5th over: New Zealand 7-1 (Latham 4, Williamson 1) Williamson is also leaving as much as possible. Starc tightens his line as a result, hitting Williamson in the chest before being worked off the pads for a single. He ends the over with another jaffa to beat Latham outside off.
This is an intriguing battle of skill but also will – New Zealand want Australia to bowl to them, Australia want New Zealand to enter the dreaded corridor of uncertainty. With that, I’ll hand over to Martin Pegan for the rest of the day’s play. Ta-ra!
4th over: New Zealand 6-1 (Latham 4, Williamson 0) Latham tries to whip a full ball from Hazlewood to leg and gets a leading edge back to the bowler. It was safe enough, all along the floor. He’s happy to leave anything on a good length outside off stump; the result is a maiden.
3rd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Latham 4, Williamson 0) The new batsman is Kane Williamson, who is long overdue against Australia. His last Test fifty against them was in 2016, since when his run of scores is 34, 14, 9, 0, 0, 9 and 17.
Starc greets him with another lifter that zings through to Carey. New Zealand trail by 88.
Classic Mitchell Starc: a wide followed by a snorter to take the first wicket. It was a brilliant delivery, which lifted from a perfect line and length. Young pushed defensively and thin-edged it through to Alex Carey.
Mitchell Starc is congratulated for the early wicket of New Zealand's Will Young on day two. Photograph: John Davidson/AP
2nd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 4, Young 1) Josh Hazlewood, who ran through New Zealand yesterday and has taken 28 wickets at 12 this year, shares the new ball.
Latham gets off the mark with a crisp drive through extra cover for four; Hazlewood beats him next up with a beauty. On commentary, Brendon Julian echoes the opinion of Matt Henry that this is a new-ball pitch.
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Latham 0, Young 0) Starc’s first delivery of the innings is a classic outswinger that beats Latham all ends up. In fact the ball moves throughout a fine first over which ends with Latham again playing and missing.
Marnus Labuschagne is the only player to get past 40 in this game. Australia’s total was built on his excellent 90 but also a series of useful 20s from the bowlers. Now it’s time for the day job.
Matt Henry leads the team off after another outstanding effort. He finished with figures of 23-4-67-7, a record for New Zealand at home to Australia, and was close to a one-man attack. The other seamers had combined figures of 2 for 169.
WICKET! Australia 256 all out (Cummins LBW b Henry 23)
Matt Henry finishes the job by taking his seventh wicket. Cummins, on the walk, got his pad stuck behind his front pad and was hit in front by a very full delivery. Marais Erasmus gave it not out but New Zealand reviewed straight away. It looked plumb and replays confirmed as much.
67th over: Australia 255-9 (Cummins 23, Hazlewood 0) Fantastic batting from Pat Cummins, who clubs the new bowlers Ben Sears for 18 from four balls. After three fours of varying quality – down the ground, over midwicket and over the slips – he launched the final ball of the over into the crowd at midwicket. All of a sudden, Australia lead by 93.
Meanwhile, Niall Connolly points out that Henry had figures of 6 for 66 at the end of the 66th over.
66th over: Australia 237-9 (Cummins 5, Hazlewood 0) A fortnight ago, Matt Henry had taken four wickets an average of 110 in Tests against Australia. In this series he’s picked up 14 at an average of 12.
WICKET! Australia 237-9 (Starc c Blundell b Henry 28)
Six wickets for the outstanding Matt Henry. Starc has another mow across the line but this time gets a gossamer-thin edge through to the keeper. That ends the second handy innings of the day from an Australian bowler, 28 to go with Nathan Lyon’s 20 this morning.
65th over: Australia 236-8 (Starc 28, Cummins 4) Starc clouts Southee over midwicket for four, which extends Australia’s lead to 74. There was a false stroke earlier in the over that landed just short of extra cover; it looked like the ball stopped in the pitch.
64th over: Australia 230-8 (Starc 22, Cummins 4) Henry prefers to bowl from the other end, where he has taken all five wickets, but he’s starting to find some rhythm in this spell. He hits Starc on the thigh, beats the outside edge and induces a smear from Starc that goes safely for a single on the leg side.
63rd over: Australia 229-8 (Starc 21, Cummins 4) Southee keeps Cummins honest with a sharp bouncer that forces Cummins to abort his planned attacking stroke. A fuller ball allows Cummins to force a drive between extra cover and mid-off for four. That’s a nice way to get off the mark.
62nd over: Australia 225-8 (Starc 21, Cummins 0) Matt Henry replaces Glenn Phillips, with a chance to take his second Test seven-for. His second ball is belted whence it came by Starc, a cracking statement of intent. The rest of the over passes without incident.
“That’s as spectacular a catch as I can recall seeing (Strauss in 2005 maybe?),” writes Gary Naylor. “I like Phillips - as is the case for a good midfielder, you never have to wait too long before he’s in the game: batting, bowling or fielding.”
It had me YouTubing Jonty Rhodes, which would be seen as a compliment in some cultures.
The wicket means it’s the last ball before the interval. It was a pretty decent morning for Australia: they lost four wickets but scored at a good rate and built a lead of 59 – useful in any circumstances, very handy given the form of Australia’s bowlers and New Zealand’s top order.
That is an outrageous catch. Labuschagne cut Southee towards backward point, where Phillips flew to his right and took another stunning one-handed grab. I’m running out of ways to say I’m running out of superlatives. to describe his fielding. Labuschagne, who was in total control throughout the session, can’t believe he’s been denied a hundred.
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne bemoans his dismissal for 90 on day two of the Second Test. Photograph: Kai Schwörer/Getty Images
60th over: Australia 221-7 (Labuschagne 90, Starc 17) A single off Phillips takes Labuschagne into the nineties. Starc defends a few deliveries before being tempted by a wider, flight delivery that he slaps short of mid off.
59th over: Australia 220-7 (Labuschagne 89, Starc 17) The game is meandering towards the lunch break, which suits Australia more than New Zealand. As well as stockpiling runs with his usual efficiency, Labuschagne has played with a certainty that has made Australia feel in control even with a relatively small lead. At no stage has it felt like New Zealand could pick up the last few wickets in a hurry.
58th over: Australia 217-7 (Labuschagne 87, Starc 16) Starc is struggling against Phillips, who looks a very useful offspinner. He’s beaten outside off, then flicks not far of midwicket at catchable height. That shot brings Starc a couple of runs and extends Australia’s lead to 55.
57th over: Australia 215-7 (Labuschagne 87, Starc 14) Southee replaces Sears, so Henry is being saved until after lunch. Tom Blundell comes up to the stumps to keep Labuschagne in his crease, which is a good excuse to post this old favourite.
Labuschagne finds the fielder a couple of times before squirting past backward point for two. He’s 13 away from a cathartic century.
56th over: Australia 213-7 (Labuschagne 85, Starc 14) Any turn that Phillips gets is double-edged for New Zealand, who will have to face Nathan Lyon later today. A good over ends with Starc fresh-airing a lusty yahoo across the line.
55th over: Australia 212-7 (Labuschagne 84, Starc 14) “Two two two two!” urges Labuschagne the moment he flicks Sears off the pads. Starc obliges, and later in the over Labuschagne plays an even better stroke to the same area for three runs. He looks in complete control.
Seven from the over. Sears appeals for LBW against Starc off the last ball but it clearly pitched outside leg.
54th over: Australia 205-7 (Labuschagne 78, Starc 13) Phillips tempts Starc with a nice bit of flight outside off stump. Starc decides to indulge his basic urges and clatters it over extra cover for four. It wasn’t cleanly struck but it cleared the two fielders. Australia’s lead, 43 now, is creeping into dangerous territory in what is likely to remain a low-scoring game.
