In the 77th over, New Zealand’s score is 238-3 with Ravindra scoring 62 and Mitchell scoring 42. Adding to the unpredictability, Cummins substitutes himself with Travis Head. With 12 Test wickets at an average of 31 and a best of 4-40, Head is known for breaking partnerships. However, Mitchell believes he relies more on luck than skill and takes advantage of a third, slower ball by hitting it down the pitch for four.

In the 76th over of the match, New Zealand’s score is 233-3 with Ravindra at 61 and Mitchell at 38. Cam Green’s increased speed results in an inside edge from Mitchell, who then runs a single. Next up, we have a match between two rising stars in trans-Tasman cricket as Ravindra steps up to bat. However, Green’s delivery is too loose and down the leg-side, allowing Ravindra to hit it to the fine leg for a boundary. Green responds with a slower ball, prompting an ambitious drive from Ravindra and a chance for a caught-and-bowled out. Unfortunately, the ball is too far left and even Green’s large wingspan cannot reach it.

In the 75th over, New Zealand’s score is 227-3 (with Ravindra scoring 56 and Mitchell scoring 37). Lyon only allows a couple of singles in his 14th over. The lead for New Zealand has increased to 133. Cameron Green has been preparing with some powerful windmill swings at gully. What will Golden Balls achieve?

During the 74th over, New Zealand’s score is 225-3 with Ravindra on 55 and Mitchell on 36. Marsh’s velocity has not exceeded 124kph yet. As he tries to push for more speed, Mitchell strategically hits a couple of doubles off him, the first going through midwicket and the second past square leg.

73rd over: New Zealand are at 220-3 with Ravindra scoring 55 and Mitchell scoring 32. There seems to be a change in the rhythm of the game. The rapid scoring has come to a stop with Marsh and Lyon bowling consecutive maidens and single-run overs. Is Australia gaining control? Maybe the New Zealand team is preoccupied with thoughts of lunch break.

In the 72nd over, New Zealand is at 220-3 with Ravindra at 55 and Mitchell at 31. After a poor previous over where he gave up nine runs, Mitchell M improves in this over and delivers a useful maiden, managing to get past Ravindra with a couple of balls.

Simon McMahon discovered that I am related to Clan McLaughlin through my mother’s side and has chosen this emotional moment as being on the same level as Mitch Marsh’s AB Medal achievement: “Angus, I assume you have some Scottish ancestry. I believe this was the moment when the general British population really warmed up to Andy Murray. It was also similar to Jimmy Anderson’s experience when Alastair Cook retired from Test cricket. Once you are able to fake sincerity, you will be successful.”

In the 71st over, New Zealand’s score is 220-3 with Ravindra scoring 55 runs and Mitchell scoring 31 runs. With only 12 overs remaining before a new ball is introduced, New Zealand is actively trying to increase their lead. Lyon is bowling quickly to get to the new ball. They only manage to score one run in this over.

In the 70th over, New Zealand is at 219-3 with Ravindra scoring 54 and Mitchell scoring 31. Pat decides it’s time for a change and calls for The Bison. Mitchell Marsh takes over for Mitchell Starc to face Daryl Mitchell. However, amidst all the Mitch-related action, Rachin Ravindra takes control and hits a beautiful four on Marsh’s first ball, bringing his total to fifty. He then takes a single on the third ball, leaving Mitchell to hit a four off his right pocket. The over ends with nine runs in total.

20833

Mitch Marsh’s first ball was a beautifully executed shot and it resulted in a fantastic half-century for the talented player from New Zealand. He achieved this milestone in just 96 balls with an impressive strike-rate of 55.20833.

The 69th over sees New Zealand at 210-3 with Ravindra at 49 and Mitchell at 27. Mitchell responds to my previous criticism of his batting with a well-executed sweep for four runs. He seems determined to prove himself with a strike rate of over 68, making this the quickest scoring performance of the innings thus far.

“Nearing the end of the 68th over, New Zealand’s score stands at 203-3 with Ravindra at 47 and Mitchell at 22. Starc’s delivery misses its intended target and Renshaw’s fielding error allows Mitchell to score three runs behind point. This brings up 200 runs for the Black Caps. Ravindra then carefully directs the ball to backward point for two more runs. The scoreboard continues to tick up for New Zealand as they find their rhythm. Despite a powerful swing at the fifth ball, Mitchell only manages to score a single as Head has adjusted his fielding position. The partnership between Ravindra and Mitchell has now yielded 48 runs in 72 balls.”

In the 67th over, New Zealand’s score is 197-3 with Ravindra at 44 runs and Mitchell at 19. Ravindra confidently takes on Lyon with a strong shot down the ground. Lyon was trying for drift but Ravindra was prepared and hits it to the boundary on the bounce. This increases New Zealand’s lead to 103.

In the 66th over of the match, New Zealand’s score is 188-3 with Ravindra scoring 40 and Mitchell scoring 18. Starc makes an aggressive move, but Ravindra manages to counter it. There has been back and forth between the two players for five balls, but Starc tries to throw a bouncer. However, the pitch in Christchurch is not providing the bounce he expected, and Ravindra takes advantage by swinging hard at it. However, he also fails to execute it perfectly and the ball falls just short of the boundary rope.

At the 65th over, New Zealand’s score is 189-3 with Ravindra scoring 37 and Mitchell scoring 19. While Lyon allows one run, he keeps Mitchell uncertain. The game has slowed down a bit, with one end offering quick speed and the other strategic spin, causing New Zealand to doubt their tactics.

In the 64th over, New Zealand’s score is 188-3 with Ravindra at 37 and Mitchell at 18. Starc bowls a maiden over, opting for a longer length due to the lack of swing or pitch movement. He may be preparing for one of his signature, impressive yorkers.

The 63rd over of the game sees New Zealand at a score of 188-3, with Ravindra scoring 37 and Mitchell scoring 18. Lyon takes advantage of the lack of spin and begins to toss the ball into uneven patches. Despite this, Mitchell is beaten on the third ball but bounces back with a six off the next one. Smith attempts a catch at leg slip again when Daryl attempts a reverse sweep.

In the 62nd over of the match, New Zealand’s score is 181-3 with Ravindra at 36 and Mitchell at 12. Mitchell delivers a powerful shot off a full and wide delivery from Starc, driving it for a four down the ground. Mitchell shows great skill and determination, earning praise from fellow team member Daryl Mitchell.

In the 61st over of the match, the score for New Zealand is 177-3 with Ravindra scoring 36 and Mitchell scoring 8. Cummins gets Lyon on the right track. Mitchell does a great job of using a reverse sweep on the second delivery, getting a single as it skims along the patched turf at Hagley Oval. Ravindra attempts a different approach, stepping back and driving the ball down the ground with a well-executed high elbow for a single. On the fourth delivery, Mitchell goes back to the reverse sweep, but there is a leg slip trap set up by Steve Smith. Smudge quickly reacts and saves four as the ball comes towards him. Impressive skills from Smudge.

In the 60th over, New Zealand’s current score is 174-3 with Ravindra at 35 runs and Mitchell at 6. Ravindra almost got out with a lucky shot that landed in an empty spot. Cummins threw a great ball, but Ravindra hesitated during his hook shot. It was an aggressive move, as Ravindra is a confident batter who trusts in his abilities. He continues his bold approach and scores his third boundary in 72 balls.

59th over: New Zealand 165-3 (Ravindra 31, Mitchell 6) Need a spark? Bring on Starc. And straight away big Mitch draws a swish and a mish from Rachin Ravindra. Beautiful ball first up from the man who moved past Dennis Lillee on the wicket-takers list in the first innings. Ravindra sends his own form of congratulations for that feat – a sweetly laced drive down the ground for four.

In the 58th over of the match, New Zealand’s score is 165-3 with Ravindra batting at 26 and Mitchell at 6. Ravindra attempted to take a single, but Mitchell, known for being a loud and vocal runner, changed his mind and sent him back just in time to avoid being run-out.

Simon McMahon commented: “Hey Angus, I just watched Mitch Marsh’s speech and it almost brought me to tears. Let’s have more of that positivity. Mitch is a great guy. But I’m still supporting New Zealand.”

Keep it up, Simon. It happens to everyone when making a lasagna.

In the 57th over, New Zealand’s score is 163-3 with Ravindra at 26 runs and Mitchell at 4 runs. Mitchell scores two runs with a well-placed shot off Hazlewood’s delivery. Ravindra follows with a two-run hit towards third man. Hazlewood, who had a remarkable performance of 5 wickets for 31 runs in 13 overs in the first innings, has now conceded 43 runs without any wickets in 18 overs in the second innings. New Zealand’s lead is 69.

The 56th over sees New Zealand at 157-3 with Ravindra scoring 23 and Mitchell with just 1 run. Alex Carey appears to be relieved after his mistake with Latham yesterday only resulted in a few runs against his team. He also played a crucial role in the captain, Cummins, calling for a review on the double-noise. Mitchell, who is 32 years old and has only played 22 Tests, is currently at the crease and is struggling with his batting. Throughout this series, he has not looked very confident.

Cummins succeeds as he makes the ball rear and causes it to move back slightly, catching Latham off guard with his defense. There were two audible noises and the umpire initially dismissed it, but Cummins challenged and a slight contact with the bat was revealed before it hit the thigh pad. Australia gets an early wicket!

The 55th over has just started and New Zealand’s score is now 155 for 2, with Latham at 73 and Ravindra at 22. There was a rare mistake by Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, who usually plays flawlessly. He missed a fielding opportunity and gave Ravindra an extra three runs. Latham also takes advantage of the gap and hits a drive through mid on for another three runs off Hazlewood’s bowl. Ravindra’s score is now in the 20s and we’ve seen that he has the ability to score big runs.

The 54th over of the match between New Zealand and India starts with a score of 149-2, with Latham at 70 and Ravindra at 19. Cummins is trying to get Latham out by changing his speed, but there doesn’t seem to be much movement yet. It won’t be long before we see Nathan Lyon take the ball. So far, he has only bowled 6 overs this innings. Cummins delivers a maiden.

In the 53rd over, New Zealand has a score of 149-2, with Latham at 70 and Ravindra at 19. Despite Carey’s mistake of dropping Latham yesterday, Hazlewood remains composed as he continues to bowl with precision. He is determined to end Latham’s second chance quickly. The first five balls go according to plan, keeping Latham confined to his crease with accurate deliveries. However, Latham manages to hit a four on the final delivery by leaning into the slightly fuller and straighter ball.

52nd over: New Zealand 144-2 (Latham 66, Ravindra 18) Pat Cummins makes a clear statement with his bowling strategy, choosing to keep Starc on reserve and take the opening spell himself. As the captain, he showed great skill and precision last night in getting Kane Williamson out. Now, Ravindra immediately responds to the challenge by confidently hitting the second ball to the boundary. He follows it up with a single on the next delivery. While Latham is the more experienced batsman in this partnership, Ravindra poses a real danger for Australia. Being young and aggressive, with a keen eye and a range of attacking shots, he could easily increase New Zealand’s lead by 50 runs.

In the 51st over of the match, New Zealand has a total of 138 runs and two wickets down, with Tom Latham scoring 65 and Ravindra scoring 13. The start of the day sees Josh Hazlewood coming in with a no-ball, which is unlike his usual style. Ravindra takes advantage of this error and manages to score a quick single, while also getting a bonus run due to a mistake by Mitchell Marsh during a run-out attempt. A potential edge follows, but Ravindra’s gentle handling results in the ball bouncing towards second slip, where Steve Smith is able to make the catch. Smith readjusts his position and the game continues. Australia may still be feeling the effects of Alex Carey’s fumble the previous night, which saved Latham. Will this mistake cost them in the long run?

Experts are predicting that today will be a good day for batting. The playing surface at the Hagley Oval is smooth and has some green patches visible. There is a slight nor’easter breeze, but the weather is otherwise clear and sunny. Mitch Marsh has observed that it has been a favorable wicket for cricket over the past two days. When asked who might be able to change the course of the game for Australia, he responded, “Hopefully me!”

As Josh Hazlewood prepares to begin the first over of the day, let’s take another look at Marsh’s iconic Allan Border Medal speech…

Hagley Oval is currently experiencing calm winds and clear blue skies. Australia is ready to put up a strong fight in order to secure an early advantage. New Zealand, on the other hand, will focus on surviving the initial session in hopes of being able to capitalize on the situation later on. The batting conditions are getting better with each passing moment, so the Black Caps must capitalize on their narrow 40-run lead and push for a chase that will make Australia nervous and vulnerable to mind games.

Former Australian cricketer Merv Hughes, known for his iconic handlebar mustache, is at the stadium today. In his career, he took 212 wickets in 53 Tests. His mustache, now white, resembles the froth of a 1989 Fosters Lager. It is said that he grew it while backpacking around Australia as a young rebel and has kept it ever since. Here is a video of his famous hat-trick ball against the West Indies in 1988-89, followed by his signature Swervin’ Mervyn send-off.

For those who arrived later, here’s a summary of what happened on Day 2…

Greetings on day three, where we are on the brink of a second Test.

On the first day of the match, 14 wickets were taken in a fast-paced manner. However, the second day followed a different pattern with bursts of energy followed by periods of stability before eventually reaching the relaxed and intense pace of traditional Test cricket.

Reworded:

Australia managed to gain a 94-run lead in their first innings, thanks to Marnus Labuschagne’s score of 90 and contributions from Nathan Lyon (20), Mitchell Starc (28), and Pat Cummins (23). Despite losing seven wickets after tea, the team was able to defy the collapse.

However, following Matt Henry’s impressive performance with 7-47 and Glenn Phillips’ incredible catch preventing Labuschagne from scoring his 12th Test century, New Zealand battled their way and ultimately secured a dominant position by the end of the day’s play.

Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put on a partnership of 105 to wipe Australia’s lead and put the home side ahead. Some Pat Cummins magic got rid of Williamson for 51 but wicketkeeper Alex Carey undid the good work by dropping Latham late.

This morning, Latham begins with a score of 65 not out, while Rachin Ravindra, known for his recent impressive 240 against South Africa, is unbeaten at 11. With a lead of 40 runs and eight wickets remaining, New Zealand starts the day at 134-2 with three days left in the match.

Will the Kiwis be able to retaliate after their defeat by 172 runs in Wellington? Could this potentially be their first win against Australia on their own turf in 31 years? Or will the dominating Australian team regain their strength and reclaim their position?

Fasten your seatbelts and secure everything, because the first ball of Day 3 is almost here.