A long, hot Perth rescue job looms for New Zealand’s batsmen under heavy bowling fire, despite a fightback with the ball that was a day too late.
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“I don’t think anyone’s 100 per cent when they play this game, (but) he’s got to be close to it”, he said in his pre-match captain’s press conference.
For a player once dismissed as a Twenty20 slogger, Australia opener David Warner gave a very good impression of a world class test batsman at the peak of his powers when he scored 244 not out against New Zealand at the WACA on Friday.
But he needs support, with both bat and ball. You don’t have to be a statistician to realise that is not the formula required for a successful Test performance. For Australia, most things went right as they continued their 27-year unbeaten run at the Gabba.
The 34-year-old showed no signs of letting up as Australia claimed a 208-run win in the opening Test against New Zealand last week, recording figures of 3-105 and 1-58 in Brisbane.
New Zealand have beaten Australia only once in six tests at the WACA, the last time in 1985/86 when all-rounder Richard Hadlee torched the hosts with 11 wickets.
Burns has not been with the Australian set up for any notable period of time, yet has already progressed on the global stage after his awful ODI series against England in the summer, where the number of runs the 26-year-old scored did not equate to his considerable ability.
There was a sense of groundhog day about the way Australia’s vice-captain took control after Smith won the toss, a modest crowd of 13,593 watching.
Their second review was much more marginal, with Warner given not out lbw and the replay showing fractionally less than half the ball was hitting the bails, leaving the decision as umpire’s call and the visitors without any more reviews.
“I started my career in Australia; I played my first Test at the Gabba”.
His absence was glaringly obvious, as New Zealand’s limited attack was carted around the ground.
Skipper Steve Smith said Thursday the pace and bounce of the WACA wicket will suit Australia just fine as they bid to wrap up their Test series against New Zealand in Perth.
The bowling attack – ostensibly bolstered by the inclusion of Tim Southee, who had been under an injury cloud coming into the second Test – was pummelled for 416 runs as the rising temperatures clearly took a heavy toll. “It remains to be see whether we can do that”.
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He plundered three boundaries in the next over from Boult and had just celebrated a 300-run partnership with Khawaja when his partner’s vigil came to an end on 121, Tom Latham taking a good low catch off the bowling of Doug Bracewell.
