Star all-rounder Cameron Green was involved in a hilarious incident on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test between New Zealand and Australia at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday. It happened in the third over of the morning session after Australia had resumed their innings at 279/9. New Zealand pacer Matt Henry bowled an in-swinger to Josh Hazlewood, who caressed the ball through midwicket. While Green and Hazlewood could’ve stolen two runs, the former sent the latter back even before he completed a single.
Both Green and Hazlewood had crossed, but the all-rounder called the pacer back to his position as he was eager to regain the strike for the first ball of the next over.
The incident, which took place on the final ball of th 88th over, left the umpires and opposition captain Tim Southee baffled. The commentators, on the other hand, saw the funny side of Green’s antics.
Meanwhile, Green and Josh Hazlewood scripted history on Friday as they combined to register Australia’s highest partnership for the tenth wicket against New Zealand, as well as the fourth-best overall by an Australian pair.
The pair tormented New Zealand’s bowling attack during the morning session of the second day in Wellington, putting up 116 for the final wicket with ease, shattering Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath’s previous record of 114 runs in Brisbane in 2004.
The partnership was just Australia’s sixth of 100 runs or more for the tenth wicket in red-ball cricket, and it helped the reigning World Test Championship winners achieve a large score of 383 in their first innings following a difficult opening day at Basin Reserve.
Green’s unbeaten performance of 174 encouraged Australia, with the young all-rounder playing a patient game to begin before reaching his second Test century in the penultimate over of the day, and then taking a more attacking strategy with Hazlewood on Friday.
The duo batted wisely when necessary, with Green, in particular, using his power to smash anything short from the Kiwis, frustrating the hosts and registering the fourth-best partnership of all time for the 10th wicket by an Australian team.
Green’s hundred was just the second time he has scored triple digits for Australia in Test cricket, topping his previous best of 114 against India in Ahmedabad last year.
(With ANI Inputs)
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