WITH the first ever day-night Test looming in Adelaide, Australia cannot lose the Trans Tasman Trophy after a high scoring second Test petered out into a draw.
After taking home the series opener in a rout, the Aussies found a stiffer challenge in a New Zealand side that managed 624 in reply to their mammoth 9 (dec)/559.
With first innings totals like that, it was always going to be a draw and, despite their improved effort, the Kiwis are still outsiders to take the dead rubber third Test, rated a $5 chance with WilliamHill.com.au.
The Aussies are a $1.58 favourite with CrownBet.com.au, but if both sides bat the way they did in Perth, the draw, at $4.50 with WilliamHill.com.au looks serious value.
Any way, it’s a dead rubber, with the spectacle being the pretty pink ball and the late afternoon start, running late into the night.
The best thing about it will be coming home from work, lounging on the couch and cracking a cold beer to watch a little evening cricket.
The Aussies are considering taking spin twins into the Test, with left arm orthodox Steve O’Keefe called in to the squad on account of his skill with the pink ball.
O’Keefe has three bags of five wickets or more in his last three pink ball first class innings at Adelaide Oval and 18 wickets at 18.22 in three matches.
He gives Australia a point of difference against the Kiwis, despite playing just the one Test, in Dubai against Pakistan last year.
“I’ve certainly had success with the pink ball, and I think the selectors have noticed that,“ O’Keefe said.
Coach Darren Lehmann said playing two spinners was under the microscope.
“The advantage we have is New South Wales played there and basically most of the Test players played there in the day night Shield game,” Lehmann said.
“His (O’Keefe’s) record in Shield cricket – he continues to rack up the numbers.
”We’ll wait until we see the wicket … but we’re seriously looking at (playing two spinners).“
Is Marsh the right replacement for Khawaja?
Centurion Usman Khawaja will miss the match with a wrecked hamstring and the Aussies have controversially recalled Shaun Marsh to take his place, despite his mediocre record in first class and test cricket, where averages just 33 with the bat.
Lehmann has justified the selection of Marsh ahead of other middle order candidates like Glenn Maxwell or ageing run machine Michael Klinger with some strange logic.
It seems performances no longer come into consideration when picking Australian batsmen, his middling season dwarfed by many other bats in shield cricket.
“He was very close in the first Test selection,” Lehmann said.
“It was touch and go with Uzzy and Shaun Marsh.
“And he played really well for us last summer, he got 99 in Melbourne and a got a couple of 50s in Sydney.
“We thought he played quite well in the West Indies when he got his chance as well.
“He gets another chance to have a crack at Test cricket.
“He gets first crack.
“At the end of the day Shaun Marsh is more recent in Test match cricket and has made a contribution, so that’s the way we decided to go.
“Shaun’s proven as in he’s made some runs and contributions.
“He’ll still want to prove himself again.
“I still remember that great hundred he got against South Africa at Centurion.
“So as a selection panel it was tight for all those guys when you’ve got to pick a batter.”
With the great Mitchell Johnson hanging up his whites, Mitchell Starc is now the out and out spearhead of the Australian seam attack.
But just who will join him on the Adelaide Oval deck is still up in the air.
Josh Hazlewood has had a mammoth start to the summer, culminating in 38 overs in Perth, he may be rested, leaving two spots open.
Last Test Ashes hero Peter Siddle should get his chance to reach 200 Test wickets and, should Hazlewood be rested, firebrand James Pattinson will make his return from injury to big cricket.
Lehmann said the Aussie bowlers were exhausted after the searing heat in Perth.
“They’re all a bit sore so we’ll wait until we get to Adelaide,“ he said.
“We’ve got a couple of days off now and we’ll sum that up over the next couple of days.“
Second Test stalemate
In the second Test, Australia looked home and hosed after amassing a massive 9 (dec)/559, thanks largely to a career high 253 off just 286 balls from opener David Warner.
Warner’s epic knock featured 24 fours and two sixes and he found plenty of support from Khawaja, who made 121, before succumbing to his injury.
Adam Voges (41) and Joe Burns were the next best bats, while Mark Craig bounced back from a horrible series opener to snare 3/123.
The Kiwis could have been forgiven for falling to pieces, but superstar Kane Williamson had other ideas, grafting another classy 168 off 250 balls.
And it was man of the match Ross Taylor who outshone Warner, clubbing 290 off 374 balls, including 43 boundaries. That pair shared a 265 run partnership which helped the Kiwis pass Australia’s first innings total, finishing all out 624.
Starc took 4/119 as four Aussie bowlers went for three figures.
The Aussies then went on the attack in the search for quick runs, declaring seven wickets town for 385, Smith (138) and Voges (119) clubbing centuries.
New Zealand spearhead Tim Southee finally awoke from his slumber, snaring 4/97.
With only 28 overs left, New Zealand preserved the result with 2/104 at stumps.
Williamson and Taylor both not out in the 30s.
Johnson bows out a champion
The story of the Test was the retirement of Johnson, who bagged the only two wickets to fall in the second dig.
Love him or hate him, the second half of Johnson’s career has been spectacular and, with over 300 wickets to his name, he no doubt deserves to be mentioned in the upper echelons.
He perhaps didn’t possess the consistency of the likes of Glenn McGrath, but he fired down some of the most hostile and devastating spells of bowling in the history of Test cricket.
Johnson announced his retirement at the end of the fourth day of the second Test.
“I feel now is the best time to say goodbye,” Johnson said.
”I have been lucky enough to have had a wonderful career and enjoyed every moment of playing for my country.
“It’s been an incredible ride.
“But the ride has to come to an end at some point and to do so here at the WACA is very special. ”I’ve given the decision a lot of thought.
“Beyond this match, I’m just not sure that I can continue competing consistently at the level required to wear the Baggy Green.
“My career has certainly had its up and downs but I can honestly say I have given it my all and am proud of everything I have achieved.
There’s plenty of good and a little bit of bad in Johnson’s career, but here at SafeBookies.com we prefer to remember the tattooed firebrand for his destruction of the English in the summer of 2013-14 when he, for a time, was the best bowler in the world.
No one will ever forget that series.
