Australia vs New Zealand cricket 2024 first test live updates start time scorecard team –
Following a wild first day of the first Test in Wellington, where New Zealand’s speed assault caused mayhem, Cameron Green saved Australia with a counterattacking century.
With a tenacious 103 not out, his best Test performance since being selected as the No. 4 player, the West Australian vindicated the selectors’ faith by leading the tourists to a 9-279 final score at stumps on the opening day at the Basin Reserve. On a day when the bowlers controlled proceedings, no one else in the Australian team scored more than forty.
After smashing three boundaries in the last over, Green reached his second century in Test cricket on the penultimate delivery of the day. In just 46 deliveries, he accelerated from fifty to triple digits, hitting the boundary rope 16 times during the pivotal knock that defined his career.
“It feels amazing,” Green remarked at the stumps.
“That was a challenging wicket to be on.”
“I was relieved that I was the one who had to step up and take the lead,”
The youthful all-rounder demonstrated on Thursday afternoon why Australian selectors were convinced that Green remained one of the six finest batsmen in the nation, even though he was booted from the Test team last year following a lacklustre six months on the international scene.
Australia was 4–89 behind after being sent in, but Green, with help from captain Pat Cummins and fellow all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, began to rebuild the innings.
Prior to this, Australia’s top order was thoroughly embarrassed by Black Caps quick Matt Henry, who took 4-43 from 20 overs, including the vital wickets of Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja. Despite some errant bowling throughout the day, fellow seamers Will O’Rourke and Scott Kuggeleijn—both in their second Test—chimed in with two wickets apiece.
With a healthy covering of grass on the Basin Reserve surface on Thursday morning, it was hardly shocking when Black Caps captain Tim Southee won the toss and elected to bowl first under cloudy skies.
Australian openers Khawaja and Smith put together a patient 61-run partnership that included several nervous moments, surviving the opening ninety minutes unscathed. Smith once stumbled while retreating in the middle of the pitch and had to scramble frantically to regain ground at the non-striker’s end.
After the drink break, the hosts lost all patience and reviewed an LBW shout against Khawaja that was easily sliding down leg. Late in the morning session, though, Henry finally produced the much-needed breakthrough when Smith edged through to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for 31 after fending in the channel.
Following Smith’s exit, 4-28 collapsed spectacularly: Kuggeleijn got Marnus Labuschagne’s outside edge for 1, Daryl Mitchell swallowed a marginal chance at first slip, and Henry hit a stunning inswinger that hooped through the gate and slammed into Khawaja’s stumps, castled for 33.
When Travis Head mishandled a wide delivery from rookie O’Rourke and feathered the ball through to Blundell for a goal, Australia found itself in a terrible situation.
With a famous counterpunch, Marsh formed a 67-run partnership with Green, giving the Australians cause for celebration at teatime. But after the break, the West Australian overturned an ill-advised pull shot against Henry, and Blundell settled beneath the normal chance.
After wicketkeeper Alex Carey slapped a catch towards cover for ten, and Starc nicked off towards the slips cordon for nine, Australia’s tail was shown. Before being trapped on the pads for sixteen by part-time spinner Rachin Ravindra, Cummins smoked a couple of sixes down the ground.
Despite suffering from cramping, Green made it to his eighth fifty in 108 Test deliveries when former captain of New Zealand Kane Williamson mishandled a low catch at third slip, thereby giving Nathan Lyon an early break. Though Henry removed Lyon for five minutes later, the wasted opportunity didn’t end up being too costly.
Following tailender Josh Hazlewood’s walk to bat, Green changed gears, rushing into a late assault and slicing a cut shot through backward point to bring up a historic hundred.
cricket-2024: start time, scorecard, team, live updates for Australia vs New Zealand’s first test