In the first day of the Test match in Wellington, Cameron Green turned the tide for Australia after New Zealand’s fierce bowling attack. The West Australian batsman faced the selectors’ doubts head-on, scoring a resilient 103 runs, his highest Test score since being selected at number four, guiding tourists to 9-279 at stumps on day one.
No other Australian managed to score more than 40 runs in the day, indicating the dominance of the bowlers otherwise. This marked Green’s second Test century, achieved with a boundary on the final delivery of the day amidst a flurry of three boundaries in the last over. He managed to reach fifty in just 46 balls, displaying a boundary-laden innings with 16 boundaries, defining his career-best knock.
Expressing his feelings at stumps, Green commented, “It feels really good. It was quite a challenging wicket.” He added, “Someone had to just stick to batting, so I was glad it was me.”
Green’s return to the international arena came six months after being dropped from the Test team last year, but Australian selectors were adamant that he still belonged among the country’s top six batsmen – a claim vindicated by the young all-rounder’s performance on Thursday afternoon.
Sent in to bat, Australia was reeling at 4-89 briefly before Green engineered a revival, receiving support from fellow all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and skipper Pat Cummins.
Earlier, New Zealand’s fast bowler Matt Henry shattered Australia’s top order, claiming 4 wickets for 43 runs in 20 overs, which included crucial dismissals of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith. Meanwhile, other quicks playing their second Test, Will Young and Scott Kuggeleijn, chipped in with a couple of wickets each despite some disciplined bowling throughout the day.
The Basin Reserve pitch wore a green tinge on Thursday morning, so it came as no surprise when Black Caps captain Tim Southee won the toss and opted to bowl first with overcast conditions looming.
Australian openers Khawaja and Smith survived the first 90 minutes unscathed, forging a partnership of 61 runs that included some nervy moments. At one point, Smith slipped in between the pitch during a delivery, scrambling to make his ground at the non-striker’s end.
After the drinks break, the hosts were left dismayed when a review against Khawaja, who was sliding his bat comfortably inside the crease, was upheld. However, Henry found success in the morning session, dismissing Smith caught behind by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for 31.
Smith’s departure triggered a dramatic collapse, with Australia slipping to 4-28 – Kuggeleijn found the edge of Marnus Labuschagne’s bat for 1, Daryl Mitchell pouched a low catch in the slips, and Henry produced a sublime inswinger that found Khawaja’s stumps, dismissing him for 33.
Australia was suddenly in dire straits when Travis Head was caught behind off the bowling of Young on a well-directed delivery, edging the ball to Blundell for just 1 run.
Marsh launched a trademark counterpunch, stitching together a 67-run partnership with Green to give the Australians something to cheer about over tea. However, West Indies bowler Kemar Roach, after the break, exploited a loose shot against Henry, leaving Blundell with a simple catch under the helmet for 5.
The visitors’ tail was exposed when Alex Carey was caught behind for 10 runs, followed by Stark’s dismissal at 9 runs, caught at slip. Cummins managed to fend off a few bouncers from part-time spinner Rachin Ravindra before being trapped lbw on the pads for 16 runs.
Struggling with the fight, Green completed his seventh Test fifty in 108 deliveries, only to see former captain Kane Williamson scoop a low catch at third slip, denying his captain a wicket and giving Nathan Lyon quick relief. The missed opportunity didn’t prove too costly as Henry sent Lyon back a few minutes later for 5 runs.
Tailender Josh Hazlewood took on the mantle of batting after Green’s dismissal, changing gears late in the day, launching a memorable six over backward point through a cut shot, to complete a gritty 108-ball half-century. However, he fell to a poor-judged pull shot against Henry soon after, getting caught under the mistimed stroke, leaving Australia in a precarious position.
The Australian lower order was left exposed when wicketkeeper Alex Carey was caught behind off a well-directed delivery from Young, leaving the hosts reeling at 223-7 at stumps on day one, with Cummins and Mitchell Starc at the crease.