The mighty Australians have defeated the Blackcaps in their own backyard, winning the two-match test series between the two sides by 2-0.
However, it was not at all a cakewalk for the visitors, as at one stage the Australians were reduced to 80/5. In spite of the early inroads, the dynamic duo of Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carrey added 140 runs for the sixth wicket to bring Australia back into the contest.
Alex Carrey was awarded Man of the Match for his match-winning innings of 98*. However, it is a regret that Carrey would be carrying with him that, in spite of such a brilliant innings, the left-hander was not able to score 100.
His last hundred in test matches for Australia came in December 2022.
With just 2 runs required for the victory, Australian skipper Pat Cummins hit a boundary to seal the deal for the Australian team.
After the match got over, Cummins was asked about Carey not being out on 98 at the other end, to which the skipper replied, “Pretty tense; everyone was nervous the last couple of hours. Amazing win. (On winning runs) Anyway possible to win, I had no idea he (Carey) was on 98.”
This game was a bowler’s day out as both teams got out on low scores in their first innings. However, Australia was able to take the lead in the first inning over New Zealand.
Speaking of the same Cummins, “The toss helped; it was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1. First-inning leads are always key for this reason. We’ve been on the other side of tests plenty of time; I just told the boys to keep the scoreboard moving, stay busy, and put the pressure on the opposition.”
Cummins further added, “We’ve got an experienced side; the story of this series has been guys standing up in crunch moments. I love playing Test matches; it’s the best format of cricket, and it pays off on days like this.”