Wellington Test Archives

New Zealand collapse as Australia take control of Wellington Test

WELLINGTON: Nathan Lyon-led Australia bowling attack booked New Zealand on a modest 179 and attained a dominant 217-run lead at the conclusion of Day 2 of the ongoing first Test here on Friday.

The touring side were 13/2 with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, unbeaten on six, and opener Usman Khawaja, five not out at the crease.

Australia had a disastrous start to their second innings as Steve Smith (0) and out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne (2) perished cheaply, both falling victim to New Zealand captain Tim Southee.

Earlier, the hosts succumbed to 179 all out in response to Australia’s 383 despite a fighting 71 from Glenn Phillips.

New Zealand had a dismal start to their innings as they lost half of their side with just 29 runs on the board.

Mitchell Starc struck early to dismiss Tom Latham (five) cheaply before star batter Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra perished for ducks in the span of just five deliveries, leaving the hosts reeling at 12/3.

Will Young, who faced 50 deliveries for a fighting nine, put together a brief partnership with Daryl Mitchell (11) before finally perishing in the 18th over.

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Following the slump, Tom Blundell was joined by Glenn Phillips and the duo combined to form New Zealand’s best partnership of the innings which yielded 84 runs.

Blundell fell victim to Nathan Lyon after a cautious 33 but Phillips hung on and ticked the scoreboard singlehandedly for New Zealand before being caught by Starc off Josh Hazlewood.

He scored a brisk 71 off 70 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries.

Following his dismissal, Lyon struck twice to sweep off New Zealand’s tail.

“The pitch was moving around a little bit and they were hitting really good areas so it was up to us to get the pressure back up on them,” said Phillips.

“Obviously the way Green played with Hazlewood, they did really well and put up a massive partnership. It’s not ideal for us but that’s what Test cricket is like.”

Australia’s hero with the bat on the opening day, Cameron Green, continued where he left off and added a further 84 runs to his 11th-wicket partnership with Hazelwood to bolster his side’s total to 383.

Green remained unbeaten with 174 off 275 deliveries, hitting 23 boundaries and five sixes.

Whereas, Hazlewood scored an unbeaten 22 off 62 deliveries which featured four boundaries.

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Conway hits 78 as New Zealand dig in on opening day against Sri Lanka

WELLINGTON: Devon Conway’s blistering 78 helped hosts New Zealand race to 155-2 against Sri Lanka at the end of a rain-delayed opening day of the second Test on Friday in Wellington.

Conway fell short of a hundred as he was caught and bowled by Dhananjaya de Silva, who dived low to his right to get both hands on a superb catch, to end a thrilling 108-ball knock.

First-Test hero Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 26 alongside Henry Nicholls on 18 when bad light stopped play at the Basin Reserve after Sri Lanka won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat in blustery conditions.

“I was gutted to get out when I did, I had put in all the hard work,” Conway said.

“Those are the ones you want to kick on and make the most of it on day one… We just have to focus on tomorrow now.”

New Zealand started strong, with Conway and Tom Latham putting on an opening partnership of 87, after the 2,500th Test match in cricket history was hit by a damp start.

Heavy overnight rain delayed the toss until after lunch.

Latham fell for 21 around the halfway point of the day’s curtailed proceedings when he spooned a Kasun Rajitha delivery to deep square, into the hands of Prabath Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne opted to give his bowlers an early opportunity to use a green wicket to attack the New Zealand batters.

Conway responded by smashing 13 fours in a fiery knock.

Sri Lanka made one change from the team that lost the first Test on the final ball in Christchurch, with wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka making his debut in place of Niroshan Dickwella.

New Zealand were forced into a single switch with seamer Doug Bracewell playing his first Test since 2016, replacing Neil Wagner, who tore a hamstring in the first Test.

It is the first time Bracewell has played a Test match alongside his cousin Michael.

New Zealand are chasing a third straight Test win.

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New Zealand beat England by one run in second-Test thriller

WELLINGTON: New Zealand beat England by just one run in the second-Test thriller on Tuesday to draw the series despite having been forced to follow on in Wellington.

New Zealand set England a target of 258 runs to win, but the visitors were all out for 256 in dramatic scenes as the two-Test series finished 1-1.

Neil Wagner took the decisive wicket of James Anderson as New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell pulled off a diving catch to make history.

“Amazing achievement, hats off to everyone, everyone kept fighting.” said Wagner, who finished with 4-62.

“That’s the characteristics of this team, they played well, credit where it’s due, but we found a way of contributing.”

Blundell was delighted to hang on to the tumbling catch.

“Saw it well and luckily it went in clean. Pretty happy,” said the wicketkeeper.

It was only the fourth occasion a team has won a Test after being asked to follow on, and the first time for New Zealand.

England managed it twice, against Australia in 1894 and 1981, while India beat Australia in 2001.

It was the first time England have lost a Test after forcing their opponents to follow on.

A topsy-turvy Test match swung back to New Zealand during the final two gripping days.

England were on course for victory after declaring their first innings on 435-8, then bowling out New Zealand for 209.

Former skipper Kane Williamson dragged New Zealand back into the Test with a superb 132 in their second innings 483 on Monday, leaving England 258 to win.

Having resumed at 48-1, England wobbled Tuesday morning by losing four wickets for just 27 runs before Joe Root steadied the ship by steering his team to 168-5 at lunch.

As England chipped away at their target, Root’s partnership with Ben Stokes ended on 121 when England’s captain was caught at square leg.

The pressure on England intensified dramatically after Root went for 95 with England still 57 runs short.

Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes kept England in the fight with a cavalier 35, surviving a dropped catch by Michael Bracewell before clubbing three fours to the boundary.

After Foakes caught by Wagner in the deep off Southee, it left last pair James Anderson and Jack Leach still needing seven runs for victory.

Anderson clubbed a four to get within two runs before Wagner and Blundell combined to land the knockout punch.

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Williamson becomes New Zealand’s highest Test run-scorer

WELLINGTON: Kane Williamson called it “special” after surpassing Ross Taylor on Monday to become New Zealand’s highest Test run-scorer.

Williamson’s century steered New Zealand to 483 all out in their second innings and set England a target of 258 runs to win the second Test in Wellington.

The 32-year-old former captain earned two standing ovations at the Basin Reserve during a superb innings which brought up his 26th Test century.

He raised his bat fleetingly after reaching 29 not out early on Monday to pass Taylor’s record of 7,683 runs.

Williamson left the field to more applause when he fell for 132 to part-time seam bowler Harry Brook.

Williamson was typically modest about his place in the history books.

“It’s not something I have thought a whole lot about but it’s an honour if you look at the names on that list,” he said.

“I admired a lot of them growing up, then played alongside some of them, but it’s special to be in that company.”

Stephen Fleming, also a former Black Caps captain, sits third on 7,172 runs.

Williamson reached the milestone in his 92nd Test and 161st innings, considerably quicker than Taylor’s 112 Tests and 196 visits to the crease.

Now-retired Taylor was quick to compliment Williamson.

“Congratulations, Kane,” Taylor posted on Twitter. “This achievement is a testament to your hard work and dedication to Test cricket, of which I was privy to for a number of years.”

Williamson, a right-handed batsman, started the two-match England series needing only 39 runs to clinch the record.

But he totalled only 10 runs through his first three innings, forming part of a New Zealand top order that struggled against the English seam attack.

He sits 35th on the all-time Test leaderboard, which is topped by Indian great Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921 runs.

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New Zealand set England 258 to win second Test after Williamson century

WELLINGTON: Record-breaker Kane Williamson stroked a superb century Monday to steer New Zealand to 483 all out in their second innings and set England a target of 258 runs to win the second Test in Wellington.

Former captain Williamson hit 132 and Tom Blundell was last man out for 90 as the hosts fought back after being asked to follow on at the Basin Reserve.

England were 48-1 in their second innings at stumps after opener Zak Crawley, on 24, was bowled by a delivery that nipped back from New Zealand skipper Tim Southee.

Ben Duckett was unbeaten on 23 and nightwatchman Ollie Robinson on one, leaving England needing 210 more runs on Tuesday’s final day for a 2-0 series sweep.

The tourists won the first Test by 267 runs.

“We’re excited about chasing that (target) down tomorrow,” said England spinner Jack Leach, who took 5-157.

“We know how we want to go about it and it’s a case of us sticking to that process. We’re confident.”

New Zealand need nine wickets to pull off only the fourth victory by a side following on in the history of Test cricket and square the two-match series.

“It would be pretty special,” Williamson said of New Zealand’s historic bid.

“It’s pretty exciting going into day five and we want to make sure our bowling is on. 0There’s all to play for.”

‘Immaculate’

The hosts resumed their second innings on Monday at 202-3, still trailing by 24, but Williamson led the charge with his 26th Test century.

It fell to England’s new batting star and part-time seam bowler Harry Brook to claim Williamson’s prized wicket.

After grinding down England’s bowlers, Williamson was finally caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes off a fine edge after a sixth-wicket partnership of 158 with Blundell.

Williamson trudged off to hearty applause from the Wellington crowd after dragging New Zealand back into the match.

It was his second standing ovation of the day, having eclipsed Ross Taylor in the morning session to become New Zealand’s most prolific Test batsman with 7,787 runs.

His partnership with Blundell helped New Zealand fight back after England declared their first innings at 435-8 then scuttled New Zealand for 209, before inviting the hosts to bat again.

New Zealand can join an elite club if they win — only England, twice, and India have won a Test after following on.

Williamson, who survived a close shout for a stumping when on 45, handed his side a fighting chance after frustrating England alongside Blundell, with support from Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell before lunch.

Blundell hit Stuart Broad to the boundary as New Zealand passed 400, then Williamson also smacked England’s seamer for four to bring up his hundred — his first since scoring two tons against Pakistan in December 2022.

New Zealand folded quickly once Williamson departed and he was full of praise for Brook’s bowling.

“He didn’t miss his length, he was immaculate. He’s a special player,” Williamson said.

With the former captain gone, Michael Bracewell went in sloppy fashion, run out for six as he inexplicably failed to ground his bat.

Foakes whipped off the bails from Ben Stokes’ laser throw in the deep when Bracewell should have been home comfortably.

New Zealand lost their last four wickets for just five runs, Blundell last out when he edged Leach to Joe Root at slip going for a big hit.