- Updates from the third day of play at Optus Stadium
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33rd over: New Zealand 110-5 (Taylor 66, Watling 1) We’re away! Watling to face the first ball, Starc bowling it. A low full toss that Watling blocks, then a ball on his pads that the Kiwi keeper can knock away to get off the mark. Taylor comes on strike and immediately Starc is bouncing him. Ricky Ponting on the TV is analysing vision from last night, saying that Taylor was least assured against the short ball. Took his eyes off it, often had his feet off the ground. That will likely be the mode of attack today then, and it is, though Starc bowls too much down the leg side.
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.
from The Guardian https://ift.tt/38EQGdh
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