80-5 to 281-7: Carey, Cummins, Marsh extend New Zealand’s 31-year wait for home Test win against Australia | Cricket News

In a pulsating Day 4 chase on Monday, Australia pipped New Zealand three wickets to whitewash the hosts 2-0 at the Hagley Oval in Chrchurch.
Entering the day at their overnight score of 77 for four in a tricky 279-run chase, Australia marched forward with a counterattacking partnership between Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey despite Travis Head falling to Tim Southee in the second over of the day. Both batters brought up their half-centuries in quick time with Marsh reaching the mark in 64 balls while Carey sped to his fifty in 60 deliveries.
The pair added 97 runs in the opening session, neutralizing the Kiwis’ seam trio of Southee, Matt Henry, and debutant Ben Sears. Carey and Marsh added another 46 runs after Lunch before Sears trapped the latter for 80 and dismissed Mitchell Starc first ball. With 59 to get, Australia were again in the pits before Carey and skipper Pat Cummins shepherded the side home through a nailbiting 58-ball stand. Cummins once again hit the winning runs as Australia denied New Zealand their elusive win at home against their trans-Tasman rival once again. Carey bailed out of two DRS calls and racked up 15 fours in his knock before being adjudged the Player of the Match.
READ: Steve Smith flops as opener again as Australia top-order crumbles against New Zealand

Pat Cummins 👏👏legendary stuff and well done to Alex Carey 👌👌.
After the kind of summer Carey has had, all the backing from the team management has paid dividends.#AUSvNZ
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) March 11, 2024
The captain’s boundary denied Carey his second Test century, leaving him unbeaten on 98. Speaking in the post-match chat, Cummins said that he was not aware of the impending milestone. “I had no idea he was on 98! That would have been embarrassing if he was celebrating (his ton) and I wasn’t looking,” Cummins said. Carey, however, was content with his match-winning effort. “I was happy with that,” Carey said. “I didn’t want to get on strike again.”
Record-breaking chase
Here are all the numbers from the Tests:
1. Since his Test debut, Cummins has been a part of three 250-plus successful chases for Australia. He has hit the winning runs in each of those three Tests – v South Africa in Johannesburg (2011), v England in Edgbaston (2023) and v New Zealand in Chrchurch (2024).
2. Alex Carey’s unbeaten 98 is the second-highest score a wicketkeeper in the 4th innings during a successful chase. Carey went past Rishabh Pant’s 89 not out against Australia in Brisbane with only Adam Gilchr’s unbeaten 149 against Pakan (Hobart, 1999) ahead of him.
3. While Cummins averages under 20 in the first, second and third innings in Tests, it shoots up to 33.57 in the fourth innings. That is higher than that of Steve Smith (33.26), Usman Khawaja (29.78), Marnus Labuschagne (29.77), Cameron Green (25.00), and Marsh (19.17).
4. New Zealand have not managed a home Test win against Australia in 12 matches, with 11 losses and one draw since 1993. Their last Test win against Australia came at Hobart in 2011, remaining winless in another 10 matches since.
5. Australia have won 36 of the 62 Tests they have played against New Zealand. Their win/loss ratio of 4.500 is the second-highest of all international Test bilaterals (min. 30 Tests), bettered only South Africa versus West Indies (7.333 in 32 matches).