By New Zealand faces an uphill battle in the series opener against Australia at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, ending Day 3 at 111/3 in pursuit of 369. Glenn Phillips starred for New Zealand earlier in the day with a five-wicket haul, but the hosts stumbled in their chase, losing three quick wickets including that of Kane Williamson. Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings to some extent, but New Zealand still needs 258 runs to win.
Australia started the day at 13 for 2, with Nathan Lyon and Usman Khawaja at the crease. Lyon was the first to depart after a solid 41, but Phillips’ off-spin wreaked havoc on Australia’s middle-order. He dismissed key batsmen including Khawaja, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh in quick succession. Tim Southee’s strategic field placements also played a role, with Phillips taking advantage of attacking fields to claim five wickets.
Despite Australia’s efforts, New Zealand fought back with Ravindra and Mitchell’s partnership, with Ravindra scoring a resilient half-century. However, their task remains challenging, and they will need to continue their solid batting performance on Day 4 to have a chance at victory.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 179 (Glenn Phillips 71; Nathan Lyon 4-43) & 111/3 (Rachin Ravidra 56*; Nathan Lyon 2-27) trail Australia 383 (Cameron Green 174*; Matt Henry 5-70) & 164 (Nathan Lyon 41; Glenn Phillips 5-45) & 164 (Nathan Lyon 41; Glenn Phillips 5-45) by 258 runs
