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

By Ian Ransom

ADELAIDE (Reuters) – New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and chose to bat first against Australia on Friday in cricket’s inaugural day-night test match at Adelaide Oval.

Australia, who lead the series 1-0, have already retained the Trans-Tasman trophy following the draw in Perth, but both teams will be eager to etch their names in the record books as the first to win a test played under floodlights.

New Zealand also have a proud record to defend, having not been defeated in seven test series since 2013 under McCullum.

Although both teams have played warmups under lights with the specially developed pink ball, the match is something of a leap into the unknown.

Batsmen have reported problems seeing the ball clearly at twilight and the bowlers will hope to exploit that during the later sessions.

New Zealand have picked a second spinner in uncapped 23-year-old all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who replaces seamer Matt Henry, while paceman Trent Boult has been selected after recovering from a back complaint.

Santner will bat sixth in the order.

Following the retirement of Mitchell Johnson after the Perth test, Peter Siddle joins Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in Australia’s pace attack, with James Pattinson the 12th man.

Batsman Shaun Marsh has come into the side in place of the injured Usman Khawaja, but will bat fifth in the order, with captain Steve Smith promoting himself to number three.

After having a poor run with the flip of the coin, McCullum joked that it was a “miracle” he had won it.

“We definitely wanted to bat first,” he told state radio broadcaster ABC in a pitchside interview. “It’s going to be challenging the first hour or so … There is grass but there’s been grass the last couple of wickets as well.”

Smith said he would also have elected to bat first.

“I think if we bowl well up front it will be quite difficult for their batters,” he added.

“It’s been a pretty big buildup to this day-night test match … the boys are ready to go.”

Teams:

Australia – David Warner, Joe Burns, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wicketkeeper), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (captain), BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)