New Zealand Chase 258 In First Test Against Australia

WELLINGTON: New Zealand were 111 for three at the close of play on the third day of the first Test against Australia at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on Saturday, still 258 runs away from their daunting victory target of 369.

Spinner Glenn Phillips had earlier taken 5-45 - his first fivewicket haul in first-class cricket - as New Zealand took Australia’s last six wickets for the addition of 37 runs to end the tourist’s second innings on 164.

Rachin Ravindra, who reached the half century mark for the second time in his short test career and was 56 not out at stumps, will resume on day four alongside Daryl Mitchell, who was unbeaten on 12, in a partnership worth 52 runs.

New Zealand’s highest successful fourth-innings run chase was the 324 they scored against Pakistan at Christchurch in 1994. Their highest at Basin Reserve

was the 285 they scored to beat Sri Lanka last year.

Australia will be looking to off spinner Lyon to play a key role in putting the tourists 1-0 up in the two-match series that concludes with the second test in Christchurch starting on Friday.

As nightwatchman, Lyon had punished New Zealand for dropping him off the final ball of day two by hitting a bright 41 to push Australia from 13-2 at the start of the day to 53-3 when he was caught at square leg off Matt Henry.

Opener Usman Khawaja also departed before lunch for 28 to give Phillips his first wicket off a stumping, but Australia would have been happy at reaching the break on 113-4 with their lead already past the 300 mark.

Green’s 174 in a rearguard action in the first innings was largely responsible for Australia’s lead, but there was to be no tailend heroics in the second as Henry (3-36) stepped up to take the last two wickets.