Fortress Basin holds firm
The Basin Reserve might be the Black Caps’ test cricket fortress but it still needed some fortifying on a chilly Thursday morning.
One year and one day on from those extraordinary scenes of the win over England, the good people of Wellington who filled the boutique ground to its capacity of around 6500 arrived with more wary optimism than bullish confidence of a sixth successive Basin test win.
This was mighty Australia, the current world test champions who hadn’t lost in this country in 31 years.
With Devon Conway and Kyle Jamieson sidelined with injury, and no snarl from a just-retired Neil Wagner, the hosts had just three returnees from their own WTC Everest in 2019. The well worn armour had a few dents to exploit.
At stumps on day one, the Black Caps were in the race with their noses just in front, their visitors 279-9.
It was a lively, rollicking opening day and while Australia got away late via Cameron Green’s wonderful counter-attacking 103 not out (after they were 89-4), it’s game on when play resumes at 11am.
The hosts’ vulnerable looking batting lineup will get a torrid workout with the pitch quickening up, and it needs a stern show with the bat and Kane Williamson’s incredible run to continue to take this game deep at their favourite venue.
As the Black Caps discovered in 2016 batting first on an emerald green Wellington sward, you can’t win a test on the first day but you can all but lose it. This time they got some luck when visiting skipper Pat Cummins called incorrectly. Then, they needed someone to lead the attack with gusto in helpful bowling conditions, with questionmarks over Southee’s recent sharpness and no enforcer like Jamieson or Wagner.
Step up Matt Henry, who in three previous tests against Australia had snared four wickets at an average of 110. At 32 and playing just his 24th test, Henry is the obvious next leader of this attack.
As Will O’Rourke started nervously, Henry was relentless with line and length, demanding the best from worldclass pair Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja.
He nicked off Smith with a gem that shaped away, then later returned to skittle Khawaja with a brute of an inswinger. Henry later nabbed Nathan Lyon with the second new ball to cap a superb 20 overs’ work in which he never let up – almost Hadlee-like in its accuracy and quality.
New Zealand took charge in the middle session as they emerged with aggression. O’Rourke charged in and neared 145km with fearsome bounce, and the recalled Scott Kuggeleijn was controlled, bowled full and generated outswing with the wind mercifully light.
Wagner, meanwhile, watched intently from the boundary in his green bib, ferrying drinks and, later, getting a roaring ovation from the hill when he made a brief cameo as a substitute fielder. The “Wags, Wags” chants went up and the bowlers channelled his vigour as they got the Australians hopping about.
It wasn’t quite England, who were sent in a year ago and went from 21-3 on the first morning to 435-8 declared, but the visitors got away a fraction via Mitchell Marsh (40 off 39) and Green who copped some blows but unfurled some powerhouse cover drives and pulls.
“I thought we bowled well. It’d be great if they’d just keep coming, those wickets, but that’s international cricket. People are allowed to bat well. They did that and were able to create those partnerships and keep us coming back,” Henry said.
Against Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc a torrid return bout looms with New Zealand’s top order, but at least the hosts are in the fight rather than a gloomily familiar trans-Tasman pose: downcast and deflated after one day*.