NZ vs AUS, 2nd Test: New Zealand vs Australia, Second Match – Who Said What?

NZ vs AUS (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

Pat Cummins-led Australia took the series home 2-0, outplaying New Zealand by three wickets in the second Test of the two-match series in the second session on Day 4 Monday, March 11 at Hagley Oval.

Australia restricted New Zealand to a below-par 162 runs after asking the hosts to bat first. Josh Hazlewood emerged as Australia’s standout bowler in the first innings, finishing with outstanding figures of 5/31. Marnus Labuschagne played a gritty 90-run knock as Australia scored 256 runs. Meanwhile, for the Kiwis, Matt Henry claimed an astounding seven-wicket haul to keep his side in the fight.

New Zealand batters showcased their prowess in the third innings, with Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell all scoring fifties to help their side post 372 runs. Australia skipper Cummins has led the bowling attack this time, picking up four crucial wickets. A top-order collapse left Australia in a dangerous position at the beginning of Day 4. However, a significant partnership from Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey brought the Aussies back and won the game by three wickets.

Here are the talking points of the match:

1. Marnus labuschagne’s stunning 90-run knock

Marnus Labuschagne anchored Australia’s first innings with a pressure-relieving half-century. The No. 3 batter, scored 90 off 147 deliveries and helped his side post a reasonable score (256) when all other batters failed to perform well with the bat. His knock was studded with 12 boundaries.

2. Matt Henry’s critical seven-wicket haul

Matt Henry stood out for New Zealand throughout the series. In Australia’s first innings, the ace pacer claimed a seven-wicket haul for 67 runs. The right-arm bowler emerged as the Player of the Series for his exceptional show in both Tests.

3. Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh’s outstanding partnership

Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh stitched a 140-run partnership to guide Australia to successfully chase down the 279-run target. Carey made an unbeaten 98 off 123 deliveries, including 15 fours. Marsh, on the other hand, struck 80 off just 102 deliveries before falling for Ben Sears.

Losing captain, Tim Southee, New Zealand, said:

Was a great Test. The partnership between Marsh and Carey broke the back of our team. There was a bit of excitement towards the end, but wasn’t to be. This can happen when you’re playing the number 1 side in the world. Dropped catches are a part of the game. Lots of postives from this series. Henry has grown from strength to strength, especially for a guy who has been in and out of the side early on. Couple of other blokes as well have performed well throughout the series.

Winning captain, Pat Cummins, Australia, said:

Pretty tense, everyone was nervous the last couple of hours. Amazing win. (On winning runs) Anyway possible to win, I had no idea he (Carey) was on 98. The toss helped, it was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1. First innings leads are always key for this reason. We’ve been on the other side of Tests plenty of time, I just told the boys to keep the scoreboard moving, stay busy and put the pressure on the opposition. We’ve got an experienced side, the story of this series has been guys standing up in crunch moments. Love playing Test matches, best format of cricket and it pays off on days like this.

Player of the Match, Alex Carey, Australia, said:

Yeah, I’m thrilled. Was a great series, this game ebbed and flowed. Back against the wall last night, they came hard and put us under pressure. So nice to get home. Two quality bowlers in Tim (Southee) and Matt Henry, they were superb, the ball was nipping around, but Mitch took them on and took the pressure off me. His intent was amazing. Travis (Head) is one of those players who keeps the scoreboard moving, that was the message today (from the management), to keep playing the way we can and take any opportunity (to score) when we got, I think we did just. I was just happy to be at the non-striker’s end and didn’t want to face another ball (on his 98*). I have to thank the bowlers for that (on equalling Adam Gilchrist’s record of 10 dismissals for a match), but it’s a nice little stat.

Player of the Series, Matt Henry, New Zealand, said:

Yeah, obviously, it’s disappointing, but at the same time we showed a lot of fight. The way they played was to get the runs ticking over, we were always looking for wickets, the attitude we showed to try and crack open the game was unbelievable. It’s always nice to be playing cricket at home (in Christchurch), there’s a bit of bounce and seam movement available on this pitch. It’s great to be part of one of New Zealand’s best bowling attacks. Tim (Southee) is one of the best and it was great to share the new ball with him. It always feels nice to be contributing with the bat, we pride ourselves on chipping in with the bat.