The sun sets over the Adelaide Oval during the first day-night cricket Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide yesterday. (AFP)
AFP/Adelaide
New Zealand were skittled for 202 but hit back with the key wicket of David Warner on an eventful opening day in the historic day-night Test in Adelaide yesterday.
In a ringing endorsement for the pink ball concept, 47,441 fans thronged into the Adelaide Oval for the first ever day-night Test. It was the biggest international crowd at the Adelaide Oval since England’s headline-grabbing 1932-33 Bodyline series in Australia.
Mitchell Starc, the new leader of Australia’s pace attack, and new ball partner Josh Hazlewood claimed three wickets each before Starc was forced from the field and was later diagnosed with a stress fracture of the right foot.
The Kiwis fought back with two wickets, including the prolific-scoring Warner for just one, to have the home side battening down against the swinging pink ball under lights.
At the close, Australia were recovering at 54 for two with skipper Steve Smith not out 24 and Adam Voges on nine. “It was a great day. Everyone who came and witnessed when went on will be very impressed with the whole experience,” said senior Australia paceman Peter Siddle, who took his 200th Test wicket during the Kiwi innings.
“I think for cricket in general it would have been supported well here and it would have been on TV all over the world. For cricket it’s definitely been a great day.”
Starc put the skids under the Kiwis removing in-form Kane Williamson (22), skipper Brendon McCullum (4) and debutant Mitchell Santner (31) as the Black Caps succumbed in 65.2 overs. But the left-arm speedster was forced from the field before the dinner break and went for scans. The Kiwis never recovered from losing three wickets in 11 balls and were all out in the final night session with Hazlewood claiming two late wickets to finish with a three-wicket haul.
Tom Latham was out attempting to cut spinner Nathan Lyon and was caught behind by Peter Nevill for 50. Ross Taylor, who amassed the highest score of 290 by a touring batsman in Australia in last week’s drawn Perth Test, followed seven balls later.
Taylor edged the recalled Siddle to Nevill for 21 and skipper Brendon McCullum’s miserable scoring series continued when he was out to an injudicious slash outside off-stump. Starc’s delivery was wide but McCullum went after it and gave a healthy snick for Nevill’s third straight catch for just four.
Starc then bowled Santner for 31, reducing the Kiwis to 142 for six before leaving the field. Mark Craig was bowled by a sharply turning Lyon delivery nearing the dinner break for 11.
The Australians mopped up the Kiwi tail with B.J. Watling caught in the slips off Hazlewood and Doug Bracewell spooning a catch to Joe Burns to give Siddle his 200th Test wicket. Hazlewood wrapped it up with Tim Southee caught in the deep off Hazlewood for 16.
New Zealand lost the key wicket of the in-form Williamson in the first session, after being trapped leg before wicket by Starc. Starc, who has taken over as the leader of the Australian bowling attack after last week’s retirement of Mitchell Johnson, hit Williamson’s pads with a yorker in front of the stumps with the fourth delivery of his second over in his second spell.
But the Australians endured a torrid time against the hooping pink ball in their turn at bat under lights and Trent Boult had Warner caught at third slip before Doug Bracewell bowled Joe Burns for 14. “It was great to be part of it. It was an exciting day, there was an electric atmosphere out there,” Boult said. “A few wickets tumbled. The game is well and truly progressed now. Definitely a pretty good first day.”
The Black Caps, needing a win to draw the three-Test series after losing the Brisbane opener, opted to bat after winning the toss. New Zealand, unbeaten in their last seven Test series since 2013, will have to win the historic Test to draw the series after Australia won the Brisbane opener by 208 runs and last week’s second Test in Perth finished in a high-scoring draw.
