Cricket: Black Caps kick off tour with win

Mitchell Santner (C) of New Zealand celebrates with team mates after taking a catch to dismiss Ashton Agar of the Prime Minister's XI. Photo / Getty

A couple of ducks excepted, New Zealand will have been well pleased with their 102-run win over a Prime Minister's XI to kick off their Australian tour in Canberra last night.

There was a hefty opening partnership between Martin Guptill and Tom Latham, useful runs lower down from Jimmy Neesham as New Zealand reached 307 for eight from their 50 overs in the pink ball match.

Then new ball pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult made short work of three Australian contenders for the first test starting in Brisbane on November 5 as the PM's XI were dismissed for 205 in the 46th over.

Boult whistled out Cameron Bancroft for a nine-ball duck; Usman Khawaja was bowled by Southee's 12th delivery; and Joe Burns was Boult's second victim for five in the eighth over.

When brothers Mike and David Hussey departed in short order soon after, the Prime Minister's XI were reeling at 60 for five in the 20th over. The only resistance came from wicketkeeper Ryan Carters with 74 and test batsman Adam Voges with 55.

The negative out of the match? Hamish Rutherford and Ross Taylor were out without scoring as New Zealand lost three for three, having kicked off the match with a fine 196-run stand between Guptill, who made 94 off 108 balls, and Latham. The Canterbury lefthander was finally dismissed for 131, off 127 balls.

Neesham chipped in a useful 34 off 29 balls.

The match was a trial for several PM's XI players, as will be the two-day game against the Chairman's XI starting at the same ground on Saturday.

The retirement of a clutch of senior Australian players after the recent Ashes loss in England means there will be a fresh look to their batting group in Brisbane. If the chosen ones are among those removed quickly by Boult and Southee last night, New Zealand will figure that an early edge may have been gained.