Matt Henry’s heroics have kept New Zealand’s hopes alive in the second Test against Australia in Christchurch. The all-rounder has been a one-man band for the Black Caps, leading both the wicket-taking (11) and run-scoring (85) charts.
Henry’s resilience was on display in the second innings, where he claimed three crucial wickets to dismiss Australia’s top four. His victims included the in-form Cameron Green, who was trapped lbw by a superb delivery.
Despite his heavy workload, Henry refused to blame New Zealand’s batters for their struggles. “It’s not a concern,” he said. “We’ve got world-class players in our batting line-up. They’ll be fine moving forward.”
Henry instead praised Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, who put on a bowling masterclass to take 5 for 31. “Josh bowled exceptionally well,” he said. “He provided a blueprint for how we wanted to bowl.”
Henry’s bowling was a stark contrast to that of Tim Southee and Scott Kuggeleijn, who struggled to contain Australia’s batters. However, debutant Ben Sears showed promise by dismissing Steven Smith.
“Searsy is a quiet man who works really hard,” Henry said. “He got the ball rolling for us.”
Henry emphasized the importance of bowling well at the start of day two. “Tomorrow morning will be a big moment with the ball,” he said. “We need to take early wickets and put Australia under pressure.”
