Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell have given New Zealand a flicker of hope, but Australia remain in box seat after day 3 to clinch the 1st Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Glenn Phillips' fifer had sparked the Black Caps' comeback, but the home side were still set a stiff 369 for victory.
The tourists resumed the day on 13-2, already holding a lead of 217. Nathan Lyon was the first Aussie wicket to fall on the day but not before making an enterprising 41 off 46 deliveries, laced with 6 boundaries. Usman Khawaja became the first victim of Phillips' off-spin as Tom Blundell affected a brilliant stumping. Travis Head and Cameron Green followed it up with a 46-run stand before Phillips gobbled up the former for 29.
Australia gradually slipped form 127-4 to 164 all out, with Mitchell Starc becoming the last wicket to fall.
Nathan Lyon snaps Kane Williamson as off-spinner exploits conditions to significant effect:
With Phillips thriving with his off-spin, Lyon also came to the fore. The veteran spinner extracted Tom Latham before lunch with not a so good delivery. The 36-year-old was in action once again after lunch as the Australians set a leg-side trap for Kane Williamson. The right-handed batter took the bait and edged one to Steve Smith at leg-slip.
Pat Cummins triggered a masterstroke of a bowling change just when Rachin Ravindra and Will Young were beginning to look settled. Travis Head strutted out with his off-breaks and struck with the third delivery of the over as Smith's took a blinder at first slip to get Young.
It was far from easy going for Ravindra and Mitchell moving forward, but the former dished out a calculated counterattack to bring up his half-century off 77 balls. The pair also raised their fifty-run stand in 116 balls as the Black Caps will head out on day 4 requiring another 258 runs to win.
