Australia 147 for 3 (Smith 71, Khawaja 57*, Southee 2-22) trail New Zealand 183 (Craig 41*, Hazlewood 4-42, Siddle 3-37) by 36 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Brendon McCullum fell for a duck, playing his 100th Test on the trot © Getty Images
With a grim determination to right a few of last year’s Ashes wrongs, Australia took command of the first Test against New Zealand to rain on Brendon McCullum’s 100th Test parade and subdue a packed house at the Basin Reserve.
Starting with Steven Smith’s correct call at the toss, the visitors did very little wrong on the opening day of the series, taking advantage of the earlier moisture in the pitch with the ball, then settling in at the crease after Tim Southee claimed Joe Burns and David Warner.
Smith was out just before the close, but Usman Khawaja remained in ominous touch as he maintains his ascent to truly rarified batting territory. He will be joined on the second morning by Adam Voges, who shouldered arms in the last over to Doug Bracewell and was bowled, only to be reprieved by Richard Illingworth’s no-ball call. Replays indicated Bracewell may not have overstepped – a likely source of tension after the Mitchell Marsh episode in Hamilton.
Full report to follow…
Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo