Agree about forcing field back in ODI games and sometimes in tests, but don't see the need to do this in a test where you are batting for the draw and managing to work the spinner for some singles (Latham 11 (39) vs Lyon before dismissal) and have one of their quicks struggling with a ankle injury. With a 200+ run lead the NZers would have needed to hit several over the top before Smith dropped the field back, especially after getting Guptill early in the innings. So I think the risk / reward equation means you shelve hitting the spinner in the air unless he bowls a half-tracker.
"(Latham 11 (39) vs Lyon before dismissal)"
They took away his single to mid on. Warner kept creeping in further and further and then almost ran Nicholls out.
I don't know if you are suggesting that NZ should bat like SA and score at 1 run per over and just block out Lyon and everyone else? But New Zealand clearly made a decision there was too much time left in the test match for survival. The only chance was to score 500-600 and send Australia back in.
Take Australia's inning. When Craig came on to bowl on Day 2, Don Voges hit him over the top in the first over he faced and forced Trent Boult back to the rope. It was the only time he did it and then for the rest of his 200 plus runs he just milked Craig along the ground.
There is a risk free way you can spread the field but it rarely works. If you use your feet and have a fierce drive you can puncture the field with laser like shots all along the ground and send people scurrying back to the boundary. It is tough to do.
At the end of the day I hear you when you say this
" With a 200+ run lead the NZers would have needed to hit several over the top before Smith dropped the field back, especially after getting Guptill early in the innings."
Smith is a smart smart captain. If Latham had've hit one over the top he wouldn't have blinked. That is what screwed up Corey in the first inning. Corey hit it once bounce for four and then was bewildered as to why the field wasn't changed and he started thinking I will have to hit another one, and ended up playing a half shot.
It was Smith who was responsible for Corey's wicket not Lyon. Smith seems to get the playbook on spin, he understands that the recommended play is for the batsman to push the mid on and mid off back and hence he tries to leave them up as long as possible.
Nonetheless If Latham could've peperred 4 or 5 over the top Smith would have wilted. But yes acknowledge the point in bold as a good one.