Australia are clearly on top of the Kiwis after the close of play on Day 2 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
The hosts were 248/4 at the start of Day 2 with Marnus Labuschagne having already completed his third Test century in a row and looking set for another daddy hundred. To add to the woes of the Kiwi fielders, the sun was beating down pretty strong and they had to keep themselves inspired in 40 degrees.
Labuschagne started the day with his usual good looking drives and slowly reached 143. The persistent Neil Wagner took his leg stump for a tumble as he fell 7 runs short of becoming the first Australian to score three Test 150s in a row.
It was a wonderful opportunity for Travis Head to get a big score here and make a statement about his skills in the longest format of the game. He did get to a half-century, but fell soon after. It was a soft dismissal as he drove one straight to Santner at short cover when on 56.
Skipper Tim Paine took it slow and decided to keep the Kiwis under the sun and stretch the Australian innings till the floodlights take full effect and the temperature goes down a bit. He was well supported by Pat Cummins, who kept digging for 85 balls, and Mitchell Starc, who went about his usual business with big shots.
Jeet Raval got his first Test wicket in the form of Cummins. His happy emotions didn’t last long as he dropped a simple catch a few minutes later and then also had to face disappointment with the bat. Nathan Lyon couldn’t hold on for long and Paine fell last. The Australians were all out for 416.
The New Zealand batsman did not have ideal conditions to start their innings with Mitchell Starc swinging the pink cherry during the ‘twilight period’. He got the wicket of Tom Latham in the very first over. Josh Hazlewood chipped in too and got Raval out sinking New Zealand even more. Hazlewood hurt his hamstring in his second over and had to leave the field. The chances of him returning to play in this match look very bleak.
The experienced duo of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor had to do some repair work as they shared a 75-run partnership. It was the brilliance of Steve Smith that got Williamson out. He tried to guide a short delivery from Starc to third man and Smith took a one-handed stunner at second slip.
WATCH - Steve Smith takes a one-handed stunner in the slips to dismiss Williamson
Henry Nicholls (7) and night-watchman Neil Wagner (0) could not handle Starc as he was on a hat-trick after scalping the duo off consecutive deliveries. Amidst all this, Ross Taylor is holding one end up and is unbeaten on 66. Starc (4/31) has wreaked enough havoc to see the Kiwis at 109/5 in 32 overs at the end of play of Day 2.
New Zealand 109/5 (Taylor 66*, Williamson 34; Starc 4/31) trail Australia 416 (Labuschagne 143 Head 56; Wagner 4/92 Southee 4/93) by 307 runs.
