Cricket: Why the Black Caps' Boxing Day test chances hang on Steve Smith

Steve Smith raises his bat after scoring 50 runs on day one of the Boxing Day test. Photo / Photosport

Dismissing Australian batsman Steve Smith early on in the second day of the Boxing Day test is the key to New Zealand's chances, former Black Cap Craig Cumming says.

After the Black Caps started the test at the MCG with a bang on Thursday, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne provided an important 83-run partnership before the latter departed, setting the side up to finish 257-4 at the end of the day's play.

Speaking to Radio Sport, the former Black Caps test opener said Smith's wicket would play an important role in the outcome of the match.

"Everything they tried for Steve Smith yesterday, he had an answer," Cumming said.

"If he is the ninth or tenth person out, they've got a good first innings. If we can get him out early we can put them under real pressure. If we can knock them over in the 300s, even 350 or 360, that's a pretty good day-and-a-bit's work, and then we've got to ask our batters to do a job.

"You don't know what it's going to be like on day four or five. It puts a lot of importance on how well we bat in the first innings. We've got to score as many as possible; we don't want to be in that last innings situation where we've got to bat to score too many runs."

After winning the toss, Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson opted to bowl first at the MCG looking to make the most of the early overcast conditions. It looked to be the right call when Trent Boult rattled the stumps to dismiss Joe Burns in the first over of the match, before David Warner fell to a stunning Tim Southee catch after 21 overs.

However, with Labuschagne and Smith at the crease, the hosts steadied the ship and set the side up to go on with the job on day two.

A tough decision to make for Williamson, Cumming backed his decision to bowl first.

"I thought it was the right decision to bowl first, especially in that morning (session). If we had them three down at lunch, six down at tea or even six down at the end of the day, maybe seven, it was certainly the right decision. We came up against a couple of guys in Labuschagne and Steve Smith who just enjoy batting and they don't mind leaving the ball and being patient, but that's what test cricket is all about.

"Considering we were a bowler light and the fact that Mitchell Santner wasn't offering anything with the ball, even being able to do a holding role at any stage, the guys fought really well."