Thanks to a fiery spell by Pat Cummins, Australia have consolidated their position at the end of day 3 of the 2nd Test match played at Melbourne Cricket Ground, MCG on Saturday.
Starting on the overnight score of 44 for 2, Pat Cummins got the breakthrough early on dismissing Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls of successive deliveries which put Kiwis under pressure. Cummins and Pattison did not allow New Zealand bowlers to score runs easily. James Pattison produced a beauty to dismiss BJ Watling to leave Kiwis in tatters at 58 for 5. Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Latham tried to stay at the wicket with good solid defence. Mitchell Starc got his first wicket of the day dismissing de Grandhomme for 11. Latham and Grandhomme added 39 runs for the 6th wicket. At lunch, New Zealand were 102 for 6.
Right after the lunch break, Tom Latham survived a chance which did not hit the stumps. In course, Latham reached his fifty off 135 balls. Pat Cummins bowled beauty to dismiss Latham for 50. Neil Wagner and Trent Boult provided some entertainment. Australia bowled out New Zealand for 148 in the first innings.
The Australian captain Tim Paine did not enforce the follow on. In their second innings, David Warner and Joe Burns played cautiously against Boult and Tim Southee. At tea, both openers took them to 28 for 0.
After the tea break, Warner and Burns played with aggressive intent putting tired New Zealand under pressure. Neil Wagner provided the breakthrough for Kiwis dismissing Warner for 38. Australian openers added 62 runs. Burns increased the pace of the innings with attacking strokes. A brilliant run out by Latham ended the innings for Labuschagne for 19. Burns and Labuschagne added 38 runs for the 2nd wicket. Mitchell Santer got his first wicket of the match getting the wicket of Burns with a good catch by BJ Watling. Neil Wagner dismissed Steve Smith for the 4th time in the series for 7. Matthew Wade and Travis Head ended the 3rd day without any damage. Australia ended the day at 137 for 4 with a massive lead of 456.
Australia 467 in 155.1 overs ( Travis Head 114, Steve Smith 85, Tim Paine 79, Neil Wagner 4/83, Tim Southee 3/103) and 137 for 4 in 45 overs ( David Warner 38, Joe Burns 35, Neil Wagner 2/39) lead New Zealand 148 in 54.5 overs ( Tom Latham 50, Pat Cummins 5/28, James Pattinson 3/34) Tom Blundell 15, Pat Cummins 1/8) by 456 runs.
