On Sunday, Australia captain Pat Cummins praised teammates Nathan Lyon and Cameron Green for match-winning performances as his team defeated New Zealand by 172 runs in the first Test.
Lyon led the visitors to victory in the morning session of Day 4 in Wellington, taking six wickets as New Zealand collapsed to 196 all out.
New Zealand lost their last seven wickets before lunch for 70 runs, four of them to off-spinner Lyon, who finished with 6-65 off 27 overs and 10-108 for the match.
The 36-year-old took advantage of spin-friendly Basin Reserve conditions and New Zealand’s mediocre batting, which began the day on 111-3 and required an unlikely 258 more runs to win.
Green’s career-high unbeaten 174 on day one helped Australia rally from 89-4 to 383 and take a decisive 204-run lead in the first innings.
It gave Green the nod over Lyon for man of the match, which Cummins said was a fair outcome.
“Cam was amazing, he was the difference in the end,” Cummins said at the time.
“I thought the way he approached it, with that intention, really put the pressure back on the bowlers on day one.
“There was as much bounce as I’ve seen in any wicket for a long time but thankfully it spun which, with Nathan in our side, is always a pretty good thing.”
Will O’Rourke, a New Zealand pace bowler, is a doubt for the second and final Test, which begins in Christchurch on Friday, after leaving the field with a tight hamstring on day three.
Captain Tim Southee hinted that veteran pace bowler Neil Wagner, who retired last week, could be called up unexpectedly.
The 37-year-old had been named to New Zealand’s squad, but he announced his retirement in tears after being left out of the first Test, capping a 64-Test, 260-wicket career.
Southee ruled out calling up Trent Boult because he has only recently played white ball cricket, but was less adamant when asked about Wagner.
“The Test match has only just finished so we’ll see how Will scrubs up and we’ll go from there,” Southee said at the time.
