Kiwi fightback after Oz run riot

KANE Williamson burnished his growing reputation but the spectre of the follow-on still loomed large over New Zealand, who reached 140 for two at stumps on the second day of the second test at the WACA yesterday.

Williamson was unbeaten on 70, the 25-year-old’s third successive 50plus score in the series, after Australia had earlier declared their first innings at 559/9.

Ross Taylor (26) was batting at the other end with New Zealand 419 runs behind and needing another 220 to avoid the ignominy of the follow-on.

Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc trapped Martin Guptill lbw for one in the third over of New Zealand’s innings, while Tom Latham (36) fell to Nathan Lyon after raising 81 runs with Williamson.

Earlier, Australian opener David Warner was finally dismissed for 253 at the start of the opening session after adding nine runs to his monumental overnight tally.

The hosts lost five wickets after lunch for the addition of 73 runs as the Australian batsmen tried to build the score ahead of the declaration.

Steve Smith also declared in both innings of the first test in Brisbane, which Australia won by 208 runs to lead 1-0 in the three-match series.

Warner had faced 286 balls over 409 minutes in the 11th highest innings scored on Australian soil, notching 24 fours and two sixes and taking his tally for the series to 532 runs at an average of 177.33. Captain Smith followed him back to the dressing room after scoring 27 from 91 balls when he tried to heave young paceman Matt Henry out of the ground but only managed to edge the ball to wicketkeeper BJ Watling. That set the tone for a second session in which Australia’s middle and lower orders, deprived of batting in the series so far by the success of the top order, looked to ramp up the tally. Western Australians Adam Voges (41) and Mitch Marsh (34) made the most of their chance, while the wickets of Peter Nevill (19), Mitchell Johnson (2) and Starc (0) added some respectability to offspinner Craig’s figures (3/123). —