Aussies in front but Taylor takes plaudits

Australia

Steve Smith and Adam Voges powered their way to centuries as Australia closed day four of the second Test against New Zealand in Perth on 258 for two, lead of 193, but the plaudits went to Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor for an innings.

Taylor scored 290, which was the third best individual score by a New Zealand batsman in Tests while it was also the highest score by a foreign batsman in Australia in the longest format.

Taylor was last man out as the Black Caps were bowled out for a massive total of 624 in reply to the home side's score of 559 for nine declared.

Resuming the day on 510 for six, and Taylor on 235, the Black Caps added 65 to their overnight score before being all out on the stroke of lunch.

Taylor was quickly into his stride, reaching his 250 off 326 balls, but was soon to be running out of partners as Mark Craig (15), Matt Henry (6) and Tim Southee (21) all fell.

Last man Trent Boult (23*) kept Taylor company as he edged closer to the triple-ton mark but the 31 year-old holed out to the deep mid-wicket boundary to the bowling of offspinner Nathan Lyon.

With a lead of 65, the Black Caps sensed they could put the flutters in the Aussie camp with early wickets, and they did just that when Southee got Joe Burns to edge to Taylor at first slip for a duck while David Warner was out for 24 to leave Australia on 46 for two.

Smith (131*) and Voges (101*) however put paid to any Kiwi thoughts of a sensational victory as they put on an unbroken stand of 212 to see out the day.

It will be interesting to see what kind of an approach the Aussies will take on the final day as they are already one-nil up in the three-match series.

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