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 on Friday. 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 Brendon McCullum’s miserable scoring series continued when he was out to an injudicious slash outside off-stump.
Scoreboard
New Zealand (1st Innings): Martin Guptill lbw b Hazlewood 1, Tom Latham c Nevill b Lyon 50, Kane Williamson lbw b Starc 22, Ross Taylor c Nevill b Siddle 21, Brendon McCullum c Nevill b Starc 4, Mitchell Santner b Starc 31, B.J. Watling c Smith b Hazlewood 29, Mark Craig b Lyon 11, Doug Bracewell c Burns b Siddle 11, Tim Southee c Warner b Hazlewood 16, Trent Boult (not out) 2. Extras (1lb,2w,1nb) 4. Total (in 65.2 overs) 202.
FoW: 1-7, 2-59, 3-94, 4-98, 5-98, 6-142, 7-164, 8-184, 9-194.
Bowling: Starc 9-3-24-3, Hazlewood 17.2-2-66-3, Siddle 17-5-54-2, Lyon 15-1-42-2, Marsh 5-1-12-0, Smith 2-0-3-0.
Australia (1st Innings): David Warner c Southee b Boult 1, Joe Burns b Bracewell 14, Steve Smith (batting) 24, Adam Voges (batting) 9. Extras (4b,1lb,1w) 6. Total (For 2 wickets in 22 overs) 54.FoW: 1-6, 2-34.
Bowling: Southee 7-0-16-0, Boult 6-2-15-1, Bracewell 5-2-6-1, Santner 4-0-12-0.
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