Cameron Green posted a fighting century but the New Zealanders have taken firm grip on the first Test between Australia and New Zealand at Basin Reserve. The hosts bowled superbly by making the most of the existing conditions and took wickets at regular intervals. Luckily for the Australians, Cameron Green stood tall among rubble to take the score to a respectable amount. Matt Henry was the chief architect of destruction for the hosts with a four-wicket haul in a display of swing bowling.
Team Lineups
The Test series between New Zealand and Australia is highly anticipated after New Zealand’s recent whitewash in the T20I series. The first match of the two-test series is scheduled to commence on February 29 at the iconic Basin Reserve in Wellington, promising an exciting five-day contest for cricket fans worldwide.
Australia, led by their regular captain Pat Cummins, have arrived with a formidable full-strength team. With the absence of David Warner, the experienced Steve Smith is set to open the innings alongside the talented Usman Khawaja. The visitors are expected to showcase their depth with the inclusion of two all-rounders in Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green. The pace attack will be spearheaded by the lethal duo of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while the spin department will rely solely on the expertise of Nathan Lyon.
On the other hand, New Zealand will face a setback as Devon Conway will miss the series due to a thumb injury sustained during the T20I series against Australia. In his absence, Will Young will partner with Tom Latham at the top of the order. The return of Henry Nicholes, who was absent in the previous Test series against South Africa, will provide a boost to the Kiwi batting lineup. Additionally, the inclusion of the promising all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, who overcame knee soreness that kept him out of the first two T20Is, adds depth to the New Zealand squad for the first Test.
The clash between these two cricketing powerhouses promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams fielding strong lineups and eager to make their mark in the Test arena. Fans can expect intense battles between bat and ball as the series unfolds, showcasing the competitive spirit and skill of players from both sides.
New Zealand
- Tom Latham 2. Will Young 3. Kane Williamson 4. Rachin Ravindra 5. Daryl Mitchell 6. Tom Blundell (WK) 7. Glenn Phillps 8. Scott Kuggeleijn 9. Matt Henry 10. Tim Southee (Cap.) 11. Will O’Rourke
Australia
1. Usman Khawaja 2. Steve Smith 3. Marnus Labuschagne 4. Cameron Green 5. Travis Head 6. Mitchell Marsh 7. Alex Carey (WK) 8. Mitchell Starc 9. Pat Cummins (Cap.) 10. Nathan Lyon 11. Josh Hazlewood
In scenic Wellington, New Zealand, enthusiasts can look forward to a riveting clash where both bat and ball are set to have their moments of glory. As the match kicks off, bowlers are poised to relish the substantial support from the pitch, with the new ball exhibiting remarkable swing and posing a formidable challenge for the batsmen. Conversely, spinners may encounter difficulties in extracting substantial turn or bounce from the wicket, requiring them to adapt their strategies to make an impact. However, once batters find their rhythm and acclimatize to the conditions, the stage is set for them to accumulate runs with diligence and construct substantial innings that could potentially sway the course of the game.
Fixture
The historic Trans-Tasman rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is poised to reignite in a thrilling showdown as they gear up for the inaugural Test of the highly anticipated two-match series commencing on February 29th (Thursday), vying for the prestigious Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
Australia is embarking on a momentous red-ball tour of their neighboring arch-rivals for the first time since the memorable encounters of February 2016. Back then, Australia asserted their dominance emphatically, clinching a commanding 2-0 triumph over the Kiwis.
The Aussies undeniably hold the upper hand over the Blackcaps in the traditional red-ball format, boasting a stellar record with 34 victories out of the 60 Tests contested, while New Zealand has mustered only eight wins, with 18 matches culminating in a stalemate.
Armed with the aura of reigning champions of the World Test Championship, Australia strides into the series brimming with confidence following their recent resounding success in the T20I series, where they outclassed New Zealand with a clinical 3-0 whitewash. Nonetheless, New Zealand draws inspiration from their commendable performance against a makeshift South African squad in the recent two-match Test series.
Offering a sneak peek into the battlefield, the Basin Reserve in Wellington unveils a pitch shrouded in a lush green cover for the impending contest. The verdant hue promises to favor the seamers from both camps, potentially posing a formidable challenge for the team tasked with setting the tone in the opening innings. Notably, the historic venue has witnessed outcomes in 43 out of the 67 Tests held within its precincts, with a remarkable 29 of those victories belonging to sides that opted to unleash their bowling arsenal first.
With the promise of moisture-laden conditions and the allure of fresh grass blades, the bowlers entrusted with embarking on this cricketing odyssey stand poised to exploit the early advantage offered by the Basin Reserve wicket, setting the stage for a compelling battle between bat and ball
| Venue | The first day of the first Test match between Australia and New Zealand was played at The Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand. |
| Date | The game started on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. local time. |
Captaincy & Tactics
Australia found themselves at 279 for 9 against New Zealand, with Cameron Green emerging as the standout performer with an unbeaten century worth 103 runs. Green’s remarkable innings, marking him as Australia’s No. 4, showcased his resilience against New Zealand’s formidable pace attack on the challenging Wellington surface during an enthralling opening day of the inaugural Test match.
In a captivating display, Green, in only his fourth innings since his recall to the team, battled through cramps to achieve his second Test century. His defining moment came with a boundary through backward point, secured on the penultimate ball before stumps, highlighting his tenacity and skill. Throughout his innings of 103 runs off 155 balls, Green relentlessly countered a fatiguing New Zealand attack, steering Australia to a commendable position.
Australia’s innings encountered a tumultuous phase with a collapse of 4 for 28, including disappointments from Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, subsequent to a promising opening partnership between Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith. Nonetheless, a crucial 67-run partnership between Green and Mitchell Marsh, who contributed 40 runs off 39 deliveries, stabilized Australia’s innings, providing a satisfying comeback after being put in to bat.
Green’s innings demonstrated a blend of solid defense and elegant strokes, notably adapting to Matt Henry’s formidable movement by adjusting his position on the crease. Despite an anxious start, Green showcased his batting prowess, reaching his half-century in a daring manner that nearly resulted in a caught-and-bowled chance for Tim Southee.
The decision to integrate Green into the lineup following David Warner’s retirement, coupled with his preparation in the Sheffield Shield rather than T20 cricket, proved to be justified amidst relentless bowling from Henry, who finished with figures of 4 for 43.
The Basin Reserve pitch, noticeably green, exhibited increased pace as the day progressed, presenting challenges for both batsmen and bowlers alike. New Zealand, opting for a seam-heavy attack, retained Scott Kuggeleijn while sidelining left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.
Australia’s unchanged lineup persisted from their recent defeat against West Indies, showcasing consistency in their selections despite facing a formidable New Zealand pace battery. As a new era dawned following Neil Wagner’s retirement, New Zealand’s revamped pace attack sought early breakthroughs against Australia’s restructured top-order lineup.
Under overcast conditions, Tim Southee’s decision to bowl first at Basin Reserve set the tone for an intense battle between bat and ball. Matt Henry’s probing spell, supported by a gusty breeze, engaged in a gripping duel with Usman Khawaja, setting the stage for a captivating day of Test cricket.
Despite early setbacks, Australia’s middle-order resilience, led by Green’s masterful century, ensured a competitive total, leaving the Test match finely poised for further excitement and drama.
Batting Analysis
Australia found themselves grappling with a daunting challenge, yet they managed to conclude the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand on a remarkable note, largely owing to the exceptional batting prowess of Cameron Green. As the day drew to a close, Australia tallied 279 runs for the loss of nine wickets, with Green’s unbeaten century serving as the cornerstone of their innings. The century, achieved off 155 deliveries, adorned with 16 boundaries, underscored Green’s brilliance with the bat.
The proceedings commenced under an overcast sky, prompting Australia to opt for batting first. Initially, the Australian top order, led by Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja, exhibited resilience against the probing deliveries of the New Zealand bowlers, weathering the storm during the early exchanges. Despite the setback of losing Smith before the lunch break, Australia managed to lay a sturdy foundation for their innings. However, the subsequent session witnessed a flurry of wickets falling in quick succession, with Marnus Labuschagne, Khawaja, and Travis Head departing, plunging Australia into a precarious situation.
Matt Henry emerged as the chief tormentor for New Zealand, claiming four crucial wickets and applying immense pressure on the Australian batting lineup. Despite the setbacks, Mitchell Marsh joined forces with Cameron Green in an attempt to arrest the slide, but Marsh’s departure left Australia vulnerable to further setbacks.
Nevertheless, Cameron Green emerged as a towering figure amidst the crumbling Australian innings. Displaying exemplary skill and unwavering determination, Green countered the relentless onslaught of the New Zealand bowlers, forging vital partnerships with the lower-order batsmen to keep the scoreboard ticking. His monumental effort culminated in a majestic century, his second in Test cricket, achieved in the dying moments of the day’s play, thereby ensuring Australia concluded Day 1 on a positive note.
More than a personal triumph, Green’s innings symbolized his ability to rise to the occasion when his team needed him the most. In a post-match interview, Green modestly attributed his success to the collective needs of the team, emphasizing the challenging conditions and the collective endeavor of the entire squad. His century served as a beacon of hope for Australia, extricating them from the brink of a potential collapse and setting the stage for a captivating continuation of the Test match.
Bowling Analysis
The pulsating Trans-Tasman Test series kick-started with an exhilarating day at Wellington, prominently featuring Cameron Green’s remarkable second Test century that served as the linchpin for Australia’s resilient display.
Led by a redoubtable ton from all-rounder Cameron Green, Australia’s innings unfolded against the backdrop of a challenging Basin Reserve pitch tailored to favor the bowlers from both camps. Despite the formidable threat posed by pacer Matt Henry, who scalped a commendable 4-43, Green orchestrated a valiant fightback alongside a resilient lower order, salvaging his team from a precarious position and steering them to a competitive total of 9-279 at stumps.
Green’s unbeaten 103 not only rescued Australia from the brink of a potential batting collapse but also highlighted his undeniable talent and the selectors’ unwavering faith in him. The pivotal century, achieved amidst a bowler-dominated opening day, symbolized Green’s mettle and justified his reinstatement in the team following a period of absence during the 2023 Ashes campaign.
Commanding pivotal partnerships with fellow Western Australia stalwarts Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, Green’s resolute 155-ball innings featured an impressive array of 16 boundaries, showcasing his batting prowess on a lively surface that posed challenges for both sides.
The Basin Reserve track, adorned with the telltale signs of its green tinge, witnessed a gripping battle between bat and ball as Australia’s top order grappled with the relentless onslaught unleashed by the Black Caps’ disciplined pace attack. Despite early setbacks and a stuttering start, Green’s heroics steered Australia towards a respectable total, offering a glimmer of hope in what promises to be a fiercely contested Test series against their traditional rivals.
Setting the stage for an enthralling clash, Green’s monumental century not only underscored his value to the team but also exemplified the resilience and fighting spirit synonymous with Australian cricket. As the sun sets on a captivating opening day’s play, the stage is set for a riveting battle to unfold in the ensuing days, as both sides vie for supremacy in the ultimate test of skill, perseverance, and team spirit.
Key Performances
Sent in on a typically green-tinged if strangely mottled Basin Reserve track, Australia’s still-new opening pair Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja gave the impression that was a bad call by Black Caps skipper Southee as they posted the first 50-run stand of their nascent union.
But after Smith fell shortly before lunch, the NZ bowlers regrouped during the subsequent adjournment and emerged a vastly more potent threat than they had posed in the first two hours and scythed through Australia’s faltering top-order. Southee set the tone for the afternoon session, finding a fuller length to apply pressure which was maintained by second-gamer Will O’Rourke who bowled with fire and aggression, and recalled seamer Scott Kuggeleijn whose slightly round-arm delivery point proved a challenge.
It was Kuggeleijn who made the initial breakthrough after lunch when he ended Marnus Labuschagne’s struggle after which the home team seized the initiative, claiming 3-24 from 11 and a half overs of high-class pace bowling to reduce the reigning Test champions to 4-89.
A typically expansive counter-punching knock from Marsh who blazed 33 at a run per ball in his 50-run stand with Green before tea briefly quietened the day one sold out crowd at the Basin. But when Marsh (40 off 39) went early in the final session, top edging an attempted pull that ballooned into the gloves of keeper Tom Blundell, Australia were eyeing their lowest first innings score against the Black Caps since posting 224 in the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide in 2015.
At 5-156 and with the ball still jagging about off the pock-marked surface, it was a frustratingly familiar predicament for a team that has not lost a Test in NZ since 1993. In their past five Tests, Australia have averaged just over 106 for their first four wickets and it’s been left to the middle order and tailenders to scramble their way to competitive totals.
The last time they managed more than 320 by the time the fourth wicket fell was the opening Test of the summer against Pakistan in Perth, and the lack of productivity has been particularly worrying from previous batting mainstays Labuschagne and Travis Head.
Labuschagne rarely looked comfortable during his 30-minute stay today against the swinging ball and, despite studiously leaving deliveries that threatened his outside edge, was eventually caught on the crease and nicked to slip having scored one off 27 deliveries.
His dismissal shortly after lunch was a significant strike for the Black Caps bowlers who had struggled to land balls consistently in dangerous areas during the morning session, and provided reward for their more disciplined efforts after the break. Khawaja had waged an absorbing battle with Matt Henry during the first hour, managing only two scoring shots from the first 30 deliveries he faced from the right-armer – a boundary edged safely between the slips cordon and gully, and two from a clip past square leg.
The reigning ICC Test Player of the Year found some fluency prior to lunch to reach 28 (off 82 balls), but became becalmed upon resumption as O’Rourke peppered him with short balls and Kuggeleijn gained appreciable movement in the air. He had survived a speculative review on 18 as NZ searched desperately for an initial breakthrough, but his luck ran out when – having scored just five from 36 deliveries faced after lunch – he aimed a drive at an in-swinging yorker-length ball from Henry that hit middle stump halfway up.
Henry’s late swing rattles Khawaja’s stumps That brought Head to the crease fresh from a king pair in his previous outing against West Indies at the Gabba, and he survived the indignity of a third consecutive first-baller despite coming perilously close to nicking the opening delivery from Henry angled across him. However, that was the manner in which he fell next over, fending at a ball pitched back of a length by O’Rourke that was gleefully accepted by Blundell. Head’s departure for one meant Australia had lost 3-27 in almost 15 gruelling overs after lunch, and it was again up to the last recognised batting pair Green and Marsh with help from the lower-order to right the flailing ship. Cummins had claimed at the coin toss he would have bowled first if granted the option, but for the first two hours it appeared batting might not be as problematic as both captains had expected.
Averaging 60 in his fresh guise as opener coming into this game, Smith’s first two boundaries were controlled edges past the slips but he quickly came to grips with conditions and was the dominant partner in his 61-run stand with Khwaja. Rewrite this by adding more words
Day Result
The Australians are 279 runs ahead after the completion of day one in the first test. The Australians have one wicket in hand with Cameron Green still unbeaten at the score of 103.
Brief Scorecard
| Australia First Innings: 279/9 (85 overs) | New Zealand First Innings: Yet to bat |
| Cameron Green 103* (155) | |
| Mitchell Marsh 40 (39) | |
| Matt Henry 4/43 (20 overs) | |
| Scott Kuggeleijn 2/56 (17 overs) |
Day Highlights
Day Wrap-Up
Cameron Green posted the second century of his Test career as the Australians were dominated in the play by the hosts on day one. Matt Henry bowled brilliantly with the new ball to thwart the Australian progress with the bat. The Australians lost regular wickets throughout the day as the curtain came down after 85 overs of play throughout the day. Cameron Green is still unbeaten with Josh Hazlewood partnering him from the other end. The first innings score for the Australians will have a telling effect on the outcome of the match.
