What if the Black Caps had found a way through Australia’s record last-wicket stand a lot earlier?
We really could have used Neil Wagner and some of his endless energy then.
What if Tim Southee had held on to that catch to dismiss Nathan Lyon?
The Black Caps shelled their share and it proved costly.
What if New Zealand’s lower order had shown more nous than a pork chop?
It is like they forgot batting is about building partnerships. It is not compulsory to have a whack, hit out and shrug it off.
What if left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner had played instead of Scott Kuggeleijn?
That was a poor misread by the home team.
Heck, what if Wagner had played instead of Kuggeleijn?
Kuggeleijn’s pace was down from what we’ve seen previously, and he really did not offer much batting protection at No 8, which is presumably why he was favoured ahead of Wagner in that fourth seamer’s role in the first place.
What if Australia did not have a world-class bowling attack, and what if they did not have a mental edge over the Black Caps?
The Aussies are not having endless selection meetings fretting over who is going to bat at No 8 and whether that leaves the tail too long.
They just pick their four best bowlers regardless of the conditions.
Pat Cummins (264 wickets at 22.59), Mitchell Starc (354 at 27.62), Josh Hazlewood (267 at 25) and Nathan Lyon (527 at 30.35) have 1412 test wickets between them.
It was disappointing watching New Zealand fold so meekly — they were out for under 200 in both innings.
But it was also rather impressive watching the fab four go about their work. They are unrelenting.
The Black Caps have not beaten Australia in a test in New Zealand since 1993, and you have to wonder if that weighs heavily.
How many times have Australia found a way to wriggle out of a tight spot against New Zealand over the years?
They did it again at the Basin Reserve. They were 176 for six at one stage, and 267 for nine.
But Cameron Green and Hazlewood combined in an Australian record 10th-wicket stand against New Zealand of 116.
Former Black Caps spinner Dipak Patel, who starred in that famous 1993 win, told the Otago Daily Times earlier this summer he wondered whether the missing ingredient during the past three decades had been belief.
"Do we really believe we can beat them? And I’m being pretty frank here, because you’ve got to be honest with yourselves," Patel said.
"It is always more difficult in test matches because it is a longer game and they’ve certainly had the wood over us for a long time.
"But you do have to plan meticulously well and make sure you’ve got every aspect of your game covered."
Meticulous planning does not include Southee taking a single off the last ball of an over so he can face a new one from Lyon when there is a specialist batter in Daryl Mitchell at the other end.
It felt like the Black Caps were resigned to their fate.
Australia never resigned to theirs. Not when they were 176 for six, and not when they were 267 for nine.
