. . . but he persevered
They stormed the Melbourne Cricket Ground in big numbers, wearing various combinations of teal, beige or Kiwi black.
The roar when Kane Williamson called correctly at the toss was spine-tingling enough. When Trent Boult skittled Joe Burns with a ripper, fourth ball, it nearly flipped the roof of the Great Southern Stand.
The volume and ferocity of booing for Steve Smith’s arrival had Australian press box veterans shaking their heads. It sounded like an ODI at Eden Park, jam-packed with New Zealand fans.
But it takes more than that to win a Boxing Day test, and the hosts weathered storms on several fronts and fought back to claim day one honours at 257-4 after being sent in. The day one crowd was a mammoth 80,473.
Smith was unbowed at stumps, 77 not out off 192 balls and within sight of a remarkable fifth century in as many Melbourne tests. He arrived with an MCG test average of 136, braced himself for New Zealand bouncers and said he was happy to farewell the pink ball which he struggled to see in Perth.
In their first test in Melbourne in 32 years, the Black Caps made the correct decision to bowl first in conditions that looked tailormade for Boult and fellow swingman
Australian batsman Steve Smith acknowledges the applause for his halfcentury on the opening day to the second test when the Kiwi contingent made its presence felt among the huge crowd at the MCG.
Tim Southee.
But after starting with as much fizz as their supporters, New Zealand kicked the turf at some half-chances that let Australia off the hook. Boult looked threatening at times, Southee was very good but unlucky, and Colin de Grandhomme the most effective.
They needed to have Australia seven or eight down at stumps to be in the box seat; now they must
bat out of their skins against the world’s best pace attack to stay in the fight and avoid going 2-0 down.
The Kiwi contingent was estimated at close to 20,000, more than double the capacity of nearly every New Zealand test ground. Cricket Australia’s confirmed figure was the second-most for the opening day of a non-Ashes MCG test, behind the 85,661 for West Indies in 1975.
With the masses roaring it was a gripping first session when the Black Caps could, and maybe should, have had the hosts five down at lunch. After Boult rocked Burns with a beautiful inswinger, Southee swung some gems past run machine Marnus Labuschagne’s outside edge.
The pitch was damp, curator Matt Page under pressure to give a usually placid surface some life. David Warner disagreed strongly when Boult, who at times looked a run short after missing two tests, got one to rear menacingly into his chest.
Suitably rattled, Warner (41) drove at a straight one from Neil Wagner and Southee plucked a brilliant one-handed grab at second slip. It was the kind of matchturning play they needed.
Smith was bombarded, predictably, as Wagner circled to unsettle him after snaring his wicket twice in Perth.
He took two on the body and was furious at English umpire
Nigel Llong when he denied him a leg bye. Smith claimed he was taking evasive action, Llong correctly ruled he let the ball hit him and offered no shot and the former skipper saw red in a heated argument.
It swung back Australia’s way. Smith was determined and Labuschagne lucky amid a prolific year. Edges fell short and Williamson had a royal chance to run him out on 27 but missed.
Then Mitchell Santner was summoned. He nearly trapped Labuschagne lbw first ball after lunch then lost his shape and the pair took 17 off one over, the pressure released.
Having bowled 41 wicketless overs in Perth, Santner was lucky to hold off the more attacking and better-performed legspinner Todd Astle.
Not for the first time, questions surround Santner’s effectiveness at test level.
De Grandhomme was the man for the breakthrough and got some to swing and nibble. Finally Labuschagne’s luck ran out when he was bowled off the elbow for 63 to one that reared.
Matt Wade and Wagner renewed their torrid duel from Perth. Wade edged twice near Ross Taylor at slip and was clonked on the helmet by Wagner before de Grandhomme got him to nick one that seamed away.
The second new ball was fruitless for Boult and Southee late. It could have been New Zealand’s day, but just showed how consistently excellent they need to be to get one over the hosts.