Australia hold nerve to win historic day-night contest

Australia on Sunday claimed a thrilling three-wicket victory over New Zealand inside three days at the Adelaide Oval in the first-ever day-night Test match.

Shaun Marsh anchored Australia to the cusp of victory before losing his wicket on 49, and the battling Kiwis set up a tense finish under the floodlights by also dismissing Peter Nevill to leave the home side seven wickets down.

Much to the crowd’s relief Peter Siddle, whose ailing grandmother passed away overnight, cracked the winning runs with a hobbling Mitchell Starc as his batting partner, to clinch a 2-0 series victory over the gallant Black Caps.

Australia won the first Brisbane Test by 208 runs and the second Perth Test was drawn. The match was redemption for Marsh, who has struggled to hold down a place in the Australian team with inconsistent batting performances over his four years at Test level.

“It was fantastic for Shaun to get an opportunity,” said skipper Steve Smith. “He’s been batting extremely well and the way he played under pressure with his brother to put a partnership together was really crucial for us at that stage.”

The pink ball developed for day-night Tests triumphed over the bat in a fast-paced Test which attracted a total attendance of 1,23,736. The aim of the experiment is to bring the crowds back to the long form of the game.

“The bowlers have dominated this game and it’s great for cricket,” Smith said.It was the first three-day Test match at the Adelaide Oval in 64 years — since the West Indies beat Australia by six wickets. Shaun Marsh had been dropped during the Ashes series in England in August and only came into the Adelaide Test as a replacement for injured number three Usman Khawaja. He lost his younger brother Mitch during the final session, caught holing out to spinner Mitchell Santner for 28 with 26 runs still needed for victory.

Shaun lost his own wicket when he dabbled at Trent Boult and was snapped up by Ross Taylor at first slip.

Scorecard New Zealand (1st innings): 202 Australia (1st innings): 224 New Zealand (2nd innings): M. Guptill c Marsh b Hazlewood 17, T. Latham c Nevill b Hazlewood 10, K. Williamson c Nevill b Mitchell Marsh 9, R. Taylor lbw b Hazlewood 32, B. McCullum lbw b Mitch Marsh 20, M. Santner st Nevill b Lyon 45, B.J. Watling c Smith b Hazlewood 7, M. Craig c Nevill b Hazlewood 15, D. Bracewell (not out) 27, T. Southee c Lyon b Marsh 13, T. Boult b Hazlewood 5. Extras: (6b,2lb) 8. Total: (in 62.5 overs) 208. FoW: 1-29, 2-32, 3-52, 4-84, 5-98, 6-116, 7-140, 8-175, 9-192. Bowling: Hazlewood 24.5-5-70-6, Siddle 14-6-35-0, Marsh 14-2-59-3, Lyon 10-1-36-1.

Australia (2nd innings): D. Warner c Southee b Bracewell 35, J. Burns lbw b Boult 11, S. Smith lbw b Boult 14, A. Voges c Southee b Boult 28, S. Marsh c Taylor b Boult 49, M. Marsh c Williamson b Santner 28, P. Nevill c Watling b Boult 10, P. Siddle (not out) 9, M. Starc (not out) 0. Extras: (2lb, 1w) 3. Total: (for 7 wkts, in 51 overs) 187. FoW: 1-34, 2-62, 3-66, 4-115, 5-161, 6-176, 7-185. Bowling: Southee 16-1-58-0, Boult 16-3-60-5, Bracewell 11-2-37-1, Craig 6-0-22-0, Santner 2-0-8-1.