The visitors struggled with the bat on their way to a paltry first innings total of 202, but fought their way back into the contest with the ball as Test cricket took to stage under the stars for the very first time with undeniable success before a crowd of nearly 48,000.
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Doug Bracewell got rid of Joe Burns, but captain Steve Smith survived some close shaves and starts on 24 today, with Adam Voges on nine.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc (R) celebrates dismissing New Zealand’s Kane Williamson LBW for 22 runs during the first day of the third cricket test match at the Adelaide Oval, in South Australia, November 27, 2015.
Starc returned 3-24 before leaving the field with an ankle injury and heading to a hospital for scans, leaving Australia team masseur Grant Baldwin to fill in as a substitute fielder.
It is a significant moment in the history of Test cricket but it also represents a continuation of the evolution of the game.
“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 atmosphere out there was awesome from early on until the end of play, the crowd was upbeat and especially when we were on a roll and getting some wickets.
The substantial interest in the trailblazing day-night Test was how the new pink ball would react under lights later on the opening day.
I like day-night Test cricket and it’s here to stay but thank God this is the only time it will be historic. Then Josh Hazlewood 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. 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.
“He’s been on fire”, Siddle, who took 2-54 and celebrated his 200th test wicket, told reporters.
The dismissals of the Australian openers exposed some vulnerability against serious swing but the unprecedented conditions didn’t help the hosts.
While never good to see an opponent taken out of a match by a serious injury, before he’d gone off he had damaged New Zealand’s batting aspirations. “It’s going to be challenging the first hour or so…”
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Australia, who lead the series 1-0, have already retained the Trans-Tasman trophy following the draw in Perth, but New Zealand have a proud record to defend, having not been defeated in seven test series since 2013 under McCullum.
