his energy so far, Mitchell Johnson has plenty to expend on an acrobatic save running around from mid-on. Johnson ends up sprawled across the turf on top of a bank logo. I suppose it’s not the first time that industry’s had such an effect on someone. Oof, Williamson then finishes the over by rocking back and smashing a pull shot to the fence when Hazlewood drops it in too short.
50th over: New Zealand 169-2 (Williamson 81, Taylor 41)
Having failed to bully Taylor into bunting one to leg gully, Starc is opting for a little bit variety in his skullduggery now, hiding the ball in his approach so Taylor won’t know which way it’s going to swing. It almost works too when an absolute screamer moves away from Taylor and lifts more than he expected, narrowly avoiding an outside edge on its way past his shoulder. Is it reversing? This would suggest so.
Colum Farrelly has a lovely addition to the cricket writing chat. “Bill Bryson, in his book “Down Under” (aka “The Sunburned Country”) has a terrific chapter on discovering cricket radio commentary,” he says. “Lord knows what he’d make of an OBO.”
“I don’t wish to denigrate a sport that is enjoyed by millions, some of them awake and facing the right way, but it is an odd game. It is the only sport that incorporates meal breaks. It is the only sport that shares its name with an insect. It is the only sport in which spectators burn as many calories as players (more if they are moderately restless). It is the only competitive activity of any type, other than perhaps baking, in which you can dress in white from head to toe and be as clean at the end of the day as you were at the beginning.”
49th over: New Zealand 168-2 (Williamson 81, Taylor 41)
Ian Chappell’s probably making a voodoo doll of Adam Voges now because Australia’s first slipper seemed to be set way too deep for an edge in this over. Taylor shuffled forward unconvincingly and got a healthy nick but it dropped a good six inches short of Voges’ hands in the cordon. Should Nevill have dived? Ian Smith thinks so. It did go straight at Voges to be fair. Urgh, replays say the keeper probably should have leapt across.
48th over: New Zealand 164-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 38)
Taylor continues to receive a thorough examination of his back-foot play by Starc and his attempts aren’t overwhelmingly convincing, so Burns at short leg and Lyon at leg gully are hovering like seagulls outside a fish ‘n chip shop. Four balls in to his ordeal he manages to get off strike by keeping one down and to Lyon’s right for a single.
47th over: New Zealand 163-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 37)
Hazlewood is now in the unique position of starting his second spell of the day without ever actually being replaced in the attack. Brett Lee is waxing lyrical about the flatness of this Waca pitch as though everyone doesn’t know the drill. You can’t take their Test off them and then expect them to produce a raging seamer that ensures a two-and-a-half day Test, surely?
There’s two men posted at short mid-wicket as Williamson faces up to Hazlewood but he’s resisting the urge to hit it in that general vacinity for now.
The rest of the 46th over: New Zealand 160-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 34)
So, just the 17-minute delay there as the sight screen was fixed and right on cue, Kane Williamson nicks the first one towards Voges at first slip but thankfully for the Waca administrators it falls short. There might have been a mutiny if he’d gone out after that ridiculous delay. He survives the final ball of the Starc over as well but everyone’s had to start again now. Crazy.
This cricket slogan has a bit of #YourTaxis about it #epicfail pic.twitter.com/xu6Xb1kXsO
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) November 15, 2015
Updated
A reader email while they continue to fidget with the sight screen controls
And Robert McLiam Wilson is back. “Re. cricket reads. Haigh is a great writer, no debate,” he says. “Australia is particularly rich in them just now. It’s not quite a cricket book but it’s hard to beat Pickwick Papers for insightful cricket writing. The All-Muggleton v Dingley Dell game is fine and dandy but Mr Jingle’s subsequent account of his own cricket experience is masterly. As an inveterate cricketing liar, I’m deeply moved by the story of a match that includes a score of 570, multiple heat stroke victims and an actual death (Poor Quanko indeed). Dickens didn’t know a huge amount about cricket but he could spot a giant spoofer in a roomful of medium spoofers. It always seemed like the true Spirit of Cricket to me.”
Agreed, perhaps I should have asked for the greatest pieces of cricket fiction (no, not exaggerated tales of your club cricket feats). I’m talking Wodehouse and the like. Everyone raves about Malcolm Knox’s ‘Adult Book’ too. I must check it out. Here’s a review of it if you’re interested.
Yep, they’re still trying to move this sight screen. Is MacGuyver nearby?
How about a sight screen with a manual option? Too complicated?
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) November 15, 2015
They’re still not back from this absurd sight screen delay
First the curators, and now the sightscreen operators being instructed to make it last five days. #AUSvNZ
— Roach (@roachy01) November 15, 2015
46th over (still not done): New Zealand 160-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 34)
Wooooh. There’s a heart-in-mouth moment now for Taylor when Starc gets him on the hop with a short one angled at his hip and Steve Smith smells blood, immediately posting Nathan Lyon to leg gully. There follows a nervy deflection through traditional gully and Taylor does not look comfortable at all when Starc’s banging ‘em in short. Who amongst us mortals would?
This over also features a lengthy delay to fix a problem with the sight screen; so long that players wander off for an informal drinks break. There’s still two balls left in the Starc over. This is madness.
Sight screens are the biggest threat facing cricket today
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) November 15, 2015
45th over: New Zealand 155-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 31)
This is a bright start for the Kiwis. Hazlewood drifts onto Williamson’s pads and with his elbow elevated high and proud, like he’s going out of his way to impress a coach, the Kiwi drives it imperiously through mid-wicket for a boundary and then doubles the dose next up by cracking one straight to the fence between the bowler and the stumps.
Hazlewood thinks he’s suckered Williamson into feathering one down the leg side to an athletically diving Nevill next up but it only glanced his thigh guard. Williamson makes it ten from the over by turning two more through the vacant mid-wicket region and though he’s got a few men in straighter and close for a catch on the leg side, I’m not sure Hazlewood will have much joy pursuing this line of attack.
44th over: New Zealand 145-2 (Williamson 70, Taylor 31)
The only positive out of Khawaja’s injury – and I’m really reaching here because it’s an entirely regrettable scenario – is that we’ll be treated to a cavalcade of novelty sub-fielders throughout the rest of the game. Yesterday it was Western Australian Futures League batsman Nick Hobson in the not-quite-baggy-green and today it’s former Taswegian turned Sandgroper Jono Wells, who played a few decent cameos for the Hobart Hurricanes a couple of years back.
Maybe like Theo Doropoulos and Marnus Labuschagne before him, Wells will get involved with a catch. Personally I think these guys should get their own section in Wisden. Anyway, Mitchell Starc is cranking it up into the mid-140s in his first over but he over-pitches to Taylor and the Kiwi leans into a controlled cover drive that comes straight out of the meat of the bat and flies to the boundary.
43rd over: New Zealand 141-2 (Williamson 70, Taylor 27)
Hazlewood starts things off for Australia and his first one is short and fast into Taylor’s hip and the Kiwi deflects it fine for a single to the leg side. Taylor looked out of sorts in Brisbane but remains a quality batsman and you don’t lose that class overnight. I don’t want to mozz him so early in the day but this feels like the moment he’ll drag himself to a big score. Williamson sees off the rest of a tidy opening over from the big Haze.
With play only moments away
...a campaign I could get behind.
Maxwell for Australia. #AUSvNZ https://t.co/d2rBMZTGRS pic.twitter.com/wbcryu9dzZ
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 15, 2015
The race to replace Ussie
The plot thickens now, because Cameron Bancroft has been dismissed for 4 in the Sheffield Shield game currently in progress, meaning that outside chance Michael Klinger joins Shaun Marsh (15*) at the crease against Victoria. But are we underestimating Ed Cowan’s claims a little here? He’s still to bat in New South Wales’ game against Tasmania and was robbed of time in the middle out of last week’s SCG debacle. He’s in super form since making some technical adjustments over the winter, that much is certain.
And the roughies? Callum Ferguson missed out in South Australia’s first innings, Glenn Maxwell made 98 for the Vics earlier in that WA game and somehow remains a severely underrated Test prospect, George Bailey only got 37 for Tassie (65 for Alex Doolan though. Are his papers marked? Possibly), while Travis Dean (84 following two centuries on debut) is the smokiest of smokies.
Preamble
Hello OBOers and welcome to day three of this Perth Test, a punishing experience for the bowlers but for those of us comfortably ensconced on the sofa, a welcome distraction from life’s absurdity.
The big story out of yesterday – aside from the fact that New Zealand had their best and most determined showing of the summer so far – was the hamstring injury to Usman Khawaja right as he was nailing down the No3 slot with a second century in as many Tests. Poor Ussie. You just want to hug him.
Anyway, Russell Jackson here to take you through the first few sessions of play before Will Macpherson comes in after tea to tonk it about a bit. I’m actually carrying an injury myself now, if that interests you. Dodgy knee. No idea how I did it but when I informed my fiancee this morning I received a withering and heartless response; “A sore knee? From blogging?”
I suffer for this art. Anyway, I’ll be back shortly with the more important matters at hand. You can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or on Twitter: @rustyjacko - why don’t you write in and tell me about your favourite cricket reads. Here’s my suggestion of the day:
Sports book per day until @SportsWritersAU - No6. Gideon Haigh, 'The Summer Game' pic.twitter.com/lV9Y650uVt
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) November 15, 2015
Russ will be here shortly to take you through all the live action on day three at the Waca, but in the meantime, check out yesterday’s match report and all the latest on Usman Khawaja’s injured hamstring, which might open up a Test spot for Cameron Bancroft or Shaun Marsh.
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