The “hot spot” vision said that at that moment something had definitely touched the bat but since Llong was not sure if it was the pink ball at all, his decision went in favour of the batsman.
Advertisement
Josh Hazlewood then earned the honour of the first wicket, trapping Guptill lbw for one, but Australia made their move in the second session when they claimed three wickets in the space of 11 balls.
Lyon was eventually out for 34 to lay the platform for the Australians to profit from their good fortune to take an innings lead with incapacitated Mitchell Starc smashing two massive sixes off spinner Mark Craig.
When Lyon was caught by Kane Williamson off Trent Boult, Australia were 12 runs in arrears bringing the injured Mitchell Starc out to bat. “We’ve just got to get on with it and hopefully we can bat as long as possible tomorrow”, Taylor told reporters.
After another rollicking day where 13 wickets tumbled and New Zealand were dudded by a blunder from third umpire Nigel Llong.
The wicket’s not that bad to have so many wickets taken in two days. New Zealand will at least be thankful they didn’t have to face the lethal Mitchell Starc, who arrived at the ground in a moon boot on crutches, after he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot.
Captain Steve Smith (24) and Adam Voges (nine) are the not-out batsmen. “Obviously the hot-spot that showed up, Lyon walking off and almost getting to the boundary – I think it’s had a big bearing on the match”.
Ross Taylor (21) drove tamely at Peter Siddle (2-54) and was caught behind before Brendon McCullum fell in the next over, flailing at Starc.
The New Zealand openers survived unscathed for seven overs before the dinner interval to get the score back on level terms, but when the pink ball started swinging under the lights again at Adelaide Oval wickets began to fall, and New Zealand staggered to stumps at 116-5.
Pundits’ condemnations were amplified on social media, with former Australia bowler Shane Warne remarking it was wrong and a “ridiculous waste of time”. A second appeal was lodged after on-field umpire S Ravi denied the first appeal.
Echoing similar views, Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle, who became the 15th Australian bowler to reach 200 wickets after removing Doug Bracewell, said that the ball went quite well while describing the atmosphere as unbelievable.
Advertisement
But Smith’s resistance soon crumbled for 53 as the off spinner Mark Craig found his inside edge and BJ Watling’s gloves.
