WELLINGTON, Mar 3: Nathan Lyon took ten wickets for the match and brought New Zealand’s attempted fight back in the first test to a shuddering halt as Australia completed a 172-run win on Sunday and took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
New Zealand resumed at 111-3 on the fourth day in its second innings and collapsed in the face of superb spin bowling from Lyon (6-64) to be all out for 196 a few minutes after the scheduled lunch break.
Lyon completed match figures of 10-108, his fifth 10 wicket bag, which went along with his 41 as nightwatchman in Australia’s second innings.
The Black Caps were unable to sustain the stubborn fight back they had begun to produce on day three when Australia was bowled out for 164 in its second innings for an overall lead of 368.
Glenn Phillips took 5-43 to limit Australia as it tried to build on its first innings lead of 204. Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 56 before stumps on day three fanned New Zealand’s faint hope that it might be able to head off defeat.
But Ravindra was out for 59 in only the seventh over of the morning and with his departure New Zealand’s resistance appeared to falter, then break.
Ravindra was Lyon’s first victim on the final day, tempted into the cut shot at a ball turning away from off stump. With the extra bounce he was unable to keep the shot down and was caught by Cameron Green.
Tom Blundell lasted three balls and was caught by Travis Head at short leg off Lyon, undone by the bounce as the ball hit the bat and thigh pad before looping to the fielder.
Phillips fell lbw to Lyon for 1 and the last sparks of resistance were blown out when Scott Kuggeleijn (26), Matt Henry (14) and Tim Southee (7) all fell before lunch. Daryl Mitchell was the last man out for 38.
“It was a really good game overall I think,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said. “We never felt we were too far ahead on that wicket.
“The pitch was really bouncy and had a bit of pace in it but more bounce than I’ve seen in any wicket for a long time. Fortunately it spun which with Nathan Lyon in our side is a good thing.”
Lyon completed his 24th five wicket bag in tests with Phillips’ wicket, providing an odd symmetry as the Australian off-spinner dismissed his New Zealand counterpart who also had taken five wickets in the match.
With the pitch at the Basin Reserve still providing bounce for the spinner and with a steady breeze assisting his drift, Lyon was almost unplayable at times in the morning Sunday. He became most effective when he switched from the northern to the southern end and began to find the bounce which made him so difficult to handle.
His contribution to the match was enormous both with bat and ball and he played a major part in turning the match in Australia’s favor. Australia now commands the series which continues with the second test in Christchurch from Friday.
Australia’s win in Wellington was set up by its first innings of 383 after it had been sent in on a greenish pitch. But it was Cameron Green’s unbeaten 174 and his 116-run last wicket partnership with Josh Hazlewood that really turned the game towards the tourists.
Australia had been 279-9 at the end of the first day but Green and Hazlewood added a further 104 runs, batting through all of the first session on day two. Those runs became more important in the context of the match as contest became closer later on.
“I think it was a brilliant bowling innings from us and I think (Lyon) bowled beautifully on the last day,” Green said. “He’s always under pressure in the fourth innings and he always seems to be able to stand up and perform.”
New Zealand was bowled out for 179 in its first innings after being 29-5. Phillips’ defiant 71 helped New Zealand to a more respectable total.
Then Phillips claimed his first five wicket bag in tests as Australia was bowled out for 164. New Zealand couldn’t continue its rally Sunday and was bowled out in 64.4 overs.
“Like every game we’ll reflect and look at ways we can be better in the next one,” New Zealand captain Tim Southee said. (AP)
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