AUSSIES IN GREAT ESCAPE
Carey leads Kiwi heist
Alex Carey has steered Australia towards its highest successful run chase against New Zealand in Tests in a career-defining performance at Hagley Oval on Monday.
The wicketkeeper, coming off a poor run of form with the bat, scored an unbeaten 98 as Australia chased the 279-run target with three wickets in hand, with the tourists securing a 2-0 series whitewash over the Black Caps.
The world champions were reeling at 5-80 when Carey walked to the crease on Monday morning, but the lefthander combined with allrounder Mitchell Marsh for a 140-run partnership for the sixth wicket to set up a thrilling finale in Christchurch.
In a late twist, Black Caps debutant Ben Sears snared two wickets in the 55th over to give New Zealand a glimmer of hope of clinching its first Test victory over Australia on home soil in 31 years. However, Carey and captain Pat Cummins, who finished unbeaten on 32, held their nerve to knock off the remaining 61 runs of the record target.
“Pretty tense, I was pretty nervous watching the last couple of hours,” Cummins said during the post-match presentation.
“We keep finding ways to win. It’s a pretty awesome squad.”
The start of day four was delayed by an hour due to weather, with Australia resuming at 4-77 after the previous evening’s frantic collapse.
New Zealand botched an early chance to remove Marsh when the West Australian slapped a wide delivery from rival captain Tim Southee directly towards point, only for Rachin Ravindra to put down the catch. However, agony quickly turned to ecstasy for the Black Caps when Travis Head clobbered the following ball to Will Young in the point region, departing for 18.
Marsh and Carey played their shots and rode their luck throughout a tense morning session, with several outside edges bisecting players in the slips cordon.
Marsh reached his half-century in 64 deliveries while Carey, later named player of the match, raced towards fifty in just 60 balls, both passing the minor milestone late in the morning session.
However, Black Caps debutant Sears knocked over Marsh and Mitchell Starc in consecutive deliveries to swing momentum in New Zealand’s favour. The intensity picked up when Cummins joined Carey in the middle, with the Australian skipper edging Sears’ hattrick delivery through the slips cordon for a streaky boundary. The duo continued chipping away at the target, with a leaping Phillips unable to snatch a half-chance at gully in the 59th over.
The winning moment came when Cummins punched a wide delivery through point, meaning Carey was left stranded two runs short of his second Test century.
Cummins later confessed: “I had no idea he was on 98.”