Cameron Green emerged as Australia’s “hero,” hitting his second Test century to lead the side to 279-9 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test in Wellington on Thursday.
Faced with a grave situation at 89-4, Green led a comeback drive alongside Mitchell Marsh, who scored 40 runs.
Green, batting at number four, shown resilience and tenacity by hitting his century with a 16th four in the penultimate over. He expressed happiness at finishing undefeated on 103, especially given the tricky wicket conditions.
Reflecting on the innings, Green recognized the importance of having someone anchor the team and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to do so, with the goal of putting up a competitive total.
Matt Henry of New Zealand proved to be a big threat, taking vital wickets such as Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, and Marsh and finishing with 4-43 on a seam-friendly pitch. Despite the hurdles, Green and Marsh forged an important 67-run connection, receiving plaudits from their colleagues.
As the day ended, Green admitted that the surface will continue to provide possibilities for Australian bowlers the next day. He conceded that New Zealand appeared to have a minor advantage, but emphasised the importance of the Australian bowlers’ performance.
Earlier in the day, Tim Southee and the New Zealand speed attack were tested by Smith and Khawaja, who combined for 61 runs before Henry’s breakthrough. Smith, opening for the second straight test,made a valuable contribution of 31 before falling victim to Henry’s delivery.
