Australia Triumphs Over New Zealand in World Test Championship Thriller
Scorecard: New Zealand vs Australia
With a remarkable finish of 98*, Carey, along with Pat Cummins (32*), led Australia to victory against New Zealand. The winning runs were scored off debutant Ben Sears (4/90), who had earlier brought the Blackcaps back into the game with a double-wicket over.
The 61-run partnership between Cummins and Carey resulted in a three-wicket win for Australia, earning them 12 points in their quest to defend the World Test Championship mace. This victory also marked a 2-0 series clean sweep against their trans-Tasman rivals.
Current World Test Championship Standings:
Despite precarious positions at 34/4 and 80/5 in their chase of 279, a 140-run partnership between Carey and Marsh (80) turned the tide for Australia.
Marsh was claimed by Sears after Marais Erasmus adjudged the Australian No.6 lbw. A shorter delivery on Starc’s hip was hit to Will Young in close on the leg-side next delivery.
Cummins survived the hat-trick ball and went on to hit four boundaries in his 44-ball stay, the last of which completed the chase.
With 10 catches and a match-winning knock, Carey was named Player of the Match. He shared Australia’s strategy during the post-match presentation.
“We were determined to play our way. If an opportunity presented itself, we were ready to seize it,” Carey explained.
Australia’s keeper-batter Alex Carey played a crucial role in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 with his impressive performance both behind the stumps and with the bat.
Carey’s batting partner and captain also spoke after the victory, justifying their aggressive batting strategy.
“If the scoreboard isn’t moving, the bowling side feels in control. But if we keep chipping away, it feels like the game is moving quickly,” he explained.
Reflecting on the Test, the captain praised his team for maintaining their composure despite the loss of wickets on both sides, and for securing a crucial first innings lead.
“One player always stepped up at key moments. We may not have played complete games, but we kept finding ways to win. It’s an incredible squad,” he said.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee, despite the loss, praised the performance of Australia’s batters.
“The partnership between Marsh and Carey was exceptional. It put our attack on the back foot. But it was an exciting end to the day,” Southee reflected in his 100th Test match.
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With a point percentage of 62.50, Australia now stands at No.2 in the World Test Championship standings, just below India (68.51%) at No.1.