Umpire howler leaves Black Caps frustrated
Australia on top as second day dominated by review controversy
New Zealand’s players claimed a contentious challenge decision that went against them could have a major bearing on the outcome of the first-ever day-night Test against Australia yesterday.
The second day was dominated by the fall-out over a review where Australia’s Nathan Lyon survived after the ‘Hot Spot’ thermal imaging revealed a mark on the back of his bat before he had scored.
It was a major let-off for Australia, flailing at 118 for eight and still trailing the Kiwis first innings total by 84 runs in a low-scoring Test match.
Lyon walked three-quarters of the way off the ground believing he was out before he returned to continue batting and join in a record Australian trans-Tasman series 74-run ninthwicket stand with Peter Nevill.
Lyon went on to make 34 as the Australians hit back to take a 22-run innings lead with Nevill reaching his highest Test score of 66 and incapacitated Mitchell Starc smashing two massive sixes in an unbeaten 24.
The Black Caps hold a 94-run lead with five second-innings wickets intact at the end of yesterday’s play.
Former Kiwi skipper Ross Taylor diplomatically chose his words, but it couldn’t hide the anguish of the farreaching TV umpire’s clanger.
“The players were pretty confident that it was out,” Taylor said. “Obviously, the Hot Spot that showed up, Lyon walking off and nearly getting to the boundary, I think it’s had a big bearing on the match.”
Taylor added: “I guess you’ve got to ask [TV umpire] Nigel Llong that. That was one of the discussions that the boys did talk about in the change room.
“We can understand when the umpires make the wrong decision on the field, but once you’ve got so many different angles and what-not, you think that more often than not, 99 to 100 percent of the time you’re going to get the right answer.”
The Lyon let-off had further repercussions with the Australian tail batting on to force the Kiwis to face the pink ball in the more challenging batting conditions under lights.
“We always thought we were going to hang in there and we were only a couple of wickets away. The new ball does a lot under lights,” Taylor said.
“If we were able to bat a bit more in that middle [daylight] session it might have made things a little bit easier, but it wasn’t to be.”