Australia’s thrilling 3-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Test at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, was a testament to the unpredictable nature of Test cricket. Chasing 279 for victory, Australia found themselves in trouble at 34 for 4 before Mitchell Marsh (80) and Alex Carey (98) shared a crucial 140-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Despite a late collapse that saw them lose a few quick wickets, Carey and Pat Cummins (32) guided Australia to a memorable win.
The match was filled with dramatic moments, including Rachin Ravindra’s dropped catch of Mitchell Marsh, which proved to be a turning point. Ben Sears’ double strike, dismissing Marsh and Mitchell Starc in quick succession, gave New Zealand hope, but Carey and Cummins’ partnership ensured Australia’s victory.
With this win, Australia moved to the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship Points Table, displacing New Zealand. Australia now has 8 wins and 3 losses in 12 games of the ongoing WTC cycle, with a PCT (Percentage of Points) of 62.5. India still leads the table with a PCT of 68.51, while New Zealand has dropped to third place with a PCT of 50.
ICC World Test Championship Points Table:
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | NR | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 68.51 |
| 2 | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 62.5 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 50 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 50 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 36.66 |
| 6 | West Indies | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 33.33 |
| 7 | South Africa | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 25 |
| 8 | England | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 17.5 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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