Fri, Dec 27, 2019 page16

• Smith eyes ton, Australia seize control

  ‘ANNOYING’: New Zealand will rue not taking more wickets, although Trent Boult dismissed Joe Burns for a golden duck and David Warner was caught before lunch

  • AFP, MELBOURNE
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  Master batsman Steve Smith yesterday ground out an unbeaten 77 as he zeroed in on yet another century, putting Australia in the driver’s seat after the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand.

  In the Black Caps’ first Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since 1987, skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bowl, and it looked to be a good decision with Joe Burns out first ball and David Warner just before lunch.

  However, first Marnus Labuschagne, the world’s leading run-scorer this year, and then Smith smacked half-centuries to seize control and leave them on 257-4, frustrating the disciplined New Zealand bowlers.

  

  Australia’s Travis head avoids a bouncer in their Test against New Zealand in Melbourne yesterday.

  Photo: AP

  Along with the fidgety Smith, Travis Head was not out on 25, desperate for runs after a lean spell.

  Labuschagne made 63, with Colin de Grandhomme taking 2-48.

  The signs are ominous for New Zealand, with superstar Smith scoring centuries in his past four Tests in Melbourne and a fifth looking likely.

  “The way they bowled and placed their field, I had to be patient,” Smith said. “It’s not the kind of wicket you could go after them. I think we did pretty well today.”

  “The plan will obviously be to score as many as we can [today],” he added. “But after getting sent it, I think you’d take 257-4 at the end of the day. One more good partnership would be nice and sort of set the game up for us.”

  The visitors need to win to square the three-match series after crashing in the opening day-night clash in Perth by 296 runs.

  It was a bold decision by Williamson to bowl on a pitch that has traditionally been docile and favored the batsmen.

  It appeared to pay dividends in a sizzling opening over from Trent Boult, back after missing two Tests with a rib injury.

  After three testing balls to Warner, his fourth clattered into Burns’ middle stump, with the opener out for a golden duck to huge roars from the large New Zealand contingent in the 80,000-strong crowd.

  Boult was sorely missed by the Black Caps in Perth and, along with Tim Southee, found early swing and zip with the ball.

  “Obviously, we would have liked a few more wickets on our tally,” Boult said. “I think the overheads [cloudy conditions] and the way the pitch played in the first hour or two, it’s annoying not to have them a couple more down.”

  “On the positive, they haven’t got too far ahead of the game. Hopefully, we get a couple [of wickets] early tomorrow,” he said.

  After Burns fell, Labuschagne and Warner dug in to wrestle back the initiative before a Neil Wagner delivery saw Warner caught at slip for 41, with Southee taking an outstanding one-handed catch.

  In-form Labuschagne looked set for another big score after plundering his fifth consecutive 50, having converted three of his previous four into centuries.

  However, it was not to be and he was out in bizarre fashion, with a rising De Grandhomme ball ricocheting off his elbow and onto the stumps as he attempted to leave it.

  Smith was met with a mix of boos and cheers as he walked to the crease, and after a poor summer, by his standards, appeared determined to build a decent score.

  It was slow going, but he brought up his 28th Test half-century off 103 balls — his first in four Tests.

  Along the way he passed Greg Chappell (7,110 runs) to become Australia’s 10th highest run-scorer, with David Boon’s 7,422 his next target.

  As in Perth, Matthew Wade again came under a short-ball barrage from Neil Wagner, with one bouncing off his helmet as their rivalry heated up.

  However, he survived to make 38 and provide valuable support for Smith before edging De Grandhomme to wicketkeeper B.J. Watling.
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