Australia has skittled the New Zealand lower order early on Day 5 of the first Test against New Zealand by 208 to take a 1-0 series lead.
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The Australians will be seeking quick wickets Monday, when 98 overs are scheduled, to ensure a result after holding momentum for the entire match. Given the circumstances, his job was to eke out New Zealand’s innings for as long as possible and he stuck to his task manfully, depriving himself of runs to farm out the strike and building a succession of partnerships with tailenders.
The 25-year-old right-hander also became only the fourth Kiwi to score a Test hundred at the Gabba along with John Reid, Martin Crowe and Jacob Oram, with his 140 marking the second highest score by a New Zealander at the ground behind Crowe’s 188.
This was coming. James Neesham has been worked over by Mitchell Johnson’s short balls.
Follow our live coverage of day two of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand at the Gabba.
Williamson had made 59 and looked to be heading comfortably for the break when spinner Nathan Lyon made what could be a crucial breakthough. 362 runs required for victory.
The Black Caps’ Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor leave the field for tea time on day four of the match. He cleared the fence twice, including a booming hook off Johnson.
He was trapped lbw by Lyon in the penultimate over of the second session.
Instead the hosts cleaned them up in the morning session, with Mitch Marsh to head to Perth on a hat-trick after he removed Brendon McCullum and Doug Bracewell.
Caught behind off Hazlewood, he immediately signalled for a referral – it was the start of the 81st over and New Zealand’s two fresh refererrals kicked in – but third umpire S Ravi gave Southee out on snicko evidence. Replays suggested he missed the ball but he was still given out on evidence of the snickometer.
That left the Black Caps on 4-165 and brought James Neesham to the middle for his last contribution in the series after being ruled out for the final two Tests with a back injury.
“Kane Williamson aside, (New Zealand) have found scoring hard on what is widely considered a batsman-friendly surface”, the piece continued.
“At this stage our number one priority is getting Jimmy fully healthy and ready for the home summer”.
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For Australia, Nathan Lyon took 3 for 63, Mitchell Marsh took 2 for 25 and Josh Hazlewood had figures of 2 for 68.
