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To clarify, occurrences like this are rare. During the final innings of the Christchurch Test, Australia had to score 279 runs to win. Australian Test teams have been competing for 147 years. Prior to Monday, they had successfully chased targets bigger than this only 13 times. Now, that number has risen to 14, thanks to a nail-biting innings where victory seemed uncertain multiple times, but ultimately ended with a calm and calculated approach.

Last year, in Edgbaston, the captain Pat Cummins, batting at No 8, scored 44 not out in the dim light on the fifth day and led the team to victory with two wickets remaining, achieving the target of 282. This time, on the fourth day, Cummins batted at No 9 and scored 32 not out, hitting the final boundary to bring the score to 281. The events were eerily similar in timing and outcome.

It was a series of unfortunate events. On the third evening, the fast bowlers from New Zealand, Matt Henry and Ben Sears, were extremely difficult to play against. This resulted in an lbw decision and a wasted review, a missed catch, and a caught edge just two balls later. There was also a slip catch after an angled delivery, followed by a scattering of stumps from a failed leave attempt. The top players, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, and Cameron Green, were all dismissed with only 34 runs on the scoreboard. In previous similar situations, it was unlikely for the team to succeed when they were four wickets down with such a low score.

Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh led the team with a swift score of 43 before stumps (end of the day’s play), but Head was dismissed in the second over the next day after attempting a cut shot to the point fielder, just one ball after Marsh was dropped while attempting the same shot. With five wickets down, they still needed 199 runs to win. Historically, no batting team has been able to win a game from this position. This was even more unlikely for a team relying on a counterattacking all-rounder who has only recently improved his batting performance to reach an average above 30, and a wicketkeeper-batter whose primary role has been consistently fulfilled but has recently struggled with his secondary role, causing him to look visibly uncomfortable.

However, that is exactly the scenario that unfolded, as Marsh skillfully avoided the slip cordon to score boundaries more frequently than any other method. In the meantime, he collected runs wisely while Carey demonstrated a sense of ease, a contrast to his performance in recent months, and hit an early boundary through cover. As the partnership continued to grow and the required runs decreased to doubles, Carey emerged as the leading scorer.

With 86 to get, the game looked gone when the batting pair thrashed Henry for 16 from an over. New Zealand’s best bowler appeared exhausted from his efforts to date: nine wickets in the match that had briefly been 10, before an lbw decision against Carey was overturned by a review. Sears did reverse that trend, though, bowling a full ball that lived up to his name to burn past Marsh’s bat to find pad in front, then a shorter one that Mitchell Starc spliced to square leg.

In the span of two overs, they had to defend 59 runs. Cummins nearly got out when he hit the next ball slightly in front of slip and through the barrier for four. Could this debut hat-trick lead to a notable triumph over Australia? It could have changed Sears’ life. Just like trying to wake up from a restless night, the dream was almost within reach.

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Eventually, the full realization came as Cummins remained poised and collected after that crucial ball, leading his team to victory. Meanwhile, Carey continued to bat strongly and finished with an impressive score of 98. While this was a reason for joy for the Australians, it was a complete disaster for New Zealand. Despite having won eight Tests against Australia since 1946, they have only been able to defeat the formidable Australian team once in the last 13 years, and have not been able to secure a victory on their own turf for 31 years. While there have been missed opportunities in the past, this time the defeat was undeniable.

Glenn Phillips was very effective with his off-spin against Marsh in the World Cup and dismissed Carey in Australia’s first innings in Christchurch. However, he was not put into play in the final innings until both players had scored more than 50 runs. Scott Kuggeleijn’s spot on the team was pointless, especially considering he gave away 10 extras in what should have been a clean over. Additionally, the team’s moral standards were called into question by selecting a player with a controversial personal history. Tim Southee managed to create two opportunities from poor shots but his deliveries were also subpar.

It left everything to Sears, who had his bursts but was understandably rough on debut, and Henry, who had spent all his tickets dragging his team back into the game in the first three days. Fatigue was entirely fair for a guy with the rare distinction of being player of the series in a whitewash loss, an achievement that may only be shared by Brian Lara on his tour of Sri Lanka in 2001.

Prior to this examination, a commemorative gathering was held for the players who were still living from New Zealand’s initial triumph over Australia in 1974. It was fitting for Henry to be invited to a comparable event in 2074. Unfortunately, this did not happen and now, at 32 years old, with Australia not scheduled to visit again until at least 2028, his prospects of having another opportunity on native grounds are low.

The last standout event between New Zealand and Australia in New Zealand involved Merv Hughes bowling to Kiwi wicketkeeper Tony Blain. This moment highlights the extent of the issue. Fans are weary of it, and the positive comments from a few players after this defeat do not alleviate this sentiment. Australia surpassed expectations to emerge victorious, while New Zealand defied expectations to suffer a loss.

Source: theguardian.com