World reacts to ‘insane’ Smith screamer

AUSTRALIA were bowled out for 416 at tea but the night was ignited with a crazy turn of events.

The home side took two early wickets before Steve Smith's brilliance and Mitchell Starc's ferocity left New Zealand in disarray at 5/109.

Here are all the talking points from day two of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand.

WORLD REACTS TO INSANE SMITH SCREAMER

Oh my god, Steve Smith, what can't you do!

After a pair of wickets to start the innings in the first two overs, New Zealand veterans Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor came to the rescue.

After building into the innings, the pair put on 76 - until Smith did what only he can do.

The Aussie superstar is never too far away from the action and he pulled off one of the all-time classic catches.

Standing at second slip, to Mitchell Starc, Smith went full length and took an absolute blinder.

"Oh what a grab," Michael Vaughan screamed on Fox Cricket. "Doesn't get any better than that. Steve Smith, take a bow."

"You can't keep him out of the game, that is an absolute pearler, a pink ball at night travelling at 141k's, takes a one-hand screamer," Mark Waugh said.

Mike Hussey added: "Show us the slow mo of that, it's going to be unbelievable. It's the catch of the summer so far without doubt."

It did look even better in slow mo.

"That is a beauty, one of the best he'll ever take given the circumstances, the player, the light, pace of the ball," Waugh said.

After the day's play, Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O'Keefe was more emphatic with his description in detailing the extraordinary catch.

"Game, set and match it's the catch of the year," O'Keefe said.

The cricketing world then lost its mind as Smith continues to do superhuman things.

The wicket also sparked a mini collapse as Mitchell Starc ripped the heart out of the Kiwis. The star finished with 4-31 off 11 overs for the session.

He grabbed a tickle off Henry Nicholls, and nightwatchman Neil Wagner lasted only one ball before playing it on to his stumps.

Ross Taylor played a lone hand with 66 not out off 86 balls, with only Williamson able to get into double figures - a 70-ball 34.

RADICAL PLAN AFTER BRUTAL 'COINCIDENCE'

Australia were off to the absolute perfect start with the ball as Starc and Josh Hazlewood took two wickets in the opening two overs.

Starc nabbed the dangerous Tom Latham, who had five centuries, including his high score of 264 not out, in his last 12 innings, for a second ball duck before Hazlewood struck with the wicket of Jeet Raval for 1.

But the joy didn't last long with Hazlewood able to bowl just eight balls before limping off the ground with a suspected left hamstring injury.

While it seemed to be mild as Hazlewood didn't seem encumbered as he left the field, it had the commentators scrambling for an explanation.

"I caught an interview with Neil Wagner and he talked about the outsides being hard with this particular playing surface, the outfield being so hard," Ian Smith said on Fox Cricket.

"I'm not being a stirrer by an chance but two quick bowlers have broken down with muscle injuries running in. If there's anything in that, probably not."

Cricket Australia later confirmed it was a left hamstring strain and Hazlewood was "shattered" in the dressing rooms.

It cames after former England skipper Michael Vaughan called for an injury substitute after Ferguson's injury.

He reiterated his plan after Hazlewood's injury.

"I think Test cricket has to look into it, I just want the best product out there playing," he said in Fox Cricket commentary.

"I'd have an independent doctor on the ground, he assesses the player and if it's like Lockie Ferguson and he has a rip in his calf, why wouldn't you give him a replacement player? Hazlewood exactly the same.

"The grey area is if a player comes into a game with an injury."

Mark Waugh added: "Or probably later in the game when bowlers are fatiguing and not bowling that well then you get a fresh bowler, that's the only negative side of it."

Vaughan reiterated the independent doctor was the key.

"I just think it'd be sensible if you have clear and obvious injuries that the replacement would be the best product for Test match cricket," Vaughan finished.

COMMENTATORS CURSE RUINS AUSSIE HISTORY

When Marnus Labuschagne goes big, he goes huge.

The Aussie star hit his third successive century but it ended just seven runs short of Australian history as no Australian has ever recorded successive scores of 150.

Labuschagne would have been the first since Pakistani pair Zaheer Abbas and Mudassar Nazar in 1982-83.

Unfortunately Labuschagne went across the stumps to become one of Neil Wagner's four wickets.

But if you want someone for Labuschagne missing out on the milestone, look Mark Howard's way.

"Only three men in Test history have scored consecutive 150 plus," he said in Fox Cricket commentary.

Next ball, Labuschagne was walking back to the sheds.

Michael Vaughan said Howard should prepare for the onslaught after the textbook commentator's curse.

A fantastic innings ended after the Queenslander lasted 240 balls at the crease.

But more importantly, Australia has a new hero with Labuschagne coming on leaps and bounded to become Australia's first-drop saviour.

PONTING CLAPS BACK AT MCCULLUM SLEDGE

Being in the commentary box must be fun.

The Channel 7 team this year has Ricky Ponting and Brendan McCullum with the NZ great throwing the former Aussie skipper under the bus.

On their Lunch with Flem segment, McCullum labelled Ponting "the worst ever at replying to messages".

"I've been waiting about a year to hear back from Punter and finally in the commentary box, he replied to me," a a laughing McCullum said as he and former Aussie quick Damien Fleming talked about his social media game.

The game continued on Friday with the pair taking it to Twitter.

Ponting has only been on the platform since November but he's got game.

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