New Zealand endured a heartbreaking loss against Australia yet again as they lost the 2nd Test of the two-match series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday, March 11 by three wickets.
The Blackcaps were in a position of strength at one stage of the game when they had Australia by the scruff of their neck at 80/5.
However, the game flipped completely when Alex Carey joined hands with Mitchell Marsh in the middle. The pair of Marsh and Carey added 140 runs for the sixth wicket and helped the reigning WTC champions come roaring back into the contest.
Australia needed 199 more runs to win the game and the series 2-0 when Marsh and Carey came together and it needed a herculean effort from both to script a turnaround against a bowling attack that was dictating terms to the Aussies.
And the Aussies did just that. Both batters scored their runs at a healthy strike rate and it didn't allow the Kiwis to put enough pressure on them by bowling dot balls.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee credited the pair for taking the game away from them and felt that his side was not able to dominate for longer spells in the Test.
"Ended up being a great Test. The partnership with Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey broke the back of our attack, but an exciting end to the day. When you are playing the No. 1 side you need to go that little bit further. Ebbed and flowed throughout the whole match. No one means to drop catches...when you are playing against the best you have to be a bit better for longer. There's a number of positives to take away, Matt Henry has gone from strength to strength," said Southee in the post-match presentation.
While New Zealand did manage to break the partnership with 59 runs still left to be scored, a valiant eighth-wicket partnership between Carey and Pat Cummins took Australia home at the end. Carey was awarded the Player of the Match (POTM) for his outstanding 98*-run knock.
