New Zealand yesterday made a secure start after a Marnus Labuschagne double-century lifted Australia to a massive 454 first innings total in the third Test.
The rock-solid No. 3 reached his highest Test score of 215 in Sydney, with the Australians dismissed just before tea on the second day.
In reply, the Black Caps grittily batted through the final session without losing a wicket, leaving skipper Tom Latham on 26 and Melbourne Test centurion Tom Blundell at 34 in their team’s 63.
Photo: AFP
There were a couple of close calls — notably a leg before wicket appeal off Nathan Lyon and a possible edge off Pat Cummins — but New Zealand showed plenty of fight after enduring five tough sessions in the field in sapping heat.
The day belonged to Labuschagne, who sweated on 199 for 20 minutes before he thick edged Colin de Grandhomme through the vacant slips to the ropes to bring up his double ton.
The milestone came off 363 balls with 19 fours and a six, and eclipsed his previous Test record of 185 against Pakistan in Brisbane in November last year.
Last year, Labuschagne was Test cricket’s leading run-getter, with 1,104 runs, and he is carrying on where he left off.
New Zealand finally dispatched him after he was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Todd Astle.
Skipper Tim Paine supported Labuschagne to reach his double century before he was bowled between his bat and pad by De Grandhomme for 35.
Paine faced 92 balls and shared in a 79-run stand with Labuschagne to take Australia beyond 400.
Wickets tumbled quickly just before tea, with James Pattinson bowled by Neil Wagner for 2, Pat Cummins caught off Astle’s bowling for 8 and Mitchell Starc hitting a breezy 22 off 21 balls before he was bowled by Wagner, who finished with 3-66.
The hosts lost two wickets on the second morning of the Test.
Matthew Wade was out in the day’s first over, bowled off-stump while attempting to sweep off-spinner Will Somerville for no addition to his overnight score of 22.
Melbourne Test centurion Travis Head fell to Matt Henry, cutting too close to his body and snicking to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
The New Zealand bowlers had strangled his scoring shots and his 10 runs came off 42 balls.
Henry bowled, despite fracturing his left thumb on Friday. He had the injury strapped and placed in a splint to continue playing.
The Sydney Test is being played against the backdrop of one of Australia’s most devastating bushfire seasons.
Play is to be suspended in the match at the umpire’s discretion, should smoke significantly affect air quality or visibility, but the sky above the ground has remained largely clear so far.
ENGLAND VS S AFRICA
Veteran opening bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson yesterday struck early blows for England when South Africa started their innings on the second day of the second Test at Newlands.
South Africa were 60-3 at lunch in reply to England’s first innings total of 269. Opening batsman Dean Elgar was unbeaten on 35 at the break.
Broad took two for 12 in a hostile opening spell, dismissing new opening batsman Pieter Malan and Zubayr Hamza for five apiece.
Anderson claimed the wicket of South African captain Faf du Plessis for one when he replaced Broad from the Wynberg end with a moderate breeze at his back.
All three batsmen fell to catches in the slips, with Broad and Anderson bowling a tight line and getting good bounce from the pitch. Broad was warned for landing in the “danger area” of the pitch immediately before taking his second wicket.
Rassie van der Dussen’s first scoring shot was a four off Anderson when he edged the ball through a gap between the second and fourth slip, a gap which was immediately closed.
Van der Dussen was given out leg before wicket to Anderson two runs later, but was reprieved on review because of an inside edge. He reached lunch on 10 not out.
England earlier added only seven runs to their overnight total of 262-9 before Anderson was caught at slip off Kagiso Rabada, leaving Ollie Pope unbeaten on 61.
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