And here’s the day two stumps report, where as JP says despite the NZ fightback, there was only ever one man in the headlines:
Close on day 2 - New Zealand 63-0 (Australia 454)
New Zealand’s day. First, an improved bowling and fielding performance was rewarded with figures of 7/171 for the day, then Toms Latham and Blundell saw off the new ball to hit the sheds with an unbeaten opening partnership.
However, it remains Australia’s Test match. A first-innings total of 454 is not to be sniffed at anywhere in the world, let alone on an SCG pitch showing variable bounce worryingly early in the match.
That Australia are in the box seat is down almost single-handedly to Marnus Labuschagne. He plundered his maiden double-century in a superb display of concentration and accumulation. Around him batsmen came and went, and the tail refused to wag, making his 215 all the more valuable and impressive.
New Zealand’s makeshift attack stuck to its task well and in Todd Astle they’ve found a leg-spinner worth persevering with. His googly in particular caused Australia plenty of trouble.
Another strong day from the Kiwis tomorrow will set this match up nicely for a rare exciting finish. To find out if the Black Caps can back up their good work join me and Adam Collins right here for all the action.
Updated
28th over: New Zealand 63-0 (Latham 26, Blundell 34) Lyon with the final over of the day, and New Zealand survive it.
27th over: New Zealand 62-0 (Latham 25, Blundell 34) Labuschagne gets one over before the close to unfurl his leggies. Oooh, he starts with a long-hop that Latham absolutely hammers into the grille of Wade at short-leg. Gee, that was nasty. In another era that would have had major consequences. As it is, a replacement helmet is brought out and the nuggety Tasmanian gets on with his work.
The rest of the over is awkward for New Zealand with Labuschagne getting plenty of purchase off the surface. He probably should have been given a longer spell much earlier.
The sound 😳
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 4, 2020
Thankfully Wade appears to be OK after being on the receiving end of this blow #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/9djK8X6fia
26th over: New Zealand 61-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 34) Lyon does belatedly get another spell but Blundell has put his cue in the rack and safely dead-bats a maiden over.
Crowd, Day 2, SCG: 31,405. First two days, 67,825. First two days last year, Aus v Ind, 65,333. #AusvNZ
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) January 4, 2020
25th over: New Zealand 61-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 34) Another Starc over that raises little alarm for the Black Caps. It feels like the desire to find reverse swing has diverted Australia away from their best chance of taking a wicket this evening - spin.
24th over: New Zealand 60-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 33) Shot of the innings so far, Blundell feasting on some length from Cummins and crunching a cover drive through the shadows that are lengthening across the SCG and away for four.
23rd over: New Zealand 55-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 28) Starc has now moved around the wicket to Blundell, searching for the exact strategy to maximise any available reverse swing. After two duds he finds his range, angling the ball in and then moving it late away from the bat but the right-hander is alert and jams a thick edge away through gully. However, that’s the only delivery of note in another humdrum over from the below-par speedster.
Just five overs left in the day. Can New Zealand finally walk off an Australia pitch with their heads held high?
23rd over: New Zealand 52-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 25) Cummins continues his probing spell and again troubles Blundell, beating the bat with one that zipped more than the Kiwi expected from a length. Australia’s most consistent bowler has gone for just 13 from his eight overs.
22nd over: New Zealand 51-0 (Latham 24, Blundell 24) Starc is back in the attack for his second spell of the day, and he’s hiding the ball in his run-up suggesting Australia think the ball is starting to reverse. It was hard to detect anything with the naked eye, and Starc’s radar was again found wanting in an innocuous over that goes for two.
21st over: New Zealand 49-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 24) Blundell follows up his opening delivery tease with a solid troll, twice edging Cummins wide of the solitary slip for boundaries.
Ricky Ponting and James Brayshaw are adamant the third umpire has missed a hot spot during his deliberations. There is a very faint mark on Blundell’s bat after the ball passes; enough to overturn the on-field umpire? It would be a harsh call, especially with snicko not offering a murmur.
@JPHowcroft just emerged from my day's work. If the Kiwis are looking for some solace it seems 10 of the Australians were pretty average....
— phil withall (@phil_withall) January 4, 2020
NOT OUT! There was definitely a snicky noise in real time, but there’s nothing on hot spot or RTS to overturn Aleem Dar’s on-field call. Tim Paine’s DRS disappointment continues.
REVIEW! Blundell swished and missed a Cummins delivery outside off. Or did he? Paine is adamant there was an edge, so he makes the T signal.
20th over: New Zealand 41-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 16) Blundell is accepting the risk-reward of playing back to Lyon, swiping a short ball across the line for two that barely bounced above shin height. He repeats the shot the following ball but only earns himself a single for his troubles.
Is it just me, or is Channel Seven’s coverage beginning to edge disappointingly towards Nine’s lamentable offering?
19th over: New Zealand 38-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 13) Blundell takes on a Cummins bumper and pulls it away well enough for a single, but it was an unconvincing stroke. The seamers haven’t looked overly threatening with the new ball, especially compared to Nathan Lyon. I wonder if we’ll see Labuschagne’s leggies before the close?
18th over: New Zealand 37-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 12) Blundell gets off strike early with a three, giving Lyon a rare look at Latham. The rough patches on the pitch are less of a target to the left-hander and the Kiwi skipper is nimble on his feet snuffing out any other gremlins that might be lurking.
17th over: New Zealand 34-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 9) Cummins replaces the below-par Pattinson from the Paddington end. There is noticeably just the one slip for the no.1 ranked Test bowler, in the 17th over of a match where he has 400+ runs in his favour. That’s a clear indication of how Australia see this pitch behaving.
16th over: New Zealand 33-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 8) Another big shout from Lyon against Blundell. Same line and length as previous overs but this one shoots low and under the defensive prod, inviting an LBW appeal. Erasmus is unmoved and DRS proves him right for judging the batsman to be struck outside the line of off stump. Blundell is now stuck between a rock and a hard place. He can’t go back because of the uneven bounce and he’s nervous about propping forward because of the bat-pad fielders on either side of the wicket.
15th over: New Zealand 30-0 (Latham 22, Blundell 7) Pattinson is pushing the ball full in his opening spell but there’s no sideways movement in the air, allowing Latham in particular to get in position early and hit through the line of the ball. He collects a couple through cover using that method, although had he a less closed grip it would probably have been a boundary.
The final drinks break of the day is being taken. 15 overs left to be bowled.
14th over: New Zealand 28-0 (Latham 20, Blundell 7) Lyon has settled into a groove spinning the ball into the right-handed Blundell from well outside off stump. The batsman is responding by getting back and across and dead-batting everything from well in his crease. Paine responds by bringing in catchers under Blundell’s nose on either side of the wicket. Terrific Test match cricket.
On the subject of the Air Quality Index (AQI) that may lead to a suspension of play, you can follow the reading in real-time at the link below.
@JPHowcroft check out https://t.co/deYJBGZRj2 for air quality hour by hour
— Nicholas Searle (@TheMakersTV) January 4, 2020
13th over: New Zealand 28-0 (Latham 20, Blundell 7) New Zealand’s opening pair look reasonably well set now. It’s far from straightforward for them out in the middle, but they are applying themselves well. Pattinson’s latest over contains three scoring deliveries with Latham looking to attack anything too full and straight.
12th over: New Zealand 24-0 (Latham 17, Blundell 6) There’s something to pay attention to every Lyon delivery with the subtle natural variations on offer in this pitch. Latham escapes strike early before Blundell is canny in defence, watching the ball right onto the face of his bat, and then capitalising on some rare width to drive handsomely for his first boundary. He’s given a warning at the conclusion of the over when he elects to leave a delivery that spins into his pads from well outside off stump. Lyon demands an LBW but Marais Erasmus is unconvinced. Paine rejects DRS which shows an umpire’s call for height.
11th over: New Zealand 19-0 (Latham 16, Blundell 2) Pattinson moves around the wicket to Latham and the change almost works immediately with some extra bounce inviting the batsman to play away from his body and sending an unconvincing push a fraction wide of gully and away for four. That could easily have been out. The following ball New Zealand scamper a tight bye to rotate strike for the first time this innings!
The TV commentators have introduced the talking point of matches being suspended for poor air quality. We’re a while off that here, but the haze is thickening.
10th over: New Zealand 14-0 (Latham 12, Blundell 2) Double change for Australia with Nathan Lyon coming on from the Randwick Road end, and I like this change a lot. Todd Astle found plenty of turn and bounce earlier in the day, and with the inconsistent bounce on offer from this end the GOAT could be a handful.
His spell begins with sharp turn from outside off into the right-handed Blundell, but his first three deliveries all stay lower than expected, making playing back perilous in the extreme. New Zealand are comfortable seeing off consecutive maidens.
9th over: New Zealand 14-0 (Latham 12, Blundell 2) Pattinson finally gets his chance from the Paddington end, replacing the lacklustre Starc. His line of attack is over the wicket, angling across the left-handed Latham, but the batsman is watchful and happy to allow a maiden to pass outside his off stump.
That wind change that arrived a few overs ago has brought with it some smoke haze. Not anywhere near as bad as feared but another reminder of the context in which this match is being played.
8th over: New Zealand 14-0 (Latham 12, Blundell 2) There has been no strike rotation so far this innings which means it’s either been Starc v Latham (advantage New Zealand) or Cummins v Blundell (advantage Australia). Blundell begins to even the ledger with his first runs - a pulled two - after 21 previous deliveries without troubling the scorers. Since those early scares the pitch has not misbehaved.
7th over: New Zealand 12-0 (Latham 12, Blundell 0) Starc retains his place in Australia’s attack but it’s another poor over. His second delivery in particular is too full and straight, allowing Latham to stroke a classical on-drive for the first boundary of the innings.
6th over: New Zealand 8-0 (Latham 8, Blundell 0) For five balls Cummins is much fuller and straighter, demonstrating his ability to respond to the conditions. Blundell is suitably orthodox in defence. Then ball six is a nasty short ball that the batsman tries to pull and suffers a winding blow for his troubles. Blundell is yet to score despite facing 18 deliveries. He is at the wrong end.
Australia’s score at the tea interval on Day 2 of each Test
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 4, 2020
Perth: 416 all out
MCG: 431/5
SCG: 454 all out
No wonder it’s felt like we’ve been watching the same script, or plot anyway, on repeat this series. Now for the Kiwis to lose their top-order quickly #AUSvNZ @cricbuzz
5th over: New Zealand 8-0 (Latham 8, Blundell 0) Starc will be lucky to get a fourth over with Pattinson waiting in the wings. His line and length have lacked precision so far and Latham collects a couple more twos in between simple leaves to keep New Zealand moving.
4th over: New Zealand 4-0 (Latham 4, Blundell 0) Cummins is a fraction too short and wide to Blundell this over to find that patch of unpredictable bounce. He does get one to jag back off the seam but it doesn’t draw a shot from the MCG centurion.
3rd over: New Zealand 4-0 (Latham 4, Blundell 0) The deck is behaving much more predictably from the Randwick Road end where Starc is operating. Latham again works a couple into the leg-side in an over that passes without much fanfare.
There’s been a distinct change in the weather during the past few minutes. The flags on the grandstands are blowing hard, the bails are rattling in their grooves, and everyone is reminded - in case they’d forgotten - of the perilous conditions elsewhere in the country. It remains stinking hot at the SCG.
Meanwhile, the TV coverage shows that between innings New Zealand opted only for the light roller, not the heavy one, which has Ricky Ponting and others mystified.
The difference in bounce between these two balls from Cummins' first over 😬@copes9 | #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/V0TVwYo1We
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 4, 2020
Updated
2nd over: New Zealand 2-0 (Latham 2, Blundell 0) Pat Cummins shares the new ball from the Paddington end and his opening delivery keeps alarmingly low, shooting under Blundell’s bat outside off stump. The second does the exact opposite! Wow! From a very similar line and length this one rears up with steepling bounce and smashes into Blundell’s right arm as he props forward and attempts to leave. Only 150 overs into the Test that is a worrying sign for the quality of this deck. The inability to trust the bounce keeps Blundell pinned to his crease, and that almost accounts for him when a big off-cutter almost chops him in half.
1st over: New Zealand 2-0 (Latham 2, Blundell 0) Mitchell Starc’s opening couple of deliveries lack fizz and Latham is grateful, nurdling a couple into the on-side to get off the mark. Ball three is bang on the money and finds the shoulder of the bat but doesn’t carry all the way to a diving David Warner at third slip. The remainder of the over is off target.
There’ll be 28 more overs this session.
The players are back out in the middle, Toms Latham and Blundell for New Zealand, preparing to get their first-innings underway.
“Following Jason Gillespie’s comments welcoming Labuschagne to the 200 Club (Over 148),” emails Mike Gibbs-Harris, “do you think Marnus will be dropped by Australia as Gillespie was after his 201 (not out)?”
Ha! As weird as that sounds, it’s not out of the question. Australia’s next Test assignment isn’t for half a year, and a lot can happen in that time. There will be an enormous amount of ODI and T20i cricket in the coming months, so who knows where Labuschagne’s game will be at come June/July? He may be miles off his game by then, or selectors may deem the tour an opportunity to rest their star man for more high-profile contests?
Australia 454 all out
Australia will be satisfied with 454, especially on a surface that is showing signs of wear and tear, but at various times over the past couple of days they looked on course for a much bigger total.
That they got that much owes an awful lot to Marnus Labuschagne’s diligent 215. That they didn’t streak out of sight is testament to New Zealand’s persistence, especially today, when plans were executed with greater skill, while the intensity around the ground was heightened. The last five wickets fell for just 44 runs, which will irritate Justin Langer.
Wagner and de Grandhomme both ended with three wickets while Astle bowled well for his two. Henry and Somerville also delivered excellent wicket-taking deliveries.
Updated
WICKET! Starc b Wagner 22 (Australia 454)
That’ll do it. Wagner charges in, hits the deck, and Starc plays all around a straight one, not even bothering to turn around and survey the wreckage of his shattered timbers.
That dismissal also brings TEA.
150th over: Australia 455-9 (Starc 22, Lyon 6) Starc was always going to long-handle Astle eventually, and when he did he almost perished. The ball went high out to long-on but Kyle Jamieson couldn’t hold on to the difficult chance running in and diving forward. Of course, Starc repeats the shot, but with much better timing, clearing the fence over cow corner.
Neil Wagner's ball to dismiss James Pattinson was the shortest ball that's resulted in a batsman being bowled on Australian soil since records began in 2006. #AusvNZ pic.twitter.com/QYbVzJ47Tk
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 4, 2020
149th over: Australia 445-9 (Starc 13, Lyon 6) The pitch is increasingly misbehaving. Wagner’s short balls are just dying in the wicket while Astle’s googlies and gripping and spitting. A delivery Wagner would normally expect to target Lyon’s badge almost bowled the No.11 mid-over such was the lack of bounce. The partnership continues - and so does the session - tea delayed until Australia are all out.
A bit more context to Labuschagne’s place in cricketing history, while his average is currently the best since Bradman.
Via @cric_analytics #AusvNZ pic.twitter.com/xpj24u0U9V
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 4, 2020
Updated
148th over: Australia 444-9 (Starc 12, Lyon 6) Astle is on the wrong end of some ropey old fielding as Starc and Lyon sweep their way to a few handy last-wicket runs.
Never. Gets. Old.
Always great to welcome a new member to the test double hundred club. Well batted Marnus.👍🏽#AUSvNZ
— Jason Gillespie 🌱 (@dizzy259) January 4, 2020
147th over: Australia 439-9 (Starc 8, Lyon 5) Starc is through a pull shot way too early so Wagner’s bouncer thuds into his upper back while he’s mid-follow through. He times the next bumper much better and rotates the strike, but then Lyon does almost exactly the same! Too quick on the pull and that ball will leave a nice welt on the spinner’s ribcage up near his right armpit.
146th over: Australia 438-9 (Starc 7, Lyon 5) Starc gets off strike early, allowing Astle time to work Lyon over. Spinner almost gets spinner with a googly that’s edged just wide of short-leg, then a sweep onto pad bobbles a fraction short of the diving Watling. Lyon and Starc then exchange singles to keep New Zealand waiting.
145th over: Australia 435-9 (Starc 5, Lyon 4) New Zealand have taken 4/26 in the last nine overs, bringing Australia back towards them after the hosts threatened once again to sprint miles out of sight. Wagner can’t finish things off despite Lyon and Starc both swinging and missing like barn doors in a gale.
144th over: Australia 434-9 (Starc 4, Lyon 4) Lyon, like Starc before him, opens his account with four first ball, slog-sweeping Astle to square-leg.
WICKET! Cummins c Phillips b Astle 8 (Australia 430-9)
Oh boy, this is a proper collapse from Australia, serving only to reinforce the quality of Labuschagne’s batting and the patience of Smith’s 60-odd. Cummins is the latest to go, propping forward and turning Astle straight to Phillips at short-leg. It was a very sharp catch from the fielder - ordinarily a wicket-keeper.
Updated
143rd over: Australia 430-8 ( Cummins 8, Starc 4) Starc, long handle, four. No need for a sighter. Fun and games for a little while now you’d think.
WICKET! Pattinson b Wagner 2 (Australia 426-8)
Wagner, sniffing some tail-end scalps, comes back into the attack. Cummins gets an easy single which brings the ill-at-ease Pattinson onto strike. He repels a couple of length deliveries then makes an absolute horlicks of his first bumper. The ball doesn’t get up but the Victorian ducks into it anyway. From there the ball somehow cannons off forearm, onto the back of the bat, then down towards the stumps. At first glance it’s hard to tell if Pattinson then dislodges the bails with his bat in an attempt to deflect the ball away, or whether the ball itself finishes the job. Either way, Wagner has a wicket.
Update: the ball did the business, not the toe of Pattinson’s bat.
You've got to be kidding! James Pattinson can't believe his luck! 😦@bet365_aus | #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/hSJIeCWdd9
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2020
Updated
142nd over: Australia 425-7 (Pattinson 2, Cummins 7) Cummins works Astle around the corner for two, then drills him into the covers for a single. Pattinson is far less happy, and he is fortunate to escape a ripping bouncing googly that is paddled ungainly into the on-side. Pattinson is two from 18 and does not look switched on at the crease whatsoever. A little better than Stuart Broad v Kagiso Rabada, but not a lot.
Comedy batting again from Stuart Broad 🙄 #hopeless pic.twitter.com/loJvbX7K4y
— Mr Geoff Peters (@mrgeoffpeters) January 3, 2020
141st over: Australia 422-7 (Pattinson 2, Cummins 4) Someville replaces CdG and he concedes only a couple of leg-byes to Pattinson, who is circumspect early in his innings.
140th over: Australia 420-7 (Pattinson 2, Cummins 4) Astle has bowled well today and New Zealand have stuck to their task with more intensity than on day one. Australia still miles ahead in the game, but if the Kiwis can mop up the tail we might at least have something approaching a contest on Monday and Tuesday.
WICKET! Labuschagne c&b Astle 215 (Australia 416-7)
The first ball of Astle’s over is a massive spinning and bouncing googly that deceives Labuschagne. The batsman responds by using his feet to reach the pitch of the next delivery, but once there all he can do is drive it straight back to the bowler who clings onto a smart return catch over his head.
Labuschagne’s stunning innings comes to an end. The New Zealanders applaud Australia’s No.3 off the field. The crowd stands to applaud one of great SCG knocks.
Updated
139th over: Australia 416-6 (Labuschagne 215, Pattinson 2) Another tidy stump-to-stump over from de Grandhomme, stalling Australia’s slogathon for the time being.
Meanwhile, I’m still in early 90s hip-hop earworm territory, only this time I’m down with CdG - the man with three.
138th over: Australia 413-6 (Labuschagne 213, Pattinson 1) Nice over from Astle, especially to the left-handed Pattinson, whose lack of foot movement allows the ball chance to drift and spin. Australia still manage three singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Next on the list of milestones for Labuschagne ⤵️#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/Kg4t4vswyM
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 4, 2020
WICKET! Paine b de Grandhomme 35 (Australia 410-6)
As his white ball figures attest, CdG is not the easiest to get away in a hurry. Labuschagne dots a couple before rotating strike, then Paine dots a couple before being bowled! Lovely delivery from CdG, hitting a perfect line and length, finding a touch of seam back into the right-hander - who left his gate open trying to force a late cut - and the ball cannoned into the top of off.
137th over: Australia 410-6 (Labuschagne 210)
Marnus Labuschagne
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 4, 2020
First Class Average (excluding Tests): 38.22
Test Average: 67.81 #AUSvNZ
136th over: Australia 409-5 (Labuschagne 210, Paine 35) The tonk is on. Paine gets off strike then Labuschagne slogs Astle with a crooked bat and only just avoids mid-on with a mistimed stroke. A couple more arrive courtesy of a dab to third-man before Astle beats the bat for no reward.
Now that Marnus is closing in on scoring enough runs to cover the frequent flyer miles from Earth to Uranus, will that be enough to get Pluto upgraded to a planet again?
— gregor lewis (@suepesas) January 4, 2020
Seriously though, good to see Paine backing up his MCG innings. Hope he keeps growing to next 🇮🇳 Series
Question: Is there anybody in cricket you’re happier to see succeed than Tim Paine? Jason Holder perhaps? Kane Williamson? The entire Ireland team?
135th over: Australia 403-5 (Labuschagne 205, Paine 34) Milestone passed, Labuschagne shows his hand, cutting for two then driving aggressively but straight to the field. I reckon we could be in for some #Declarationspeculation hitting over the next couple of hours.
Simply incredible! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/edv1kMiAkl
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2020
200 for Marnus Labuschagne!
CdG is handed the ball as the field squeezes the life out of the SCG. Normally a vast football oval it must feel as enclosed as solitary confinement for Labuschagne right now. Dot. Dot. Edge! But there’s no slip - and the ball scoots down tot he boundary for four runs - 400 up for Australia - and a magnificent double century for Australia’s superstar no.3
134th over: Australia 397-5 (Labuschagne 199, Paine 34) Astle sends down five dots in the over after drinks. The crowd holds its breath for ball six. Paine cuts. Groans spread. But they grow into cheers as the ball runs and runs away to the third-man boundary for four! Labuschagne on strike to start the next over. Surely 200 is his, 19 minutes after hitting 199.
Just to annoy you all with a little earworm, I can’t get Cypress Hill’s Insane in the Brain out of my head while Paine and Labuschagne are out in the middle together.
Thank you very much Adam.
Remember to retune your emails and tweets to the following addresses: @JPHowcroft and jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
133rd over: Australia 393-5 (Labuschagne 199, Paine 30) The SCG crowd are a bit tetchy with Paine finding it ever so hard to put Marnus back down there. He will get one delivery, with Paine pushing one to cover. And he plays and misses at it! That was a lovely bit of bowling. That’s drinks as well. Over to JP Howcroft to, let’s hope, drag Marnus Labuschagne over the line for a maiden double ton. Bye!
Oh, before I go: great news from the Russell Jackson bat auction for bushfire relief: it has topped two grand! Get in there! To be honest, I still think that’s a bargain. It couldn’t be easier to lodge your bid. Check out the below and up the offer. Do it!
New leader! @anthonysexton in pole position with $2000. 👍👍🏏
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) January 4, 2020
NB. Auction ends at 8pm whichever night the SCG Test ends. https://t.co/NbNPH7GTTN
132nd over: Australia 392-5 (Labuschagne 199, Paine 29) Toddy, my man. Can you do to Marnus what happened to Matty Elliott all those years ago? Or Steve Smith at Sahina Park? I was calling the latter for West Indies radio, a DRS review sorting him out. Let’s hope not. He’s earned this achievement. Paine isn’t finding it easy to give the strike back to him though... until the final ball, that is! Paine to face again.
131st over: Australia 391-5 (Labuschagne 199, Paine 28) Henry has the job to do with the entire SCG crowd waiting to see a special moment. Paine does his bit, giving Labuschagne the strike with three balls remaining in the over. On 199, he defends the first, defends the second... and... defends the third! Over bowled.
130th over: Australia 390-5 (Labuschagne 199, Paine 27) Hot Toddy Astle is brought back on and is making life tough for Labuschagne with a delivery that turns a long way to beat the edge. Now on 198, he cuts to extra cover from the penultimate delivery, Paine then doing likewise to keep the strike. We wait.
129th over: Australia 386-5 (Labuschagne 197, Paine 25) Labuschagne pulls Henry but only for one. Paine wants to cut when he gets his turn but underestimates the bounce, beaten outside the line. He responds with a much better shot for three out to cover from the balls of his feet. Labuschagne once more, now a boundary away, but takes a quick single instead to midwicket. He’ll wait for next over.
128th over: Australia 381-5 (Labuschagne 195, Paine 22) Paine picks Somerville off for a single through midwicket after using his feet to get to the pitch. He has a nice start here. The offie is back around the wicket to Labuschagne, who is jumping down the track to defend then doing the same to attack, driving on the up through cover. What a shot that is, all the way along the ground and straight from the middle of the bat. And now another gallop down the strip before setting for one to square leg. He brought up his ton in Perth with a six (and tried to in Adelaide), so that’s worth keeping an eye on now that’s he’s within five of his double century.
127th over: Australia 375-5 (Labuschagne 190, Paine 21) Fair play to Matt Henry, who keeps hitting his length just on the fourth stump line over and over and over again. Remember, he’s doing this with a broken thumb, which must be throbbing as he sets in to deliver each ball. His maiden to Labuschagne is spot on here.
126th over: Australia 375-5 (Labuschagne 190, Paine 21) Somerville gives Paine enough room to cut his first ball, away for a couple and into the 20s. He’s kept honest by the Kiwi spinner for the rest of the over, who has bowled pretty well.
125th over: Australia 373-5 (Labuschagne 190, Paine 19) There we go, Labuschagne overtakes his 185 from Brisbane against Pakistan in November with a boundary to start Henry’s over, albeit an unconvincing one off an outside edge through the cordon. But with only one catcher in there, the risk is limited. By the end of the set he’s into the 190s from the bottom edge of his bat, mishitting his pull shot. It came up on social media during the lunch break that he’s never made it to 200 in any form of cricket that is registered on the world wide web. What better time!
124th over: Australia 367-5 (Labuschagne 185, Paine 18) Labuschagne pulls level with his highest score with a push to mid-on. He’s got a long way to go, I reckon.
123rd over: Australia 365-5 (Labuschagne 184, Paine 18) Wagner to Labuschange to begin, the Queenslander taking a single first ball this time. Full, full, short is the pattern this time to the captain, who is happy to have a pop at the pull shot, getting it straight to ground and out to a sweeper. He was the player who changed the tempo of the innings last week at Melbourne when Wagner was in the heads of Australia’s middle order. Another half-century to finish his summer would do the world of good before white-ball cricket takes over until Bangladesh in June.
122nd over: Australia 363-5 (Labuschagne 183, Paine 17) Paine gives the strike straight to Labuschagne from the first ball of Somerville’s new set. The dominant No3 plays the rest with a straight bat, easing one down the ground to finish.
121st over: Australia 361-5 (Labuschagne 182, Paine 16) Wagner again to Paine, who is more conversative this time around, prompting a move to around the wicket for the tail-end of the over. He takes one from a fuller ball, Labuschagne dealing with an accurate short one with soft hands to finish.
On @1116sen, a great point from @AWSStats to push back on four-day Test case: over the last ten years, there has been an average of 79 overs played per day. That factors in both rain and dreadful over rates.
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 4, 2020
120th over: Australia 360-5 (Labuschagne 182, Paine 15) Somerville from the Paddington End, where he started the day so successfully with Wade’s wicket. The TV cuts to a shot of the city, just a couple of kilometres away from the SCG, and the haze is thick. I wonder at what stage they will start considering their options in terms of taking the players off? It looks very sunny in the middle but they are measuring this on air quality. Anyway, in the here and now, the big off-spinner gets one to keep low at the home skipper, just getting his bat down in time. You don’t normally see that in the opening innings of a Test. Paine goes at the next ball, a full delivery outside the off-stump, middling a square drive out to the rope. He’s hitting them well in this series, helping silence calls for his replacement.
119th over: Australia 354-5 (Labuschagne 181, Paine 10) From the Randwick End, Wagner has the field spread out on the legside and just Taylor in the conventional cordon, as is the norm at this stage of an innings for the left-armer. Ooh, and Paine has a pop at the short one too, missing with his swing. He’s back in defence straight after that then leaving the last couple. They’ll go harder in this session.
The players are back on the field. Wagner is back into the attack for yet another spell, this his 27th over. Paine is up the business end. PLAY!
“Morning Adam (well it’s morning in Perth).” Hello, John Phaceas. “It strikes me that many of those players in favour of 4 day tests have limited experience in actually playing on day 5. Regardless, though most tests currently only last 4 days anyway, my fear would be that officially shortening the duration would result in a lot more teams pulling down the shutters early and holding on for draws. How many wins currently come down to a team being 3 down in the 4th innings at the start of day 4 and staring at the mountain of surviving 180 overs or scoring 400 runs? Plus – 5 day tests are a Tex Perkins-like gesture to the banality of broadcasting/advertising executives who increasingly call the shots in all modern sport.”
Also, a lot of assumptions about how many overs would fit into a day. With the exception of New Zealand, is there a team that consistently gets through their 90? Let alone another eight, even with an additional half an hour. It won’t happen.
Another Marnus nugget
Bradman’s first 3 scores of 150+ came within ~8 weeks (June-Aug 1930)
— Andrew Donnison (@Donno79) January 4, 2020
Bradman 3 in ~8 weeks from Jan-Feb 1937
Ponting 3 in ~10 weeks from Oct-Dec 2003
Labuschagne’s 3 in ~6 weeks (Nov 2019-Jan 2020)
“Is anyone else struggling with guilt over checking/listening/watching the cricket?” I’m asked by @Roscommon_Cat on twitter. “I’m on the other side of the state to where the fires are, but I feel like it’s somehow in bad taste.”
I don’t think it’s wrong at all to feel that way. But I suppose the nature of life is that it continues through tragedy all the time and this is no different. To be fair to the participants in this match, they are trying to use the week to raise much-needed funds. Without the fixture taking place, it would be harder to achieve that.
To that end, a reminder that you can participate in a couple of cricket-related auctions for bushfire relief. Take a look at these playing shirts for the Australian team, and Russell Jackson’s magnificent cricket bat - currently at $1500. Bargain!
New Zealand hung in there. Across the 28 overs, they took two wickets and only gave up 71 runs, which wasn’t a bad effort. That Somerville bowled Wade sweeping in the first over of the morning halted any thoughts of putting the foot down, Head tied up for half an hour before falling caught behind to Henry - the other scalp. The problem for the Black Caps is that Labuschagne goes on and on, now just four runs short of his highest Test score and 19 away from a maiden double ton; he’s been out there for 308 deliveries but his concentration can’t be broken. This really is the definition of a golden summer. Remember to email or tweet me your thoughts on four-day Test cricket. We’ll pick that up shortly.
LUNCH: Australia 354-5
118th over: Australia 354-5 (Labuschagne 181, Paine 10) de Grandhomme has the final over before the break, Paine taking the third ball - another hoopy inswinger - out to backward square to get off strike. He’s where he needs to be at Labuschagne too, finding the inside edge one last time before they depart for LUNCH!
117th over: Australia 353-5 (Labuschagne 181, Paine 9) They are scoring easily enough off Great Guy Todd Astle, but he has a decent wrong’un on him! He nearly slips one past Paine, in what will be his final over before lunch. The captain keeps the strike with a single out to point.
I’ll be calling this fashion option the Hot Toddy. Please do it.
Imagine how much @collinsadam will lose his mind if Todd Astle comes out to bat in a floppy hat with a Duncan Fearnley.......#AUSvNZ
— COMMERCIAL CLUB (@CommercialClub) January 4, 2020
116th over: Australia 349-5 (Labuschagne 180, Paine 6) It doesn’t look pretty this field for CdG but you have to change it up when an innings has been going this long, nearing an interval. Watling makes a lovely take down the legside, quickly whipping the bails off - he appeals but Paine never moves his back foot. The all-rounder brings out his outswinger next, locating the outside of Paine’s bat, steered behind point. Warne and Gilchrist are talking about average speeds for legspinners as they look at Astle, who is sending them down at about 85kph. The best there is reflects on Stuart Macgill: “Good bowler. Gave it a rip.” Love that stuff.
Big fourth grade energy from New Zealand here.
— Nick Trainor (@nickktrainor) January 4, 2020
115th over: Australia 346-5 (Labuschagne 178, Paine 5) “Yeah, one!” calls Labuschagne when taking a single through point to retain the strike at the end of the Astle over... he now even sounds like Steve Smith. All told, five risk-free runs from it, the Queenslander closing in on 185 - his highest Test score.
114th over: Australia 341-5 (Labuschagne 174, Paine 4) de Grandhomme, who opened the bowling yesterday, is on for his first go today. To Labuschagne, he has no conventional slips but Ross Taylor is in position at leg slip, with Latham up to the stumps. A bit different but the all-rounder makes it work for him, all stump-to-stump. He also finds the inside edge with a tidy inswinger. Useful first set.
113th over: Australia 340-5 (Labuschagne 173, Paine 4) After getting through that appeal, Paine makes contact with the middle of his bat a few times in the over while defending before putting away a half-tracker past point to get off the mark.
All bat... no pad 🙊
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2020
New Zealand are out of reviews.#AUSvNZ | https://t.co/rx14Qs3S0i pic.twitter.com/VXmEEXQO2Q
NOT OUT! Yeah, that’s not a good review. The noise that Watling detected before the ball hit the bat was the blade hitting the pad. They have no reviews left. Watling smiles upon realising that, on reflection, it really wasn’t much of a shout.
HAS ASTLE TRAPPED PAINE LBW? Aleem Dar says no but Tom Latham is sending it upstairs. Stand by.
112th over: Australia 336-5 (Labuschagne 173, Paine 0) Watling is very keen on a leg before shout to start Henry’s over, Labuschagne shuffling across his stumps and working it down to fine leg, hitting pad before pat. No review. He defends the rest of another accurate over. It’s been a very good spell.
As we move towards lunch, give me your hottest takes on four-day Tests. I’ve already said that I can’t have it. Not full-time. I don’t mind them being used to enable Tests that wouldn’t otherwise happen, but to make them compulsory for the next round of the World Test Championship is a whole other thing. Go!
111th over: Australia 334-5 (Labuschagne 171, Paine 0) My man, Todd Astle! Welcome to the attack! The leggie has added a face-full of sunscreen to his balding head, sunglasses and bouncy action. He finds Labuschagne’s edge too, albeit played with soft hands. Down the track, the Queenslander clips two to keep the scoreboard going in his direction, taking another that way before the over is done.
Trav’s back foot always seems to tell the tale. The number of times he gets out with it half set seems significant
— Dave Brown (@diogenesbrown) January 4, 2020
110th over: Australia 331-5 (Labuschagne 168, Paine 0) Henry staight on the mark to Paine, now back over the wicket after winning the Head wicket angling in from around. From a selfish perspective, Labuschagne needs his captain to go with him here in order to make sure that he can advance to 200 and beyond. To finish the successful over, Henry finds Paine’s inside edge for a second time. Excellent and gutsy bowling from a man who is racing in with a broken thumb.
WICKET! Head c Watling b Henry 10 (Australia 331-5)
Well bowled Matt Henry! He earned Head’s edge there after such a consistent spell, the South Australian trying to get his first run for half an hour with a cut too close to his body, taken comfortably by Watling behind the wicket.
109th over: Australia 331-4 (Labuschagne 168, Head 10) Glorious from Labuschagne when dancing at Somerville, lifting him straight back over his head after getting to the pitch of the delivery. The special part was in the control, checking the shot so to get the desired result while eliminating risk. He’s so good.
108th over: Australia 327-4 (Labuschagne 164, Head 10) Henry doesn’t come close to penetrating the Labuschagne forward defensive for the first half of the over so he changes to around the wicket. It makes no difference. The pitch map shows that the bowler did nothing wrong, hitting a very consistent line and length, but there’s no exposure for the No3 here. He has some huge numbers ahead of him.
Most Test runs in an Aussie summer
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) January 4, 2020
965 - Ricky Ponting 2003/04 (6 Tests)
952 - Matthew Hayden 2003/04 (6)
949 - Matthew Hayden 2005/06 (7)
944 - Ricky Ponting 2005/06 (7)
905 - Wally Hammond 1928/29 (5)
Marnus getting close to entering top 10 (needs to get to 184)
#AUSvsNZ https://t.co/QdvXQOVEzd
107th over: Australia 326-4 (Labuschagne 163, Head 10) Labuschagne won’t let the morning drift, rocking back this time to cut Somerville for two before coming forward to flick him wide of mid-on for another single. This reminds me a bit of Warner in Adelaide. He won’t have the time to do what the opener did there but there’s the same punishing accumulation, defined by rapid running. Superstar.
106th over: Australia 323-4 (Labuschagne 160, Head 10) Right, we’re back from a long drinks interval, understandably so given it is over 33 degrees already in Sydney and only getting hotter. Just the one run added here, via Labuschagne off his pads. Jeet Raval is back on the field. After an hour off the park, there he is.
Suppose if the Australian test summer has taught us anything it's that it's much best consumed via listening on the radio whilst doing literally anything else
— (G)Len(n) Phillips (@lenphil29) January 4, 2020
... or the OBO!
105th over: Australia 322-4 (Labuschagne 159, Head 10) Somerville completes the first hour. Operating again from around the wicket he has Marnus missing a sweep to begin, prompting a half-appeal for leg before. He’s deeper in the crease later in the over, pulling two, before pushing another single into that gap. Head deals with the rest. Only 33 runs in the hour with a wicket, to New Zealand’s credit. But to seriously give themselves a chance of avoiding a day in the dirt they need Labuschagne right away or there’s a good chance he’ll still be going at tea.
104th over: Australia 319-4 (Labuschagne 156, Head 10) Henry to Head, driving nicely along the carpet without risk to start, adding three. Labuschagne resets after launching at Somerville in the previous over, playing the seamer conservatively. He keeps the strike with one into the covers. More good batting.
Fulton, of course, is one of many sportsmen who have been dubbed Two Metre Peter. Think Crouch, Street, George, Wright. I’m sure there are others.
103rd over: Australia 315-4 (Labuschagne 155, Head 7) Up and over mid-off, Labuschagne takes Somerville from around the wicket, inside-out for four more. He’s shifting up the gears now, picking his moments regardless of the delivery.
Good grief, another illness for New Zealand. Jeet Raval, the opener unexpectedly recalled yesterday, is off the field with the flu. Peter Fulton, the 40-year-old former Black Caps batsman, has his whites on to field if required. What a mess.
Labuschagne to 150!
102nd over: Australia 309-4 (Labuschagne 150, Head 6) Wish a push into the covers and a quick single, Marnus Labuschagne has made it to 150 for the third time this summer. Daddy Hundreds, he loves them. Earlier in the Henry over, into the attack for the first time today - bowling with a broken thumb - he played a delightful on-drive down to the boundary. His 14th boundary in a stay of 253 deliveries that shows no sign of ending soon. Surely he makes it a double ton.
101st over: Australia 304-4 (Labuschagne 145, Head 6) Somerville continues, Head waiting for a ball outside his leg stump before using his blade, taking one to midwicket. Labuschagne does likewise to finish, negating the turn and angle from round the wicket by using his feet to get to the pitch, flicking a further single.
100th over: Australia 302-4 (Labuschagne 144, Head 5) Another little milestone for Australia, moving beyond 300. It’s been harder work than they might have expected this morning, losing Wade to begin, but a huge day still awaits. Sure enough, they didn’t get there easily with Wagner bowling, angling into Labuschagne’s inside edge for the third time in the last four overs.
99th over: Australia 298-4 (Labuschagne 140, Head 5) Labuschagne turns the strike over early in the over with a compact sweep before Head continues to leave everything he can outside the off-stump as he plays himself in. No rush here. That’s one of the many reasons why I’m well against the move for compulsory four-day Tests: there’s something meaningful to be found in quiet spells. Anyway, I won’t go on about it as this is all inevitable now that CA are banging the drum.
98th over: Australia 297-4 (Labuschagne 139, Head 5) Wagner finds Labuschagne’s inside edge for a second time in this first half hour. It’s now Head’s turn to take a look at New Zealand’s number one, leaving both the short and full stuff well alone.
97th over: Australia 296-4 (Labuschagne 138, Head 5) Shot! Head rocks back early at Somerville and has enough time to get on top of the bounce with a cut shot, racing away to the rope. Shot of the morning so far. He plays the rest carefully.
96th over: Australia 292-4 (Labuschagne 138, Head 1) Controlled accumulation from Labuschagne, easing Wagner through point for a couple with no bat swing at all - all timing. Oh, as soon as I type that he plays and misses at a delivery he had no need to play, well outside the off-stump and swinging further away.
95th over: Australia 290-4 (Labuschagne 136, Head 1) I wonder if Somerville was just coming on for an over to mix it up at the start but was kept on because of the wicket? Regardless, this is turning into a very useful spell. Head gets off strike early in the over with a push, using his feet - not without risk. Good flight. Labuschagne gives the strike straight back with a sweep - no issues there. He gets two more chances at the left-hander, who goes back then forward in defence.
94th over: Australia 288-4 (Labuschagne 135, Head 0) I mentioned off the top that New Zealand have done well to tie Australia up on the first morning of the second day at Perth and Melbourne. Wagner, on again here, doesn’t give it up. This is another disciplined over to Labuschagne, giving him nothing short of a length before sending down a full inswinger, which the dominant Australian number three tried to drive but ended up playing off the inside edge into his ankle. Ouch.
93rd over: Australia 288-4 (Labuschagne 135, Head 0) A probing over from Somerville to the new man Head, including a big shout for lbw when his arm-ball goes on with the angle beyond the inside edge and into the pad. No review but good early signs for the tall spinner. What a great story him playing this week.
92nd over: Australia 288-4 (Labuschagne 135, Head 0) Wagner continues his spell with this second new ball from last night, sticking with his usual approach with the field spread on the legside and banging in from around the wicket. Labuschagne is taking a look, letting the left-armer come to him, defending solidly when he does. A gem from my press box colleague Tommy Decent, noting that Labuschagne’s live batting average is now above Steve Smith’s. Whoa!
Marnus Labuschagne has moved to 135 and now has a higher Test average than Steve Smith (for now).
— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) January 3, 2020
Who would have thought... pic.twitter.com/fMGYp4m6zE
And here’s that Wade dismissal from the previous over.
Somerville gets his first Test wicket in Australia!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2020
In the first over of the day, too...#AUSvNZ | https://t.co/rx14Qs3S0i pic.twitter.com/rQ5HBiSB4u
WICKET! Wade b Somerville 22 (Australia 288-4)
Bowls him sweeping! Wade has thrown away a big chance there, having a crack at Somerville from around the wicket but missing the ball, crashing into off-stump. He’s gone without adding to his overnight score. A lovely moment for the veteran tweaker, his name into the book on his old New South Wales home ground.
91st over: Australia 288-4 (Labuschagne 135)
Earlier in the over, it only took three balls, Labuschagne dancing down the track and hammering Somerville over midwicket for four runs. Just as it was when he walked out yesterday, he’s hitting the ball in the middle of the bat straight away.
Updated
The players are on the field. Labuschagne bounces past the flags, leading Wade to the middle. “It looks like a good batting surface but it is definitely going to deteriorate,” says Simon Katich on SEN radio. The offspinner, Will Somerville has the ball in his hand to start this second day to the man on 130. PLAY!
How the track looks.
Day two deck #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/qwIS2HAGL6
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2020
Injury update from the Black Caps. Matt Henry broke his thumb yesterday when stopping a booming Joe Burns straight drive in his follow-through. Not fun. We’ve been told that he will bowl but I’d be surprised if they send him out to bat.
INJURY UPDATE:
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 3, 2020
An X-ray last night confirmed Matt Henry has broken his left thumb following a blow on day one. It has been strapped and placed in a splint. Henry will continue to bowl in the Test with his batting match dependent #AUSvNZ #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/7bCRcikBSK
More from Kevin Roberts. Let’s cut to the chase: he wants four-day Test Matches. “You’ve got to remind yourself that Test cricket hasn’t always been played over five days,” and so on. He says there is no “pre-ordained outcome” to the work they are doing at the moment but we all know how this one is going to end. Sigh.
Another excellent fundraising option is the auction being held by Russell Jackson, formerly of this parish. In addition to being a wonderful cricket writer, Russ is a great collector. He is putting one of his gems, a cricket bat signed by ten former Test captains, to auction. Bidding is up to $1200, which is a steal if you ask me. The process is straightforward, as he details here. Spread the word!
Att cricket fans: I’m trying to find extra ways of donating money to bushfire relief, and have decided to auction this bat signed by 10 Test captains. I’ll send it to the highest bidder via replies to this tweet by the end of the Test. Details attached. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/uPutoaxgPG
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) January 3, 2020
Kevin Roberts, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, is on SEN Radio. Off the top he says there are options being looked at for fundraising in addition to what has already been initiated with the playing shirt auction, which is building well. It sounds like they are open to hosting a charity game, which would be fantastic. Of course, there was one held at the MCG after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.
Roberts also notes that the second half of today might be impacted by air quality, requiring the players to be taken off the field. He says that the match officials will be charged with the responsibility of making that decision, based on the measurements that are available. He adds that they did look at moving the date or venue of the Sydney Test but were comfortable at going ahead this week.
If looking for something to listen to as we work towards the first ball, Geoff Lemon and I recorded a New Year’s Eve ep of The Final Word. It includes a chat with Paul Sinclair from the Australian Conservation Foundation, various best/worst lists from an eventful 2019 and our 2015-2019 team of the WBBL.
Welcome to day two at the SCG
Morning everyone. Just as it was yesterday, there is a cloud hanging over this Test, and across the country, as Australia wakes up to a truly harrowing weather forecast for the day ahead. Of course, it is going to be impossible to concentrate entirely on the cricket as news comes in from Victoria and New South Wales, but I’ll try my best to keep things as normal as possible on here, for what it’s worth.
When play does resume at the SCG it’ll be with Australia in a predicably commanding position after winning the toss yesterday and tucking in against the discombublated New Zealanders. Marnus Labuschagne will walk out on 130 - his fourth ton in five Tests - with Matt Wade looking to go big by his side, scampering to 22 from 30 balls last night before the close. This could get huge and quick.
The best the Black Caps can do is dry up the scoring, as they were able to with some success on the second morning at Perth and Melbourne. Despite the misadventure this tour has been, they have broadly kept their act together with the ball - especially Neil Wagner. Not much more can be asked of the southpaw.
Right, I’ll leave it there for the moment. As I said off the top, this is going to be a terrible day and there’s no avoiding it. If you want to talk about that, the cricket or anything else, feel free to drop me a line or ping me a message on twitter.
