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Old-school Australia put New Zealand on backfoot right at the start of Trans-Tasman Trophy 2015-16

Surprisingly, the ‘feeble’ tourists’ bowlers turned into mongrels on a green-top Basin Reserve wicket, and shot out New Zealand for 183 in their first innings.

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Australian bowlers had a field day in favourable conditions at Basin Reserve © Getty Images
Australian bowlers had a field day in favourable conditions at Basin Reserve © Getty Images

When India toured Australia in 2011-12 for a four-Test series, Australia’s bowling coach Craig McDermott told his wards to go the old-school way; keep it full, try and generate seam movement and tempt the Indians to go for boundaries through cover region. Michael Clarke was counselled not to be afraid of few boundaries whizzing past the cover fielders; instead, he and his men were told to be patient to get edges that should not be missed by the slip cordon. While the ploy worked wonderfully for Australia, the idea frittered away with time and so did the discipline. As recently as in the Ashes 2015, in England, the Australians struggled with their bowling plans. But, looking at how they bowled on the first day of the Wellington Test against New Zealand, it seems they will not leave any stone unturned to snatch the world No. 1 ranking. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: New Zealand vs Australia, 1st Test at Wellington 

There were talks about how New Zealand should make green-top wickets and unleash their excellent bowling attack on their neighbours, who struggle against quality seam bowling. England had used Australia’s incapabilities to their advantage during the Ashes 2015, and it was New Zealand’s turn to pile up further misery. Surprisingly, the ‘feeble’ tourists’ bowlers turned into mongrels on a green-top Basin Reserve wicket, and soon New Zealand were reeling at 51 for 5 after Steven Smith called it right during the toss.

The old cricket cliché goes as ‘catches win matches’, but at times, winning the toss can too make a massive difference. Had the toss gone New Zealand’s way, it might have been Australia struggling on all corners by the end of the day. But as things stand, Australia are now only 36 runs away from taking a vital lead, with as many as 7 wickets in hand. Live Updates: New Zealand vs Australia 2015-16, 1st Test, Day 1 at Wellington

And at the crease is a batsman who has not put a step wrong in the last three months, zooming past many to establish himself as one of the best across formats, and accompanying him is an old warhorse who is aspiring to become world No. 1 at the age of 37.

When Usman Khawaja and Adam Voges will walk out to bat on Day 2, their only task would be to go step by step — see off the first hour, tick off the slender 36-run New Zealand lead, and take Australia’s lead past 100, at least. New Zealand will come hard at Australia after the mistakes they made on the first day, but the fact that the tourists have seized advantage early in the series; it will take some really special effort from their bowlers to get their side back on levelled terms.

Australia reaped benefits of going the old-school way. They picked three fast bowlers, and even though Jackson Bird struggled on his comeback, there were fired-up Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle, who gave no quarter. Bird was smashed for 25 off his first 3 overs, but Hazlewood and Siddle trusted the seam movement, pitched in the right areas, and the Australian slip cordon did the rest. Even though there were boundaries being hit down the wicket or through cover, they did not hesitate to keep looking for the edges, trusting the grass as well as the bounce that the pitch provided.

New Zealand, on the other hand, already had Australia on the mat with Tim Southee removing David Warner and Joe Burns, reducing the tourists to 5 for 2. Steven Smith’s resilience and Khawaja’s form did the job for Australia, who not only steered out of the trouble but ended the day with things in their control. While the Australians were disciplined and persistent with their line and lengths, the New Zealand bowlers often strayed and got punished.

The day began with fanfare as Brendon McCullum became the first-ever cricketer to play 100 Tests on the trot, and ended with another controversy. Richard Illingworth’s horrendous judgement to call a no-ball when Doug Bracewell’s foot landed perfectly inside the crease — off which Voges was cleaned up in the final over — will join the list of controversies in New Zealand-Australia clashes. That still does not solve the problems New Zealand created for themselves.

(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)

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