[ad_1]
Lunch Australia 62 for 1 (Khawaja 28*, Labuschagne 1*, Henry 1-17) vs New Zealand
Marnus Labuschagne, who had a lean output last year in Test cricket, survived a challenging short period before the interval.
New Zealand, having only beaten Australia once from 29 Test matches since 1993, will be relieved having dismissed Smith on 31 from 71 balls, but Khawaja has held firm with 28 off 82 deliveries.
Led by Henry, New Zealand’s quicks probed on a good length and the ball moved around, but the surface was not a minefield leaving captain Tim Southee anxious over the decision he made.
There has been morning rain in Wellington, while there was also a 4.7 magnitude earthquake on the lower North Island, but conditions are expected to improve throughout the day.
In the same blueprint as their last Test against South Africa, New Zealand stuck with a seam heavy attack by including Scott Kuggeleijn and deciding against recalling left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.
In a new era after the retirement of firebrand Neil Wagner, New Zealand’s new-look pace attack looked to make early inroads against a rejigged Australia top-order still settling into place following the departure of David Warner.
With a gusty breeze behind him, Henry bowled a probing six-over spell with the new ball as he relentlessly challenged outside off-stump. He was left frustrated in his first over after two outside edges off Smith raced to the boundary.
In his first Test innings as an opener away from home, Smith started nervously before a trademark cover drive to the boundary off a rare loose Southee delivery was a confidence boost.
But Smith became an onlooker to a riveting battle between Henry and Khawaja in a test of patience. Faced with the ball continually landing on a dangerous spot outside off-stump, Khawaja left as much as possible. Henry reverted to a length delivery that came off the shoulder of Khawaja’s bat but landed in front of second slip.
Having been devoid of the strike, Smith became noticeably edgy and set off for a kamikaze single only for Khawaja to send him back as he scrambled to the non-striker’s end.
He settled after the drinks break with a glorious drive down the ground off Southee, who had shifted ends.
Khawaja took until his 55th delivery to reach double figures and was hit on the pads by a full delivery from Kuggeleijn bowling around the wicket as New Zealand unsuccessfully reviewed.
But Khawaja then relished shorter deliveries from Kuggeleijn to notch his first half-century partnership with Smith as an opening pair.
After his spectacular debut against South Africa, William O’Rouke bowled a quick burst before lunch but it was Henry who was fittingly rewarded with the wicket of Smith.
Australia are unchanged from the side that suffered a shock eight-run defeat against West Indies at the Gabba last month, sticking with the same frontline attack for the sixth straight Test.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
[ad_2]
