New Zealand face day-night challenge as Australia series begins

Kane Williamson's New Zealand kw y need to re-adapt quickly to nuances of day-night cricket to have any hope of winning first series in Australia for more than 30 years when this week's opening Test begins. tourists pad up for first of a three-Test series in Perth with warm-up games and in forecast 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) heat, before heading to Melbourne for Boxing Day clash n Sydney. y have momentum from last week's 1-0 series win against England, but that came on slow and docile New Zealand wickets -- a contrast to expected much zippier track and pink ball under lights at Optus Stadium. New Zealand last played a day-night Test nearly two years ago against England in Auckland, while Australians are fresh from thrashing Pakistan by an innings and 48 runs under lights in Adelaide last week.

" old day-night thing, eh. It'll be interesting. It's just ar thing to adapt to, I suppose," captain and run machine Williamson told reporters. "Such is international schedule -- we fly out, have a little bit of training and are straight into ar match. " perfect preparation? It's always hard to kw what that is."

New Zealand received some good news with all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme fit after tearing an abdominal muscle in first Test against England last month. Injured bowling spearhead Trent Boult also missed second Test against England but has recovered sufficiently from a side strain to ankle plane to Australia. He shapes up as a potential match-winner on a Perth pitch expected to offer pace and bounce, along with fellow quick bowlers Tim Soue and Neil Wagner. ir battle for supremacy with Australian fast bowling trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins could be crucial to outcome. Black Caps opener Tom Latham said team was t scared of facing such a top-tch attack.

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'Exciting opportunity'

"I wouldn't say (it's) daunting, but it's an exciting opportunity for us," he told reporters in Perth. "We're lucky eugh we have played most of ir guys before, so we kw what y bring." Scorching hot wear is forecast for first three days in Perth with Australia widely expected to field same XI to one that crushed Pakistan.

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Tim Paine's team has proven more consistent in recent months, having retained Ashes with a 2-2 draw in England before ir 2-0 sweep against Pakistan. David Warner, who made a monumental 335 t out in Adelaide, is in a rich vein of form, as is number three Marnus Labuschagne who has hit two big Test centuries in a row. Fellow batting powerhouse Steve Smith pinpointed Williamson and Boult as dangermen.

"He's a quality player and hopefully we can keep him quiet this series," he said of Williamson, while ting Boult has "terrific skills and a great record". "If he plays we will have to be very watchful," he added.

New Zealand have only won three of 31 Tests in Australia and have t claimed a series on thr or side of Tasman since 1985-86. But Allan Border, who skippered Australia in that series defeat, said Black Caps should t be underestimated. "I rate m very highly ... y're scrappers,", said Border, w a commentator. "It definitely is ir best chance to win a series since '85 because y've got most bases covered as a team."

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Squads

Australia: Tim Paine (capt), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matw Wade, David Warner

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Soue, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling 

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