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Your support makes all the difference.Another 13 wickets tumbled as bowlers dominated again with the pink ball in the first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, leaving New Zealand with a precarious 94-run lead and the Decision Review System caught in the spotlight.
Australia resumed at 54 for two on day two in reply to New Zealand’s 202, and had slumped to 116 for eight when Nathan Lyon received the benefit of a contentious call from the TV umpire before he’d scored and then went on to add 34 runs that helped Australia reach 224 all out – a first-innings lead of 22 runs.
The New Zealand openers survived seven overs before the dinner interval to get the score back on level terms but, when the pink ball started swinging under the lights, wickets started falling and New Zealand staggered to stumps on 116 for five.
With Australia’s injured pace spearhead Mitchell Starc unable to bowl, Josh Hazlewood took centre stage and captured three wickets – he also had two catches dropped off him – to return three for 32.
Hazlewood swiftly removed Martin Guptill and Tom Latham and had Ross Taylor dropped in the slips by Steve Smith before he had scored. Mitch Marsh claimed the key wickets of Kane Williamson for nine and Brendon McCullum (20) before Hazlewood returned to trap Taylor lbw for 32. Unbeaten pair Mitchell Santner and B J Watling need to bat for a long time today to set up a challenging target.
More than 47,000 people attended day one, and another 42,372 filed in on Saturday, ensuring a healthy attendance even if this historic Test fails to last more than three days.
The momentum-shifting episode came after Australia slumped to 118 for nine shortly after tea, when Lyon attempted a sweep shot against Santner, was hit on the shoulder and the rebound was caught at slip.
Lyon was given not out, but New Zealand challenged the decision, believing he had edged the ball as he swiped, and the hot spot technology used in the DRS appeared to highlight a mark on his bat.
But English official Nigel Llong decided, on the basis that the snicko technology didn’t reflect any edge, the evidence was inconclusive. Lyon went on the attack and Australia added another 106 runs. His 74-run partnership with Peter Nevill (66) equaled the record for a ninth-wicket stand in a trans-Tasman Test.
“The players were pretty confident that it was out,” Taylor said, “and I think it’s had a big bearing on the match. But it is what it is. We’ve just got to get on with it.”
Nevill continued with Starc, who batted despite the stress fracture in his right foot, in a 34-run last-wicket stand. Starc had an lbw decision against him overturned by the TV umpire before he clattered an unbeaten 24 from 15 balls, including two sixes off Mark Craig. Nevill was last man out when he was caught off Doug Bracewell.
The first session was dominated by New Zealand, with three wickets falling in 15 minutes, triggered by spinner Craig’s double-wicket maiden when he removed Smith (53) and Peter Siddle in quick succession.
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