“I already have”, said Usman Khawaja, Australia’s other batting hero who scored 140 and featured in a 168-run stand with Voges for the fourth wicket.
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Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle led an Australian rout after they won a crucial toss and reduced New Zealand to 84-5 at lunch on the opening day of the first Test in Wellington on Friday.
Hazlewood took four for 42 and Siddle three for 37, with all seven wickets caught in the cordon behind the stumps as New Zealand struggled to cope with full-length deliveries that moved off the deck.
In truth, most of those who filled the role on more than a cameo basis averaged below 25, and until Smith’s imperious 199 in Jamaica that ensured he had the job for as long as he wanted it, Australia received just three centuries from their number three batsmen in nearly four years.
Khawaja and Smith looked comfortable, though, as they put on 126 for the third wicket before Smith struck one back at Craig to be caught and bowled for 71.
Khawaja and Voges consolidated their advantage on Saturday in brilliant sunshine as the pitch began to lose its green sheen.
The second game of the two-test series is in Christchurch starting on February 20.
The Black Caps were hoping those two wickets in quick succession would shift the momentum, but Voges and new partner Peter Nevill stayed calm.
The ongoing New Zealand-Australia series witnessed yet another umpiring howler today after a Doug Bracewell delivery which got Adam Voges bowled was adjudged to be a no-ball.
He appeared set for a century when he gave Craig another chance and the spinner claimed a sharp return catch.
“You just want to get into the best position and best head-space possible”. “The selectors aren’t 100 percent sure that (Pattinson) will get through this test match and Jackson Bird has been bowling extremely well”, Smith told reporters at the Basin Reserve.
“We haven’t been good enough with the bat on wickets that have been doing a bit in the a year ago or so”, Smith said. “The next 10 wickets that we need will be quite tough to get”.
“But I always felt when I first played for Australia that I was sort of playing for my spot a little bit”.
He floated up to the top of the order after that, scoring his first double century against India in November 2010 at Hyderabad, but once he assumed the captaincy he settled into the middle order, where he has played 19 of his last 22 Tests. He also negotiated a Mark Craig lbw review on 104 when the ball hit him in the box as he swept.
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Voges marched on and the tired, sunburnt and grass-stained New Zealanders departed for a night’s rest, steeling themselves for another rescue job to keep this contest alive.
