NZ tour of Oz, Dec 12 - Jan 7

[alfie]

That first session was roughly even , I thought. And the slow progress after lunch (99/2 at drinks) meant NZ were still right in it , even if they'd have hoped for better after sending the hosts in.
But Smith and Labuschagne are ticking over nicely now...Santner's introduction saw the scoring rate soon revised !

Boult back : and immediately looking dangerous. They really need him to effect a break.

Labuschagne survives a close shout for lbw and goes to his fifty with a rather streaky slice wide of slip . He's doing a fine job for Australia again...

130/2 in the forty sixth. NZ need something soon or this is going to get right away from them : these fellows like to bat long and big.

[alfie]

Talk about out of the blue ! A ball from de Grandhomme moves back in and cannons off Labuschagne's elbow as he tries to leave it...bowled for 63 just when the Kiwi brains trust was wondering what to try next...

Batsman left looking rather shocked. He can count himself a bit unlucky I guess ; though to be fair he'd had some fortune with edges and "not quite " lbw shouts.

NZ will be desperate to grab another one as they lead into tea...

[alfie]

No further success yet for NZ : home team have moved on to 190/3 after 67. Wade has - predictably - received a generous serving of short stuff but has refused to be drawn into anything silly ; and his partnership with the also very patient Smith is now worth 49- from 108 balls.
Fifty stand up now ...batting the hosts into a sound position after being sent in

[mikesiva]

Australia 257-4

Smith 77 not out.

Looks ominous.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Handy first day score for the Aussies. The updates I've seen seem like the Kiwis have been unlucky but the best NZ side ever isn't living up to their billing.

[yuppie]

80,000 for the first day of a boxing day test against NZ.

Why has CA waited 32 years for them to play a boxing day test. Expect to see them back more often now.

That NZ test must have been one of the first boxing day tests i attended. I remember the chants that used the go around the ground, with a very unfavorable one about Mr Hadlee.

He still got 10 wickets in the test and nearly gave NZ an amazing win.

[Durhamfootman]

80,000 for the first day of a boxing day test against NZ.

80,000!

an astonishing number

15,000 flew over from NZ........ blimey

[yuppie]

80,000 for the first day of a boxing day test against NZ.

80,000!

an astonishing number

15,000 flew over from NZ........ blimey

How often does NZ get 15000 to a first day of a test match at home?

NZC and the ACB will be delighted with the turn out. Making money and showing that their is a rivalry. Got to think its really good news for NZ cricket. Perhaps their recent fine performances in world cups is starting to have an impact.

A few friends were their today. New Zealand putting Aus in was in their view because they didn't want to face up to the Australian attack on an unknown pitch.

[GarlicJam]

80,000 for the first day of a boxing day test against NZ.

Why has CA waited 32 years for them to play a boxing day test. Expect to see them back more often now.

That NZ test must have been one of the first boxing day tests i attended. I remember the chants that used the go around the ground, with a very unfavorable one about Mr Hadlee.

He still got 10 wickets in the test and nearly gave NZ an amazing win.

I was also at that match Yuppie, although just for the last session and a half.

My very first taste of live Test Cricket - and what a doozie it was!

Last test of a three match series, Aus 1-0 up, NZ needing to win the test to retain the trophy, after their thumping of Aus the series before - what did Hadlee get from those 3 tests, 33 wickets? Incredible, and probably never to be repeated.

He was in just as good as form in this series and test as well. For the last 6 or so overs, NZ needed the one wicket - one of either Craig McDermott or, more likely, the classic bunny, Mike Whitney. Who had (I have just read) had managed the scores of 0, 0, 4, 0 and 0 so far in his test batting career.

The tension in the crowd was incredible - remember that Aus had not won a test series for over 4 years, and had not won one under Border's 6 series in charge.

Somehow the two of them held on, despite some fantastic bowling from Hadlee and Danny Morrison - and possibly a hometown decision that went against Morrison and for McDermott. The last over was from Hadlee and was bowled all to Whitney. The nerves of everyone at the ground were shot, and the excitement was so high.

It remains one of my favourite ever sport watching experiences.



A side note to this: I was working in my first role as head chef at the time, actually a position I shared with my very good mate Arni. We had been listening to the test on the radio, and agreed that one of us was going to go at the end of lunch and come back late. I won the toss, so off I went, by myself. I sat in the stands, next to a man who I recognised, and his two young sons. The man was Melbourne Journalist/Columnist John Hindle. I had a few chats with him about the cricket, but also about things I had read in his column earlier that week.

A decade or so later, that man became Arni's father in law - at the time, Arni was a few years off meeting his wife to be. A nice coincidence.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Maybe lots of Kiwi expats in Melbourne?

[yuppie]

Brilliant story GJ. What an awesome first test that would have been at the end. Memories like that just stay with you.

We were their on the first day and i just remember being in awe of the place. My old man was very critical of the chants directed at Hadlee, and he took me to the test so i could see an all time great. I remember their being an air of optimism developing around that team even though they were not getting results.

[GarlicJam]

Maybe lots of Kiwi expats in Melbourne?

It is not particularly known to be so, but there are a lot of Kiwis everywhere in Aus.

There have been reports of more than 16,000 Kiwis,flying across,the Tasman for the test. 16,000!!

Couple that with a few thou who would be living in Melbourn, and plenty who would have travelled from other NZ cities - Sydney, Gold,Coast, Perth, etc. - giving them very good away support. The Boxing Day test is such a rarity for them, so many want to be a part of it.

Kiwis are very, very good supporters of their countryfolk in sports in Aus. Often during Bledisloe Cup (Rugby between NZ and Aus) matches in Sydney, it appears to be a Kiwi home game.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Watching their team struggle now though. Great to get Smith (to the remarkable Wagner), but the Aussies are away with the game now.

[GarlicJam]

So, a Wagner bouncer gets rid of Smith, as did both times in Perth.

Great, now they will plan to bounce Smith out again and again. Forgetting that Smith got 85-odd before the bouncer finally did for him...

[bigfluffylemon]

Kane, why would you bat first?

We were all asking this question at 12.30 yesterday, seemed daft then and it seems daft now.