Aussies have no issue with ball scuff warnings

Australia celebrate a wicket on the third day of the second test. Photo / Getty

Adam Voges has no issue with an umpire rebuking Australia for failing to return the ball to keeper Peter Nevill on the full in Christchurch.

The tactic is often used by teams attempting to scuff one side of the ball, which makes it possible for reverse-swing to come into play. It is frowned upon by umpires, although generally allowed to happen.

Richard Kettleborough took exception to the ball banging into the abrasive wicket block on day three of the second trans-Tasman Test.

The Englishman threatened to change the Kookaburra at one point, unhappy with a return from Usman Khawaja.

Khawaja defended himself, saying he attempted to get the ball to Nevill on the full.

"There's a line. I'm sure most fielding teams will get as close to the line as they can without overstepping it," Voges said.

"That's the umpires' job, to tell us when we're getting close.

"That's what happened today and we kept it up pretty well after that."

Retiring New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum picked up the ball during the afternoon session, seemingly curious about why it had started to move around a bit.

"He was probably having a look to see what it looked like," Voges said.

"We've probably got it going more than what they have.

"We again got one of the sides a little bit scuffed and looked after the other side and away we went."

NZ keeper BJ Watling described the bounce returns as part of the game.

"We do talk about that. You try and get it to go if you're not getting much swing," Watling said.

"You throw the ball in from the boundary and it bounces, it's just cricket. Maybe not the short ones."

Australia produced one of their most eye-catching displays of reverse-swing in last week's first Test at Wellington.

NZ swing king Trent Boult admitted after the heavy loss he was surprised by how much the ball went 'Irish' at the Basin Reserve.

"We didn't get it to go at all ... we could learn a thing or two from them," he said.

- AAP