Australia vs New Zealand 2nd Test ends in a draw – Pace ace Johnson retires after losing hunger

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PERTH, Australia, Nov 17, (AP): Mitchell Johnson took two wickets in his last Test innings, briefly giving Australia hope of an unlikely victory before the second Test against New Zealand ended in a high-scoring draw.

Set an unlikely target of 361 from 48 overs to level the series, New Zealand reached 104-2 either side of a 90-minute rain interruption before bad light ended the Test at the WACA on Tuesday. Ross Taylor (36) and Kane Williamson (32) were unbeaten at stumps.

Johnson confirmed before play on the last day that he’d be retiring from international cricket after the WACA Test. Australia subsequently resumed at 258 for two in its second innings and declared at 385-7, ensuring the result was almost beyond the visiting team.

Paceman Johnson took both New Zealand wickets to fall, but Australia ran out of time and overs.

In a match that featured the highest number of runs scored in a Test at the WACA, Australia won the toss and posted 559-9 declared, largely because of Dave Warner (253) and Usman Khawaja (121) combining for a 302-run stand for the second wicket.

In reply, New Zealand reached 624 — a 65-run lead — after a marathon 9-1/2-hour 290 runs by man-of-the-match Taylor, and Williamson (166). The New Zealand pair shared a third-wicket partnership of 265 runs that took the game back to the Australian pace attack.

Australia’s second innings featured centuries by skipper Steve Smith (138) and Adam Voges (119), and meant the match meandered toward a draw ahead of the third Test in Adelaide, where the first ever day-night Test match will be played.

On a WACA pitch that has been famous for it pace and bounce, Australia and New Zealand combined to score 1,672 runs — surpassing the 1,028 scored in a corresponding Test back in 2001/02.

Johnson, one of the most feared fast bowlers in international cricket, was given a guard of honour by the New Zealand players when he came out to bat, and then was asked to lead the Australians when they took the field. He was carried off the field at the end by fellow fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Johnson claimed the two wickets to fall in the New Zealand second innings, accounting for both openers and finished with 2-20.

Johnson finished his career with 313 Test wickets from 73 Tests, only behind legendary leg spinner Shane Warne (708 wickets), and fast bowlers Glenn McGrath (563) and Dennis Lillee (355) on Australia’s list of all-time wicket-takers.

Australia’s hopes of scoring quickly, declaring, and setting the tourists a tempting run chase were dashed when Smith and Mitchell Marsh (1) fell in quick succession when play resumed on the final day.

Voges took 90 minutes to add 18 runs to his overnight score, and was adjudged lbw off swing bowler Tim Southee. He batted batted for-5 1/2 hours and faced 240 balls and hit 16 fours.

Earlier, Smith chased a wide delivery from left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult (2-77) and edged a catch to wicketkeeper B.J. Watling, ending a 224-run stand for the third wicket.

Australia won the first Test by 208 runs at the Gabba in Brisbane and will have a break before taking a reshuffled lineup into the third Test in Adelaide starting Nov 27.

Australia vs New Zealand Scoreboard

PERTH, Australia, Nov 17, (AFP): Scores at stumps on the fifth day in the second Test between Australia and New Zealand at the WACA Ground in Perth on Tuesday:

AUSTRALIA 1st innings (559-9 declared)
NEW ZEALAND 1st innings (624)
AUSTRALIA 2nd innings:
J. Burns c Taylor b Southee ……………………………………………………0
D. Warner c Latham b Boult ………………………………………………….24
S. Smith c Watling b Boult……………………………………………………138
A. Voges lbw Southee …………………………………………………………119
M. Marsh lbw Bracewell …………………………………………………………1
P. Nevill c Watling b Southee ………………………………………………..35
M. Johnson c Watling b Southee …………………………………………..29
M. Starc not out……………………………………………………………………28
J. Hazlewood not out………………………………………………………………2
Extras (b4, lb3, w1, nb1) …………………………………………………………9
Total (7 wickets declared, 103 overs) ……………………………………385

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Burns), 2-46 (Warner), 3-270 (Smith), 4-277 (Marsh), 5-294 (Voges), 6-355 (Johnson), 7-366 (Nevill)

Bowling: Southee 25-4-97-4, Boult 19-2-77-2, Bracewell 20-5-62-1, Henry 20-7-53-0 (1w), Craig 18-1-81-0 (1nb), Williamson 1-0-8-0

NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings
T. Latham c Hazlewood b Johnson …………………………………………15
M. Guptill c Burns b Johnson ………………………………………………..17
K. Williamson not out …………………………………………………………..32
R. Taylor not out ………………………………………………………………….36
Extras (b4)…………………………………………………………………………….4
Total (2 wickets, 28 overs)……………………………………………………104

Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Latham), 2-44 (Guptill)

Bowling: Starc 6-1-33-0, Hazlewood 6-3-3-0, Johnson 6-2-20-2, Lyon 7-0-35-0, Marsh 3-0-9-0
Match drawn

Australia leads series 1-0
Toss: Australia
Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG), Sundaram Ravi (IND)
TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

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