Perry, Hatcher four-wicket hauls restrict NZ A to 277

Session times 2-4pm | 4.40-6.40pm | 7-9pm

Four wickets apiece to Mitch Perry and Liam Hatcher have helped Australia A fight back late on day one of their second four-day clash with New Zealand A in Mackay.

The Kiwis were bowled out for 277 under lights at Great Barrier Reef Arena to close the first day's play after a 107-run sixth-wicket partnership between Nick Kelly (64) and Mitchell Hay (39) threatened to take the game away from the hosts.

Left-handed Kelly took full advantage of Australia A's short-pitched barrage during the night session, crunching seven fours and a six in his 119-ball stay before picking out Matthew Kuhnemann on the fine leg boundary who took an athletic sliding catch tight up against the rope.

Kelly was earlier given a life on 61 when he found Kuhnemann on the fence only for the umpire to rule Hatcher had overstepped – one of 10 no balls the NSW quick sent down for the innings.

But he found the glove of Hay down the leg-side the very next delivery and it proved the catalyst for a lower-order collapse as he grabbed the next two New Zealand wickets in quick succession to finish with a career-best first-class haul of 4-77 from 17 overs.

Perry (4-41) claimed the final two wickets as the visitors lost their final five batters for 35 runs to be all out with less that 10 minutes remaining in the day.

"All the feedback I got coming in for this game was they're pretty aggressive so when they do come at you like that it does test you and you're thinking on the run and problem solving out there," Hatcher said post-play.

"That period before I got that (sixth) wicket they got on top of me there … you adjust your plans on the run and sometimes they work and sometimes they don't and luckily today it did.

"Once the lights came on and the sun went down, it got really dewy out there so that part of the game was really tough to handle and navigate.

"I think the team that navigates that part of the day the best over the next three days will probably come out on top."

New Zealand A got off to a fast start after winning the toss and electing to bat, with openers Henry Cooper (39) and Sean Solia (25) each getting in as they went the main dinner break 1-82.

Australia A XI: Cameron Bancroft, Caleb Jewell, Tim Ward, Nathan McSweeney (c), Campbell Kellaway, Josh Philippe (wk), Nathan McAndrew, Mitchell Perry, Ben Dwarshuis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Liam Hatcher

 

New Zealand A XI: Henry Cooper, Sean Solia, Dean Foxcroft, Tom Bruce (c), Muhammad Abbas, Nick Kelly, Mitchell Hay (wk), Scott Kuggeleijn, Adithya Ashok, Jacob Duffy, Will O'Rourke

But a renewed focus on bowling a fuller length after the interval paid dividends for the Aussies as each of the four quicks – Nathan McAndrew (1-46), Hatcher, Perry and Ben Dwarshuis (1-51) picked up a wicket in the middle session to leave New Zealand A wobbling at 5-135.

"We thought we missed full early doors but overall, we certainly did go that little bit fuller and just a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more intent into the wicket instead of a little bit floaty (which we were) early on," Hatcher said.

"I thought all of the quicks bowled beautifully and 'Kuhney' (Kuhnemann) came back strongly at the end there so it pretty good performance."

Kelly and Hay dug in and then attacked to take the visitors towards 300 in their first innings, with Cameron Bancroft and Caleb Jewell set to get Australia A's reply underway tomorrow afternoon.

Australia A v New Zealand A series

First four-day match: NZ A won by 225 runs

Second four-day match: September 4-7, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (D/N)

Australia A four-day squad: Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jordan Buckingham, Ben Dwarshuis, Caleb Jewell, Campbell Kellaway, Matthew Kelly, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Joel Paris, Jimmy Peirson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward

First one-dayer: September 10, Great Barrier Reef Arena

Second one-dayer: September 13, Allan Border Field (D/N)

Third one-dayer: September 15, Allan Border Field

Australia A one-day squad: Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Liam Hatcher, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben McDermott, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Matt Short, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Ashton Turner

New Zealand A squad (both formats): Muhammad Abbas, Adi Ashok, Tom Bruce (c), Leo Carter, Josh Clarkson, Henry Cooper, Jacob Duffy, Cam Fletcher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay, Scott Kuggeleijn, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Michael Rae, Brett Randell, Tim Seifert, Sean Solia