Mark Waugh reveals why New Zealand don’t stand a chance to win Boxing Day Test

After beating England at home by 1-0, New Zealand flew to Australia with a positive intent to challenge the Aussies at Perth Stadium. However, all their efforts were to no avail as they were completely dominated by the hosts in all facets of the game. The effect of sheer demolition was witnessed when Tim Paine & Co chipped in with a whopping 296-win over the visitors. Currently, both the teams are playing the second Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

On Boxing Day, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme rose to the occasion and picked up wickets when it mattered the most. However, Australia did manage to hit back with Steve Smith and Travis Head’s defiance. Both the players took the bowling attack to the cleaners and ended the opening day at 257/4, with Smith batting on 77 and Head on 25 respectively.

On Day 2, the visitors lacked the killer instinct to get into the groove as the hosts went about their business and posted a massive total of 467 in their first innings with Head scoring a scintillating 114 and Steve Smith who looked set to score a century was dismissed for 79. In reply, New Zealand lost two wickets early on in the innings as Pat Cummins and James Pattinson dismissed Tom Blundell and Kane Williamson for 15 and 9 runs respectively.

Meanwhile, former Australia captain Mark Waugh revealed the reason why New Zealand can’t win the Boxing Day Test against Australia. He criticised New Zealand spinner, Mitchell Santner, for his mediocre performance in the ongoing match while adding that Santner is the reason why New Zealand don’t stand a chance to beat Australia.

Mark Waugh considers Mitchell Santner as an ODI bowler

Mitchell Santner was taken to task by Australian batters with ease as the spinner leaked as many as 82 runs in 20 overs. To make things worse, he remained wicketless in the first innings. “I think it’s a real big issue and the reason why they can’t win this Test,” Waugh was quoted as saying by Fox Sports.

Mark Waugh also highlighted that Mitchell Santner is a one-day bowler and not a Test match bowler. He gave a perfect explanation as to why Mitchell Santner doesn’t fit the bill as far as red-ball cricket is concerned.

“He’s a one-day bowler, not a Test match bowler. If you’re an orthodox bowler the one thing you’ve got to have is accuracy, yet he doesn’t have that. He doesn’t spin the ball a lot so you’ve got to have accuracy and he doesn’t have that. He bowls short balls, too many easy scoring balls,” Waugh added in a statement.

Waugh stressed on the fact that the team needs to have at least one decent spinner in Australia in order to take wickets. “You’ve got to have a decent spinner in Australia or at least a spinner who can get wickets. At the moment he isn’t doing that and he’s not keeping it tight so I don’t know what they’ll do in Sydney, they’ll maybe have to bring in a leg-spinner because I can’t see Santner playing,” he added.

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