Cricket: Black Caps hold faith in 'a couple of fighters'

New Zealand's Doug Bracewell, Brendon McCullum and Tim Southee. Photo / AP

New Zealand have faith in ''a couple of fighters" as they look to find a way back into the third and deciding test against Australia today.

The tourists will start the third day precariously place at 116 for five, holding an overall lead of just 94.

Wicketkeeper BJ Watling and debutant Mitchell Santner, who's had a good game thus far, start on 7 and 13 respectively. Watling's record in difficult situations is impressive.

There's only the bowlers to come after them, and much depends on how far into the day the overnight pair can get.

The ball offers more help for the seam bowlers in the final session under lights than earlier in the day. Senior New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor's plan is clear.

''We need to get the new ball as close to twilight as possible," he said last night. ''If we can keep our bowlers from not bowling as many overs tomorrow we give ourselves the best chance.

''We've got a couple of fighters in there."

Neither side has got close to the second new ball, which arrives at 80 overs. New Zealand were dismissed in their first innings in 65.2 overs; Australia were dismissed in 72.1 and New Zealand have batted 37 second time around.

New Zealand's bowlers did an outstanding job in the first session yesterday - bucking the anticipated trend of the inaugural pink ball test. They took six for 62 in 29.5 overs to have Australia reeling at 116 for eight, 86 in arrears.

They were undone by a clanger of a decision from third umpire Nigel Llong, who gave tailender Nathan Lyon a let off when he was clearly out on 0. Lyon went on to 34, adding a vital 74 with top scorer Peter Nevill.

Taylor admitted New Zealand were puzzled that with all the available technology, major decisions can still be made incorrectly.

''We can understand when umpires make the wrong decision on the field, but once you've got so many different angles you think 99 to 100 per cent of the time you're going to get the right answer. I guess we didn't today."

He also quipped, in reference to not stepping over the line and earning himself a match fee fine: ''My facebook is going off the hook at the moment ... I've still got my match fee don't I?"

Taylor had high praise for the New Zealand bowlers' work yesterday and also Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood, who took three for 32 from 16 overs.

''He bowled outstandingly to come in and bowl 16 overs. It showed a lot of ticker when a senior man in (Mitchell) Starc is not there."

New Zealand's plan is simple today: bat as long as possible, and certainly get as close to the start of the final session as they can.

They'd have hoped to lose no more than a couple of wickets last night, but Hazlewood was outstanding while allrounder Mitchell Marsh snared key man Kane Williamson for nine and captain Brendon McCullum, lbw for 20.

New Zealand must win the test to finish the series all square and preserve their record of successive unbeaten test series, which stands at seven.

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