Twitter Reactions: Wagner turns to chin music after Cummins carnage in Melbourne

Cummins ended with a spell of 17-5-28-5.

By Sabyasachi Chowdhury

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4 Min Read

Neil Wagner
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Neil Wagner. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Having lost the quick wickets of Tom Blundell and Kane Williamson at the fag end of the second day, New Zealand found themselves in trouble. The third day of the Melbourne Test saw the Black  Caps slide further down the barrel. Australia have stretched their lead to a mammoth 456 with a couple of days left in the encounter. And it was Pat Cummins, who contributed heavily in the hosts’ surge.

Pat Cummins rips the visitors apart

The pressure was on the pair of Ross Taylor and Tom Latham to guide the Kiwis to respectability. But Cummins removed the former to strike first blood. The speedster piled more misery for the visitors, pinning Henry Nicholls for a golden duck. Then it was James Pattinson’s turn to wreak havoc as he got rid of BJ Watling. Half the New Zealand batting lineup was back in the hut with the score at 58.

Latham didn’t fell to the carnage and scored his fifty off 135 balls. But to his dismay, Cummins found his outside-edge caught by Tim Paine. Neil Wagner tried to counter-attack with a 20-ball 18 and remained unbeaten. Cummins got his five-wicket haul, dismissing Tim Southee after which Mitchell Starc castled Trent Boult to get the final wicket. Kane Williamson and Co folded for a paltry 148.

Wagner tries his heart out

With a lead of 319 runs, David Warner and Joe Burns made a steady start with a 62-run stand off 20.1 overs. It was Neil Wagner, who separated them as he accounted for Warner’s dismissal with a short delivery. Marnus Labuschagne was starting to find his rhythm with a 33-ball 19, but perished to a run-out. Soon after, Mitchell Santner nipped out Burns, who was looking determined with 35 runs.

In the very next over, yet another time Steve Smith fell prey to a bumper from Wagner. It was also the left-armer’s 200th Test wicket. Albeit the lead had exceeded 400 by then, the quick wickets of Burns, Labuschagne and Smith gave New Zealand a spring in their steps. After the mini-collapse, Matthew Wade (15*) and Travis Head (12*) played out the next 62 balls to see Australia to stumps.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the day’s play in Melbourne: –  

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