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Be interesting to see how the Kiwi's back up after yesterday, true they stuck to their plans with noted discipline, but sometimes with the adrenaline pumping day 1 isn't the problem...day 2 might be especially with a possible bowler down. Will go two ways here, Aust bat on till the night session and get around 400 plus...totally dependent on Head and Labuschagne going on tho, Head does this a few times, plays a neat little cameo just before stumps, then gets out early the next day....really needs to dig in for the first hour and keep his wicket....if the kiwis get early inroads can see Aust getting all out for 300. If Aust does get thru to the night session, I really don't fancy the NZ batsmen chances of keeping out a pumped Aussie attack....they could easily find themselves 4 -5 down for 50 odd......If I was Paine and this was the scenario, hopefully Aust can bat again soonish and really put the NZ bowlers under the pump by making them bowl again.....gonna be an interesting first session today.....could set up the rest of the test TBH.

39 degrees at the moment in Perth Freezin, the complete opposite to your pseudonym!

Slow squeeze of the kiwi in the Optus heat....can't fault the Kiwis heart, but this sort of scenario might have long lasting effects on a few of these guys for the rest of the series....especially if Melbourne turns up the heat over the Xmas period too....

Pulsating last 2 hours of cricket after a rather ponderous first two sessions where Australia were aiming to grind NZ into the dust. The day ends with Australia a mile in front but the loss of Hazlewood has tempered the jubilation somewhat. It is the Aussies turn to field in the scorching heat a bowler down and they will have to be very careful how they manage Starc and Cummins during this time. It may be 4 over bursts from the fast guys from one end and a hell of a lot of bowling for Lyon at the other with 4 or 5 overs from Labusagne, Smith and Head to break it up a bit.

Starc has had a wonderful summer, he must have been jolted by his omission in England and he has hit back hard. Smith took the catch of the summer off Williamson. The Kiwis fought hard after their awful start but a score of 5 - 107 in reply to 416 would not inspire a huge amount of hope going into day 3 normally.... except that I can see a tiny window of opportunity for them if Ross Taylor can go big in this innings. If they could somehow bat for around 60 overs tomorrow, they would probably end up somewhere around 120 behind Australia at the current run rate. Then they could have the new ball under lights at the Australian top order where they could do a bit of damage and then prize themselves back in with half a chance. A lot of things would have to go right for them, Taylor is the key, he has to get 150+ for this to be feasible. Alternatively 2 wickets in the first hour tomorrow and Australia may be batting in their 2nd innings by sunset with a lead of 300+. Will be fascinating to see how this goes but this Kiwi team is made of strong stuff as they have shown with their efforts in the field in very tough conditions and they won't just roll over.

It was hard to watch Australia bat. Labuschagne & Starc looked best.. Too much defensive bowling & batting.. It's all about preservation.

Leather Stops wrote: It was hard to watch Australia bat. Labuschagne & Starc looked best.. Too much defensive bowling & batting.. It's all about preservation.

LOL it is Test Cricket not 20/20 stuff!
Give the Kiwi bowlers some credit they were a man down in 40+ degree heat that they would not be accustomed too at all but stuck at it all day, they are a plucky mob.

Freezin wrote: Slow squeeze of the kiwi in the Optus heat....can't fault the Kiwis heart, but this sort of scenario might have long lasting effects on a few of these guys for the rest of the series....especially if Melbourne turns up the heat over the Xmas period too....

LOL Freeze you can guarantee at least 2 days of the Melbourne Test will be rain affected. It is Melbourne after all and not Perth which is the only Test venue in the country not too have lost a day of play due to rain ever and could well be the only to have every days play at 40+ degrees!

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Leather Stops wrote: It was hard to watch Australia bat. Labuschagne & Starc looked best.. Too much defensive bowling & batting.. It's all about preservation.

LOL it is Test Cricket not 20/20 stuff!
Give the Kiwi bowlers some credit they were a man down in 40+ degree heat that they would not be accustomed too at all but stuck at it all day, they are a plucky mob.

Spot on BH, we have been crying out for our test batsmen to play some long innings, dig in and produce scores in the high 3's and 400's. With our pace attack not many teams will chase those numbers down, we are finally giving the bowlers big scores to work with so they and the field positions can be attacking for longer periods.

Can someone tell the brain dead Eastern States cricket media circus that the spate of afl injuries that have allegedly occurred because of the Perth Stadium surface have been foot stress fractures or lower leg stress fractures and not hamstring strains.....I would have thought bowling only the 8 balls that the surface could not really be blamed for Hazlewoods unfortunate hammy strain!
Could those same E/S media be just trying to deflect attention away from the abysmal MCG pitch in their home state Mr Whately & co?

What a crazy last hour that was. After Australia had dominated the whole day, some very ordinary batting particularly from Smith and Head gave the Kiwis something to hang onto. Really NZ's plans could not have been more obvious but the batsmen still fell into the trap set for them. It does get tough to bat after 7.30 but all they needed to do was show some grit and determination like Wade demonstrated in the last half hour. Hopefully he reaps the rewards and gets some easy runs tomorrow.

Australia are still almost certain to win easily thanks to the first innings effort by Labuschagne but even he would be kicking himself too for throwing his innings away tonight when set. Head to me has had enough chances and even in his first innings 50 he could have been dismissed several times with streaky shots that he got away with. Smith has a real problem with that leg side bouncer and he will be getting plenty of those balls in his future innings. This also gives NZ something to take into the Boxing day test even if they go 1-0 down here and they will have Boult back to strengthen the attack as well

The pitch is starting to show the impact of being baked in the sun and will be very difficult to bat on tomorrow. I think Starc and Cummins will be licking their lips after seeing what Wagner and Southee were producing at 130KPH with a 50 over old ball tonight.