AUSTRALIA WINS BY THREE WICKETS
Alex Carey has steered Australia to a comeback win over New Zealand to steal a 2-0 win in the Trans-Tasman series, seeing the tourists home in a three-wicket win.
Australia’s wicketkeeper finished on 98 not out and was down the other end when his captain hit the winning runs. While not quite his first Test century since December 2022 and his second in total, it is Carey’s highest Test score in some 15 months.
Carey had been under pressure with the willow but along with Mitch Marsh (80), counterpunched Australia to an against-the-odds win in stunning circumstances.
Awesome win Aussies. 👍
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) March 11, 2024
Brilliant from Bison.🦬
Alex Carey deserved a 💯 but his 98no was superb 🧤#NZvAus
The kiwis sadly just cannot deliver the knockout blow Vs Australia never have been able to - it’s a major mental block. Carey superb under pressure Marsh & Cummins 👏
— Darren Berry (@ChuckBerry1969) March 11, 2024
Resuming the day at 4/77, Australia piled on more than 200 runs well inside two sessions to leave the Blackcaps heartbroken.
Kiwi quick Ben Sears turned the momentum when trapping Marsh LBW and having Mitch Starc caught at square leg in consecutive deliveries, but Pat Cummins and Carey put on 61 for the eighth-wicket to surge the Aussies home.
A push through point for Cummins reached the rope and sealed a famous victory, with the skipper finishing on 32 not out.
“It’s been a terrific partnership between the final pair… Alex Carey, his finest moment as an Australian cricketer,” SEN’s Adam Collins declared upon seeing the winning runs.
“The match-winner on the final day, mostly with Marsh and then with Cummins… Australia has held their nerve again in a close run chase.
“New Zealand’s long wait for a Test victory over Australia will extend again.”
Sears put in a stellar effort on debut and finished with four second-innings wickets, finishing with 4-90 off his 17. Matt Henry took nine poles for the Test.
But all the headlines will revolve around Carey, who claimed the Player of the Match and had only passed 50 twice in the 10 Tests leading into Christchurch.
New Zealand has only won six Tests against Australia since 1985, with the last coming back in 2011. But the hurt will revolve around their home Test record, having not accounted for the Australian XI in Test cricket on home soil since 1993. The second Test of this year’s Trans-Tasman Test presented the best opportunity in some time after earlier reducing Australia to 4/33 in their chase of 279.
The Trans-Tasman Trophy will remain with Australia, where it has been since 1993.
Cummins’ side has won six of their seven Tests this summer, with their only blemish coming in a thriller against West Indies at the Gabba.
EARLIER
Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey have given Australia serious hope of stealing the second Test from New Zealand’s grasp after making a bright start to Day 4.
Australia is chasing 279 in the second inning to claim a 2-0 win in the Trans-Tasman series. If successful, it would prove a near-record chase at Hagley Oval.
On Sunday night the Aussies limped to 4-77 at stumps as the Kiwis closed in on their first Test win over Australia at home since 1993.
But at lunch the following day, it’s no certainty the Blackcaps will be able to break their streak. Half-centuries to Marsh and Carey have lifted Australia to 5-174 at lunch, needing a further 105 runs to win in Christchurch.
Marsh was dropped on his first ball of the day when Rachin Ravindra put down a sitter at point and has taken full toll in putting New Zealand to the sword.
He is 55 off 76 balls, while Carey – who survived two reviews of his own - is at the other end on 50 off 61.
And that's the 50 for Alex Carey!
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) March 11, 2024
Sundaresan: "He needed this badly Alex Carey. It's a popular half century."#NZvAUS
Travis Head couldn’t capitalise on Marsh’s early life when going out the very next ball, continuing his wretched run in recent months.
"That is dreadful batting from Travis Head."
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) March 10, 2024
Travis Head is dismissed early on day four as the Aussies fall to five down with over 150 runs still to chase 😳#HenleyHomes #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/8OouV4VSl2
Australia’s World Cup hero has averaged just 28.68 in the whites since the World Test Championship final.
SEN’s Bharat Sundaresan believes the Kiwis missed a trick by bowling Scott Kuggeleijn and allowing the Aussies to go at over five runs at over in the session.
“They’ve made life much easier for Australia than it should have been,” Sundaresan said.
“After they got rid of Travis Head so early in the play, Australia needing 199 at that stage… they’ve had a few things go their way.
“Just the last 20 or so minutes, New Zealand opened the tap and Australia have flourished. All of a sudden, it’s Australia in front.
“To their credit, it didn’t look like that would be the case early.”
Kuggeleijn remains wicketless, with Matt Henry (2-60), Ben Sears (2-52) and Tim Southee (1-24) the picks of the Kiwi quicks.
Should New Zealand triumph, Southee’s men will break an 11-match streak without a win against the Australians on home soil.
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