New Zealand struggle as 13 wickets fall on Day 2

New Zealand’s held a tenuous 94-run lead in the absorbing day-night third Test after a second day of tumbling wickets at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

The Kiwis, trailing 1-0 in the series, struggled to build a defendable total to present Australia in the fourth innings after another fast-paced day’s cricket of 13 wickets before 42,372 fans.

At the close, the Black Caps were finding batting difficult under lights and were 116/5 with a result looming on Sunday’s third day in the scheduled five-day Test.

New Zealand had lost their top batsmen and still at the crease were B.J. Watling on seven with debutant Mitchell Santner not out 13.

Josh Hazlewood led the Australian attack in the absence of injured spearhead Mitchell Starc as the pink ball again dominated the bat.

Hazlewood removed both openers with mesmerising ball movement under lights. Martin Guptill sliced to Mitch Marsh in the gully for 17 and Tom Latham was tempted by a wider delivery and was caught behind for 10.

The second day turned on a contentious challenge decision in Australia’s favour before dinner, enabling them to go on and grab a 22-run innings lead.

Nathan Lyon survived a review in which ‘Hot Spot’ revealed a mark on the back of his bat before he had scored.

The review was churned over for minutes before the TV umpire Nigel Llong decided there was not enough to go on despite the Hot Spot evidence to give Lyon out, caught off spinner Santner, with Australia reeling at 118/8 and trailing the Kiwis by 84 runs. Lyon walked three-quarters of the way off the ground believing he was out before he returned to continue batting and join in a record Australian trans-Tasman series 74-run ninth-wicket stand with Peter Nevill.

Lyon was eventually out for 34 as the Australians hit back to take an innings lead with incapacitated Mitchell Starc smashing two massive sixes off spinner Mark Craig.

Scoreboard New Zealand (1st innings): 202. Australia (1st innings): J. Burns b Bracewell 14, D. Warner c Southee b Boult 1, S. Smith c Watling b Craig 53, A. Voges c Guptill b Southee 13, S. Marsh (run out) 2, M. Marsh c Watling b Bracewell 4, P. Nevill c Santner b Bracewell 66, P. Siddle c Latham b Craig 0, J. Hazlewood b Santner 4, N. Lyon c Williamson b Boult 34, M. Starc (not out) 24. Extras: (b5, lb3, w1) 9. Total: (in 72 overs) 224. FoW: 1-6, 2-34, 3-63, 4-67, 5-80, 6-109, 7-109, 8-116, 9-190. Bowling: Southee 17-1-50-1, Boult 17-5-41-2, Bracewell 12.1-3-18-3, Santner 16-1-54-1, Craig 10-1-53-2. New Zealand (2nd innings): T. Latham c Nevill b Hazlewood 10, M. Guptill c M. Marsh b Hazlewood 17, K. Williamson c Nevill b M. Marsh 9, R. Taylor lbw b Hazlewood 32, B. McCullum lbw b M. Marsh 20, M. Santner (batting) 13, B.J. Watling (batting) 7. Extras: (b6, lb2) 8. Total: (for 5 wkts, in 37 overs) 116. FoW: 1-29, 2-32, 3-52, 4-84, 5-98. Bowling: Hazlewood 16-5-32-3, Siddle 10-4-22-0, M.Marsh 8-0-44-2, Lyon 3-0-10-0.