Cricket: Starc injury comes too late for NZ

Australia's Mitchell Starc, is congratulated by teammate Australia's Shaun Marsh, right, after dismissing New Zealand's Kane Williamson, left. Photo / AP.

Mitchell Starc's game-ending foot injury came too late from a New Zealand perspective.

While never good to see an opponent taken out of a match by a serious injury, before he'd gone off he had damaged New Zealand's batting aspirations.

Starc got rid of key batsman Kane Williamson, lbw with a big inswinging yorker; induced a reckless shot from captain Brendon McCullum and bowled debutant Mitchell Santner.
That helped scuttle New Zealand for 202, a poor return having won the toss.

Starc has an early stage fracture in his right ankle, which has caused him trouble in the past, and his immediate playing future is under a cloud.

Still, three for 24 from nine overs meant he'd done his bit for Australia, who start the second day with the pink ball at 54 for two, trailing New Zealand by only 148.

''It's a huge blow for him, and never nice to see that happen," New Zealand bowler Trent Boult said last night.

''But it's not going to matter too much if we don't bowl well over the next little while."

A fair point as batting looks set to be easier during the first two sessions today before the lights come on and the ball, based on last night, starts to give more help to the seamers.

Boult said the pink ball behaved exactly as New Zealand had expected, at different times in the day.

''A few wickets tumbled and the game has well and truly progressed," he said.

''It would have been nice to have a few more runs on the board but a lot of credit is due to the Australians for bowling well straight up after the tea break. They put a lot of pressure on us.

''If we can group the balls in a good area like we did in the last session hopefully we can put same amount of pressure on them."

Boult, who looked sharper last night than he has in the first two tests, when struggling with a back injury, dismissed opener David Warner with a fine ball and with an ounce of luck could have had another wicket.

Doug Bracewell got rid of Joe Burns, but captain Steve Smith survived some close shaves and starts on 24 today, with Adam Voges on nine.

Only opener Tom Latham, with his sixth test 50, looked in control of the situation among the New Zealand batsmen.

His dismissal in the fourth over after the second session began, precipitated a New Zealand slump - three wickets falling in 11 balls - from which they didn't recover.

Veteran seamer Peter Siddle took two wickets yesterday to join Australia's 200-test wicket club, the 15th player to the milestone and 11th fast bowler.

''To be able to get them out early in the evening gives us time to rest up. We haven't bowled too many overs, it's just about making runs.

''We've got enough bowling in our lineup to take the 10 wickets (in New Zealand's second innings). We'll be fine."

It was impossible not to think New Zealand wasted a royal chance in their first innings. They need to win the test to square the series. They have a tough job ahead.