The bowlers dominated on the first day of third and final Test in Adelaide as New Zealand – having elected to bat – were bowled out for 202 before Australia closed on 54-2 in reply.
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Latham got a top-edge to an attempted cut off Lyon to end the 35-run, third-wicket stand with Taylor, who got an inside edge to Siddle and was also caught behind.
ADELAIDE Nov 27 It took 138 years for cricket’s longest and most hallowed format to take a bow under floodlights, but only minutes for Australia paceman Peter Siddle to declare the day-night test a success after stumps on day one.
Starc, who has carried an ankle injury for months, was the pick of Australia’s bowlers with 3-24, but was in clear discomfort from the first ball.
New Zealand crumbled in the middle session, losing three wickets for four runs in 11 balls, with opener Tom Latham, Ross Taylor and McCullum all falling through loose shots.
Hazlewood (3-66) took the first wicket with the pink ball in a Test match when he trapped Martin Guptill lbw in the fourth over, and returned to take the first Test wicket in a night session when he removed BJ Watling (29) in the third over after the dinner interval. “Everyone who came and witnessed what went on will be very impressed with the whole experience”, Australia paceman Peter Siddle said.
Day-night, pink-ball cricket has been trialled extensively across the world, with the traditional opener to the English season between the county champions and the MCC held under lights in Abu Dhabi since 2010.
Floodlit Test cricket has been approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a bid to boost attendances. “It definitely swung around a little bit there with the new ball, and there was still a shade of it with it 22 overs old”.
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.
Josh Hazlewood then earned the honour of the first wicket, trapping Guptill lbw for one, but Australia made their move in the second session when they claimed three wickets in the space of 11 balls.
Australia 1st innings: David Warner c Southee b Boult 1, Joe Burns b Bracewell 14, Steve Smith not out 24, Adam Voges not out 9.
The good news for the Australians is that conditions should favor batting during the daylight hours on Saturday.
Boult added that the experimental pink ball “played out exactly as we forecast it”.
“Hopefully it goes off brilliantly, there are no challenges and no problems”.
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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.
