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12.37pm
Cummins picks up a wicket from the first ball of his spell
Oh … Pat Cummins you star.
Ravindra, the danger man, is gone after edging one to Carey for 82 from 153 balls.
Just like that, Cummins delivers.
It just goes across the left-hander, who gets a faint tickle through to the man with the gloves.
Cummins erupts and the Australians are up and about. Huge wicket in the context of the match.
New Zealand 5-286, lead by 192 runs
Fans at Hagley Oval. Credit: Getty
12.22pm
Hazlewood strikes for Australia after Mitchell brings up half century
With a nudge into the off side, Daryl Mitchell raises his bat in front of a very appreciative crowd in Christchurch.
It’s been a really clever innings. Shades of brilliance but a lot of grit at the same time.
After a cut shot boundary from Ravindra, Mitchell edges one past Steve Smith at second slip that goes for four.
Next ball, Mitchell throws the hands at it and gets another four. A streaky shot – very cowboy stuff – but it’s a boundary nonetheless.
BANG: Hazlewood gets the breakthrough, with Mitchell edging one behind to Alex Carey. Simple catch and Australia have their second wicket of the day. His fine knock of 58 comes to an end.
That was a 123-run stand.
Now’s the time to roll through the Kiwis.
New Zealand 4-278, lead by 184 runs
12.11pm
Can the Aussies find a wicket?
This certainly isn’t unchartered territory for Australia under Pat Cummins but it’s a scenario they’re not used to.
We’re used to seeing a regular flow of wickets but the Kiwis have nullified Australia’s fast bowlers beautifully today with classy cricket shots and the odd reverse sweep against Nathan Lyon.
You suspect Pat Cummins won’t be far away from a bowl here in Christchurch as Hazlewood and Starc keep banging away on a good length.
New Zealand 3-263, lead by 169 runs
12.01pm
A shaky start from Starc with the new ball
Hazlewood gets through a good first set of six – just one run off it – before Starc concedes seven runs in his opening over of the spell.
Ravindra creams a cut shot off Starc that rockets to the fence before a straight drive flies off the bat straight to the diving man at mid-on.
Starc then sends down a ball that is so far wide that it would have gone to second slip. Awful ball.
The Aussies need to lift their game or this Test could get away from them quickly.
Outstanding batting from New Zealand, who have looked so assured at the crease today. Barely a bad shot.
New Zealand 3-262, lead by 168 runs
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell bats on day three. Credit: AP
11.50am
Labuschagne almost gets a wicket bowling pace
This is great.
In shades of Colin Miller many moons ago, Marnus Labuschagne has swapped the leggies for some seamers off the long run.
His first ball is a bouncer – well over Mitchell’s head – that is called a wide.
Labuschagne sends another bumper down to Ravindra and almost gets him out! A little hook shot falls short of fine leg. That would have been remarkable scenes.
Australia have men back deep on the leg side but Ravindra cracks a pull shot for four.
Entertaining stuff. Labuschagne is sending them down at good pace. He’s even been warned for a third short ball.
New ball time.
New Zealand 3-254, lead by 160 runs
11.43am
Players are back in the middle
You don’t see this often. Part-timer Travis Head starts things off after the break but there is a good reason for it.
Australia only has a couple of overs here before they can take the new ball. Then the big boys will come steaming in, searching for a breakthrough they really want.
No luck for Head.
Labuschagne is thrown the ball for the 80th over of the innings.
New Zealand 3-245, lead by 151 runs
11.06am
New Zealand are rated a 76 per cent chance of beating Australia
After a one-sided session, the boffins at CricViz reckon New Zealand are a big chance of landing their first Test win over Australia since 2011.
Fascinated to see how this plays out.
11.04am
Brettig: Black Caps will fancy their chances of squaring the series
By Daniel Brettig
Australia reverted to Travis Head at one end and Cameron Green bouncer tactics at the other as New Zealand grew their lead to 149 through a proactive stand between Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra.
11.02am
Lunch: New Zealand 3-243, lead by 149 runs
Cam Green comes into the attack for his first over of the day. It’s a decent start, with a handy bouncer to finish the over that goes for two runs (there were a few leg byes as well).
Head also gets thrown the ball but Mitchell is quick to swoop on the part-timer as he clips a boundary into the leg side off his pads.
Lunch is served and the Kiwis can enjoy their meal. It’s been a profitable session, with the loss of just one wicket (Tom Latham) for an extra 109 runs on board. The hosts would absolutely have taken that at the start of the day.
Top batting this from Ravindra (67) and Mitchell (42) who have looked right at ease.
New Zealand 3-243, lead by 149 runs
10.48am
Australia would love a wicket before the break
Daryl Mitchell has remained busy at the crease and has sneaked to 37 from 58 balls. He’s been looking to get off strike and is dispatching the bad ball when it needs to go.
Australia really need another scalp here before the lunch break (at 11am AEDT). Very productive morning for the home side who are growing in confidence every over.
Just a reminder: New Zealand have only beaten Australia once in a Test since 1993 (the year yours truly was born).
New Zealand 3-227, lead by 133 runs
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