Australia marched toward a dominant series victory over New Zealand on Saturday after dismissing the visitors cheaply and building a mammoth 456-run lead on Day III of the Boxing Day Test.
Leading 1-0 after thrashing the Black Caps in the Perth opener, Tim Paine’s Australia reached 137 for four in their second innings at stumps after routing the visitors for 148 in a firestorm of pace bowling at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Replying to Australia’s first innings 467, New Zealand were bowled out 120 runs short of forcing the hosts to bat again, but Paine sent his batsmen back out to pile on the agony.
At stumps, Matthew Wade was batting on 15 with Travis Head — the first innings centurion — on 12.
The equation is bleak for Kane Williamson’s men, who had hoped for a result in Melbourne to keep the series alive to the third and final match in Sydney next week.
No team has ever scored more than 417 runs in a fourth innings at the MCG and none has ever chased down more than 332 to win at the venue.
Dominated by Australia’s batsmen in the first two days, New Zealand crumbled in the face of formidable fast bowling.
Pat Cummins was chief tormentor, underlining his claim as the format’s premier exponent with a blistering display of pace and precision. He led Australia’s bowling with 5/28 to continue a brilliant year.
“I’ve had a pretty good run lately, so I can’t see it getting too much better than what the last year’s been. But hopefully, I can maintain it at that level,” 26-year-old Cummins, the year’s leading wicket-taker, told reporters.
Boult fractures hand
Adding to the gloom, New Zealand’s pace spearhead Trent Boult suffered a fracture in his hand when struck by a Mitchell Starc ball while batting after lunch.
Having missed Perth with a rib injury, Boult will head home after Melbourne and miss the Sydney Test.