Cricket: NZ batsmen far from in the pink

Australian speedster Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Kane Williamson yesterday. Picture / Getty Images

Big chance missed on day of firsts in historic test in Adelaide

A raging success, with a qualification or two; a new test age arrived yesterday with a boom.

It's hard to argue with the numbers who turned up to see pink ball test history, so let's not.

It was a memorable day, 12 wickets and confirmation that bowling under lights will be far more beneficial than during the day, not that Australia's bowlers did a bad job, albeit against mediocre batting, it has to be said.

All that happened during the first two sessions slipped behind the final period in terms of anticipation, when the lights were on and the hijinks were expected.

The ball did dip around and by the time Doug Bracewell dismissed Joe Burns to put a twitch in the Australian viewing room, the crowd had swelled to a spectacular 47,441.

New Zealand needed as much success as they could eke out of the late period. Two wickets, you felt, was at least one too few. Australia will start at 54 for two trailing by 148.

The ball certainly moved about more than it did during the day. However, Tim Southee, apart from beating Australian skipper Steve Smith twice, was too wide of off stump.

Trent Boult was sharp, and beat David Warner three times before getting him caught at third slip; and Bracewell did a solid job.

The roar as Mitchell Starc ran in for the first ball told a story.

There were 27,000 people inside Adelaide Oval for the moment the test game changed colour.

The concourse in front of the Chappell Stand and Don Bradman Pavilion was squashed with spectators for six hours. The hubbub rolled around the spectacular stadium all day, and night.

On a day loaded with firsts, did the bright pink pill get a pass mark? Yes and no. Early on visibility was fine. Later, less so.

Television? No problems.

Earlier in the day Tom Latham impressed, before it all went wrong after tea. A total of 202 was wholly inadequate.

A big chance had been missed.