Black Caps lose second test and series to Australia
Monday, 11 March 2024
Australia win the second test in Christchurch by three wickets.
Alex Carey starred with an unbeaten 98 in Australia’s second innings.
New Zealand haven’t won a home test against Australia since 1993.
Second test, Hagley Oval: New Zealand 162 and 372 lost to Australia 256 and 281-7 (Alex Carey 98 not out, Mitchell Marsh 80; Ben Sears 4-90) by three wickets. Click here for full scoreboard.
The Black Caps squandered a rare chance for a trans-Tasman test win in Christchurch on Monday.
New Zealand lost the second test against Australia by three wickets as Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh and captain Pat Cummins defied the home side, who started day four at Hagley Oval as favourites for victory.
Wicketkeeper-batter Carey was unbowed on 98 at the end, Marsh added 80 and Cummins was unbeaten on 32.
It meant New Zealand lost a home test series for the first time in 13 match-ups, since a 1-0 defeat by South Africa in a three-match series in March 2017.
Marsh, dropped in the second over of the day, put on 140 for the sixth wicket with Carey as New Zealand’s tactics and bowling weren’t up to the big occasion in the first session of day four.
Seeking their first trans-Tasman test victory since 2011 - and their first at home since 1993 - New Zealand didn’t receive much good fortune on a couple of incredibly tight umpiring decisions, from the on-field and TV officials.
But while two wickets in consecutive balls from debutant pace bowler Ben Sears hugely lifted hopes, New Zealand mostly were the victims of their own weaknesses as Australia secured a 2-0 series win after cruising to victory in the first test in Wellington last week.
Just when Marsh looked poised for a memorable match-winning ton, he was given out lbw to Sears and asked for the DRS to save him, but ball-tracking indicated the ball would clip leg stump to confirm his departure.
The next ball, Mitchell Starc clipped a delivery into Will Young’s hands at square leg and the Hagley Oval crowd erupted with joy.
However, Cummins came to the wicket with his side seven down and needing another 59 runs still needed to win, and provided Carey with the support required to claim victory with more than four sessions remaining.
Needing six wickets for a home win with Australia resuming their second innings at 77-4 after early rain, the home team skipper Tim Southee was aghast to see Marsh - on 28 - dropped by Rachin Ravindra at point.
But next ball, Travis Head flayed Southee to Will Young’s hands at point - a different fielder, with the left-hander facing - to instantly lift the home side.
However, that was their only success of the session as Marsh and left-hander Carey flourished late to turn the pressure back on the hosts.
Carey was given out lbw to Matt Henry on 19 - with the score 116-5 - but opted to review after a chat with Marsh and it paid huge dividends for the visitors, with the DRS ball-tracking indicated the ball would have missed leg stump.
In the last over before lunch, a flailing Southee finally turned to offspinner Glenn Phillips, who soon believed he’d trapped Marsh lbw. Umpire Marais Erasmus rejected the appeal and when Southee opted for another DRS opinion, Ultraedge indicated Marsh got the barest of inside edges to the ball before it hit his boot.
In between those close shaves for Australia, the New Zealand bowling attack fell away after initial promise brought edges and slashes.
The sixth-wicket duo collected boundaries with worrying regularity, and when Southee went to the short-ball tactic - with Scott Kuggeleijn given the role of the recently-retired Neil Wagner, who he replaced in the side for the series - 10 runs came from the over, none of which were from the bat.
It highlighted a period that ended with the trans-Tasman tourists tallying 97 runs from 19 overs at 5.11 runs per over.
After lunch, Marsh and Carey looked poised to settle the issue with little fuss before Sears dragged the hosts back into the contest, ultimately to no avail.