NZ win toss, bat first in maiden day-night test

New Zealand were dismissed for 202 during an absorbing first day of pink ball Test cricket.

Captain Steve Smith and Adam Voges remained unbeaten on their respective scores of 24 and nine, the Guardian reported.

Five wickets fell in the evening session, which followed Test cricket’s first 40-minute dinner break, during which the crowd noticeably swelled as fans from Adelaide’s nearby central business district made the short walk across the River Torrens for the final two hours of play.

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.

Taylor edged Peter 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.

They lost three wickets for four runs in 11 balls, with opener Tom Latham, Ross Taylor and McCullum all falling through loose shots.

“We’re very interested in seeing how it [Adelaide] goes”.

“He has been on fire and I think he showed that again today, even with a bit of pain, he could get the job done and get those few breakthroughs for us in the middle order. It definitely is exciting for test match cricket”.

Their satisfaction was tempered, nevertheless, with an damage to tempo spearhead Mitchell Starc who limped off late within the center session and by no means returned.

“It definitely swung around a little bit there with the new ball and from what everyone is saying, it’s a different game under lights”.

The Kiwis, trailing 1-0 in the series, struggled to build a defendable total to present Australia in the fourth innings after another fast-paced day’s cricket of 13 wickets before 42,372 fans. A ceremony to mark the first anniversary of former Australia batsman Phillip Hughes’ death will be held at 4:08 p.m. during the first interval.

Pacemen Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell swung the ball around devilishly to remove Australia openers David Warner (1) and Joe Burns (14).

Boult added that the experimental pink ball “played out exactly as we forecast it”.

“We’re going to be doing our best to play with a smile on our face and hopefully play well for Hughesy”.

The current series between powerhouse India and South Africa has been poorly attended and the scant crowds at the opening matches between the hosts and New Zealand in Brisbane and Perth raised alarm bells in Australia, where test cricket remains relatively popular.