CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND: Rachin Ravindra completed his second half century in tests as New Zealand led Australia by 149 runs with seven second-innings wickets in hand at lunch Sunday on the third day of the second cricket test.
Resuming at 134-2 after trailing by 94 runs on the first innings, New Zealand reached 243-3 by lunch. Ravindra was 63 not out and Daryl Mitchell was on 42.
The only wicket to fall in the morning session was that of overnight batsman Tom Latham.
Latham resumed on 65 not out with Ravindra 11 not out. He had improved his score to 73 when he was out in the sixth over of the day.
Captain Pat Cummins bowled around the wicket and caused a ball to nip back at Latham which passed between bat and pad, eliciting only a slight appeal from Australia. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey encouraged Cummins to review and the replay showed the faintest of inside edges.
Latham had batted more than 4 1-4 hours and, in a 105-run partnership with Kane Williamson (51) on the second day had helped New Zealand erase the deficit.
Ravindra had struggled in the 55 minutes he batted before stumps on day two. He was frequently beaten outside off stump and Latham had taken the majority of the strike.
But Ravindra looked much more comfortable on Sunday and on a third day which was drier and offering less to the bowlers. He suppressed any impulse to drive when the ball was full and near off stumps, an Achilles heel in his previous innings in the series.
Ravindra had been at the crease 141 minutes when he straight drove a ball from Mitch Marsh back past the bowler for four. He made 59 in the second innings in the first test at Wellington.
Mitchell was also comfortable throughout the morning. He took his runs from 70 balls and had hit four fours and a six. One boundary came from a classic cover drive and his six was lofted over mid-off.
The Australian bowlers will have some hope of turning the tables on New Zealand with the second new ball due in the second over of the next session.
Australia won the first test of the two-test series by 172 runs in Wellington.