Steve Smith took a spectacular catch and Mitchell Starc claimed four wickets as New Zealand slumped to 109 for five, after Josh Hazlewood’s hamstring injury soured Australia’s dream night in Perth.
After Starc and Hazlewood had the Black Caps struggling at 1-2 under lights in reply to their 416, Australia hit a hurdle when Hazlewood limped off injured. The tall fast bowler was immediately sent for scans and Australia were still awaiting the result at stumps, leaving them with just two frontline quicks.
What. A. Catch.
Take a bow Steve Smith!#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/uHh4qEWw3u
— ICC (@ICC) December 13, 2019
It was the subplot to a dramatic final session, which saw Starc take four for 31 and Ross Taylor offer New Zealand’s main resistance to end on 66 not out. Australia remain in a dominant position given their 307-run lead, but must pick up the required 15 wickets to win in the final three days with Matthew Wade as their third quick.
New Zealand also have a pace problem, with Lockie Ferguson ruled out for the match with a calf strain and the mercury tipped to edge 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday and Sunday. The pink ball is also far trickier to face under lights than it is during the day, as New Zealand learned the hard way on Friday evening.
Starc got Tom Latham in the first over of the night, when extra bounce had him popping a leading edge back to the bowler. Jeet Raval departed in the next over, after Hazlewood swung one back between bat and pad to take out his middle stump.
From there Kane Williamson and Taylor provided a fighting 76-run partnership, before Smith’s catch of the summer. Standing at second slip, he dived full-length to his right and clutched the ball one-handed after Starc drew Williamson’s edge on 34. The catch will live long in the highlights reels, but Smith would have had Williamson removed on 13 if he had his way. The New Zealand captain edged one behind off Pat Cummins, with Smith the only man to hear it as no other Aussies appealed.
Starc then finished the night in style, forcing Henry Nicholls to edge one down the leg-side on seven before yorking the nightwatchman Neil Wagner first ball.
Marnus Labuschagne’s third straight century had earlier set up the Test for Australia, as he went from 110 to 144 before he lost his leg stump to Wagner. The 25-year-old barely offered a chance in his previous 239 balls, before he stepped inside one that swung and moved past his legs and into the stumps. He was one of Wagner’s four scalps as the left-armer finished with four for 92, while Tim Southee also took four for 93.
Travis Head again failed to turn a half-century into a big score when he hit Southee straight to cover on 56, marking his sixth score between 50 and 100 for just one century. Tim Paine also hit 39 off 105 balls, ensuring Australia would have the new ball under lights.
