Australia tightengrip on first Test

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: Brendon McCullum’s dismissal in the final over of the day put Australia firmly in control of the first Test in Wellington on Sunday as New Zealand were reduced to 178-4, still 201 runs behind the tourists’ mammoth first innings of 562.

Trapped lbw by Mitchell Marsh for 10, the captain’s wicket all but ended New Zealand’s hopes of saving the Test at the end of the third day’s play.

Debutant Henry Nicholls was on 31 and will be joined by Corey Anderson when play resumes.

McCullum scored 302 and batted for almost 13 hours to save his team against India on the same ground two years ago, but was unable to mount any sort of a rescue against the Australians.

The 34-year-old appeared anxious and was almost caught behind the wicket twice before all-rounder Marsh removed him with three balls left before stumps.

Adam Voges earlier scored his second Test double-century to drive Australia to a 379-run first innings lead.

The late-blooming Voges, who was 35 when he made his debut in the Caribbean last June, has scored 1,267 runs in a bountiful Test career to date, boasting an average of 97.46.

New Zealand’s second innings had begun promisingly enough with Tom Latham and Martin Guptill putting on 81 for the first wicket.

Score Board

Australia won toss

New Zealand 1st innings 183 all-out (M Craig 41; Hazlewood 4-42)

Australia 1st innings

J A Burns c Watling b Southee        0

D A Warner c Watling b Southee     5

U T Khawaja lbw b Boult      140

*S P D Smith c & b Craig     71

A C Voges c & b Craig         239

M R Marsh c & b Boult         0

†P M Nevill c Watling b Anderson     32

P M Siddle c Anderson b Bracewell  49

J R Hazlewood c Southee b Bracewell        8

N M Lyon c & b Anderson     3

J M Bird not out        3

Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 2, nb 3) 12

Total (all out; 154.2 overs)   562

Fall: 1-0, 2-5, 3-131, 4-299, 5-299, 6-395, 7-494, 8-508, 9-532, 10-562

Bowling: Southee 31-5-87-2 (1w); Boult 33-6-101-2; Bracewell 33-4-127-2 (2nb); Anderson 18-0-79-2 (1nb, 1w); Craig 35.2-2-153-2; Williamson 4-0-8-0

New Zealand 2nd innings

T W M Latham c Khawaja b Lyon    63

M J Guptill c Marsh b Lyon    45

K S Williamson c Nevill b Hazlewood 22

H M Nicholls not out   31

*B B McCullum lbw b Marsh  10

Extras (b 1, lb 4, nb 2)        7

Total (4 wickets; 62.3 overs)         178

To bat: C J Anderson, †B J Watling, D A J Bracewell, M D Craig, T G Southee, T A Boult

Fall: 1-81, 2-121, 3-157, 4-178

Bowling: Hazlewood 17-3-42-1; Bird 11-2-26-0 (1nb); Siddle 8-0-30-0; Marsh 9.3-1-40-1 (1nb); Lyon 17-6-35-2

Test debut: H M Nicholls (New Zealand)

Umpires: R K Illingworth (England) and R A Kettleborough (England). TV umpire: R E J Martinesz (Sri Lanka). Match referee: B C Broad (England)