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Aussies on top as pink ball takes centre stage

Steve Smith led from the front to ensure Australia took the honours on day one of the inaugural day-night Test.

Smith’s unique technique was given a thorough examination under lights at Adelaide Oval, where New Zealand swing kings Tim Southee and Trent Boult had the pink ball hooping.

Smith (24no) survived 22 overs as Australia reached 2-54 at stumps on Friday, having rolled New Zealand for 202.

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The only downside for Australia was some bad injury news, with paceman Mitchell Starc facing a stint on the sidelines with an “early stage stress fracture in the third metatarsal of his right foot”.

Starc won’t feature again in the match, and will be in serious doubt for the series against the West Indies.

Mitchell Starc's stress fracture put a dampener on things. Photo: Getty

Mitchell Starc’s stress fracture put a dampener on things. Photo: Getty

But Australia’s attack put in a markedly improved bowling performance compared to Brisbane and Perth.

Recalled paceman Peter Siddle dismissed Ross Taylor and Doug Bracewell, bringing his career tally to 200 Test wickets.

It will count for little if Australia suffer another swing-induced collapse on a grassy pitch, as was the case in the third and fourth Ashes Test this year.

Smith promoted himself to first drop following Usman Khawaja’s injury in Perth, the captain having logged single-figure scores at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge when he cameoed in the same position.

The 26-year-old showed great maturity in reaching 24 off 48 balls, having come out to bat in the fourth over when David Warner was out edging for one.

The final session is supposed to be the hardest time to face the pink ball.

Southee, Boult and Bracewell ensured that was the case.

First-changer Bracewell was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers, finishing with figures of 1-6 after Joe Burns played on.

The hosts aren’t in control of the contest yet, however Smith and Adam Voges should find batting a lot easier on Saturday.

The day became most interesting when the sun set, and it was a spectacular new dawn for Test cricket.

Steve Smith looked back on song. Photo: Getty

Steve Smith looked back on song. Photo: Getty

On early evidence, day-night Test matches are here to stay.

Spectators love it.

Some 47,441 people turned up to Adelaide Oval for the first day and night of cricket’s new era.

That’s more fans than attended the entire Perth Test between Australia and New Zealand – for the record, 40,288.

And almost as many as the overall attendance at this summer’s first Test in Brisbane – 52,199.

The Adelaide crowd was more than 31,000 greater than the biggest single-day attendance this series – 16,181 on day one at the Gabba.

(Another for the record: the biggest-ever Test cricket crowd at Adelaide Oval is 50,962 who watched Australia and England on January 14, 1933, in the infamous Bodyline series).

So the crowd figures emphatically answer one question about the concept: will fans embrace it?.

But what of the other queries? Chiefly, what about the pink ball?

Granted, it’s a small sample. But again, the early evidence is resounding.

Josh Hazlewood with the day's real star, the pink ball. Photo: Getty

Josh Hazlewood with the day’s real star, the pink ball. Photo: Getty

The pink ball held up well – far better than New Zealand’s batsmen.

Australia’s bowlers swung it, but not outrageously; they seamed it, but not ridiculously; they spun it, but not prodigiously.

Click the owl to see who did what with the pink ball  

Australia used the same pink ball for 65.2 overs. And it never lost its lustre or, from a distance, was it hard to sight.

And fears the ball would hoop around proverbial corners under lights proved unfounded.

Sure, the Kiwi bowlers moved it through the air in the night session. But again, nothing extraordinary.

So that’s two ticks out of two – crowd and ball.

But what about the broadcaster?

Judging from the amount of times the Nine Network screened cutaways of a glorious Adelaide sunset, which turned the sky a brilliant pink and purple hue, they were like the fans: rapt.

The network is eagerly awaiting ratings of the first prime-time session of Test cricket.

It’s a fair bet that, like the overall package delivered on day-night one in Adelaide, it will be a winner.

AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND CROWD COMPARISONS

* Adelaide Oval day one crowd: 47,441

* Entire crowd for second Test in Perth: 40,288

* Entire crowd for first Test in Brisbane: 52,199

* Biggest single-day crowd in Perth: 13,593 (day one)

* Biggest single-day crowd in Brisbane: 16,181 (day one)

ADELAIDE COMPARISON

* 2008: Australia v New Zealand day one crowd: 15,829

* 2004: Australia v New Zealand day one crowd: 18,246
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