New Zealand v Australia Second Test Report Card, Day Four
Featuring messing things up and Cummins the Finisher!
Messing Things Up
Grade: D
New Zealand’s chances of a famous victory surged early on the fourth and final day, when, one ball after Mitchell Marsh was dropped slapping a short, wide Tim Southee delivery straight to a fielder, Travis Head showed him how it was done, playing the mirror image shot and not being dropped. Head trudged from the field, shaking his Travis in despair.
Australia had slumped to 80/5, still needing a further 199 for an improbable victory. However, the wicket of Head served only to bring Alex Carey to the crease, and he and Marsh proceeded to add 140 runs, lickety-bloody-split (to use official ICC terminology)! Were New Zealand really going to mess this up?
With 59 runs still needed, however, Ben Sears had Marsh trapped LBW. Umpire Erasmus, still paying no heed to that kickass guard of honour on the first day of the Test, fired him out and the review showed that it was umpire’s call, so Marsh had to go. Mitchell Starc was then out first ball, and the match had flipped on its head. Were Australia really going to mess this up?
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