Sports

Australia v New Zealand: first Test, day three – live!










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Wicket! de Grandhomme c Smith b Starc 23

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Wicket! Taylor c Smith b Lyon 80





































Wicket! Watling b Cummins 8 (NZ 120-6)

















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Preamble

Today is International Ross Taylor Day. He’s the great hope for New Zealand to stay in this contest. New Zealand are five wickets down already, but both teams are short a bowler, with Josh Hazlewood doing his hamstring last night and Lockie Ferguson his calf. So a lot rides on Taylor’s innings. If he can bat through the first wave of attack from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, then Australia won’t have a huge amount in the way of reserves. It will come down to a spin focus with Nathan Lyon and the part-timer Marnus Labuschagne, though Lyon should get some bounce and turn out of this surface and could be the key bowler in his own right.

But Taylor looked a million bucks last night after some early jitters between the wickets. He clouted his way to 66 as the wickets fell at the other end. He made 290 last time he played a Test in Perth, across the river at the Waca, and this year he’s been in some of the best form of his life.

If Taylor goes early today though, then NZ could be bundled out cheaply and would have to bowl again through the heat of the day, after doing that twice already. Australia would pile up a huge lead and then Lyon would have plenty to bowl at in the fourth innings. So a lot rides on this.

If, contrarily, Taylor can bat long with BJ Watling, then New Zealand have the better bowling balance with a true all-rounder in Colin de Grandhomme to boost their attack. Starc was an irrepressible force last night, but it remains to be seen what he’s like here during the day.

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