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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Vithushan Ehantharajah up first, Russell Jackson later

Australia dominate day one of the first Test against New Zealand – as it happened

David Warner, in his first Test match as Australia’s vice-captain, hit 163 on day one at the Gabba.
David Warner, in his first Test match as Australia’s vice-captain, hit 163 on day one at the Gabba. Photograph: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The day in one update...

New Zealand got thumped. They lost the toss and from that moment things never improved. Having elected to bat, Steve Smith had to wait patiently in the sheds as David Warner (163), Joe Burns (71 in a commanding 161-run opening stand) and Usman Khawaja (undefeated on 102) gradually dismantled the Kiwi attack.

Smith (41*) arrived at the crease on a mission, upping the ante when Khawaja lulled and helping his returning teammate along as he compiled a beautiful, measured hundred, his first in Tests and a vindication of his sublime talents. With a night’s rest, he could go very big indeed but lets’ not forget he’s on the comeback trail from a hamstring injury, so could be a little leg-weary too.

The Kiwi bowlers? Tim Southee bent his back all day for 1-63 from his 19 overs but there was a whole heap of dross otherwise. Trent Boult (0-90 off 19) rarely threatened and Doug Bracewell (0-79 off 18) was just pedestrian. Worse, spinner Mark Craig (0-96 off 21) was consistent only in offering up boundary balls. Not much Brendon McCullum could have done, in other words.

So the task for New Zealand to stay in this game will be a tough one tomorrow. Thanks for joining us for all the live action and make sure you stop by tomorrow, when we’ll be casting an eye over all the developments from Brisbane and bringing you ever over live.

Stumps - Australia finish a dominant day with the bat 389-2

88th over: Australia 389-2 (Khawaja 102, Smith 41)

Mark ‘Little Dog’ Craig will get a bowl with the new ball now. That isn’t really his nickname, but if I type it often enough it might happen. He’s been Borthwick’d today; feasted upon by batsmen eager to pounce on his regular transgressions. This is a maiden though. Khawaja is too tired to tonk him.

And with that...Day 1 of the Test summer is done, with Australia having utterly demolished the Kiwi bowling attack. I’ll be back with a brief recap, but the score tells you most of what you need to know.

87th over: Australia 389-2 (Khawaja 102, Smith 41)

In a concession that he’d rather be back in the sheds at this point, McCullum has thrown the ball to Doug Bracewell in what amounts to a Hail Mary shot. It’s not the worst over of the day by a long shot but Smith catches himself giving a sucker an even break and clips four through long on to finish the over. Bracewell is beyond animated facial expressions at this point.

86th over: Australia 385-2 (Khawaja 102, Smith 37)

We enter an interesting period here, you’d suppose, with Khawaja’s emotions doing somersaults after he’s finally broken through for a hundred at Test level but a few overs still to negotiate in fading light.

Khawaja gets his maiden Test hundred!

...and in glorious style with a full flourish, cracking Boult down to fine leg with an elegant flick to beat the fieldsman and pick up a boundary. It took just 123 balls, featured 12 fours and 2 sixes and you get the sense he’ll never forget it. Well done that man. A superb knock. Stick that in your 2-Test probation pipe and smoke it, Mark Waugh!

Updated

85th over: Australia 377-2 (Khawaja 97, Smith 34)

Khawaja drives attractively once more to pick up three out to deep cover and looks entirely set for something I dare not mention lest I mozz him. Not to be outdone, Smith wiggles towards off and hammers Southee square of mid-wicket for four as misery piles upon lethargy for the New Zealanders. This day can’t be done with quick enough for them.

84th over: Australia 370-2 (Khawaja 94, Smith 30)

Poor New Zealand. Three of their cohort – Guptill, Latham and Williamson – set off in pursuit when Khawaja cuts towards the deep point boundary but none of them can reel it in before the rope. This Australian first-day total, in case you’re wondering, now surpasses the 364 they piled on when Nasser Hussain sent them in back in 2002. Not ideal for the tourists. Khawaja rubs it in with a classical cover cover drive for four. He’s batting like a dream today.

83rd over: Australia 361-2 (Khawaja 85, Smith 30)

Thwack! Southee drops short and wide outside off and Smith isn’t going to let an opportunity like that pass, so drives hard and square for a boundary through point. Thereafter he’s prepared to wait for the bad ball and none more come in the Southee over.

In what is quite literally a sight for sore eyes, Nine switch across to their HD channel for the last hour of play. That’ll do me fine.

82nd over: Australia 357-2 (Khawaja 85, Smith 26)

Boult looks immediately happier with a new ball in his hand at the Vulture Street end, but Smith tucks him to leg for one after accounting for a decent increase in swing. Boult’s average speed today has been just 132.9kmph, rarely quick enough to cause the kinds of problems he did with the white ball throughout the World Cup. There’s only one from the over, but it’s hardly inspiring.

New Zealand take the new ball

81st over: Australia 356-2 (Khawaja 85, Smith 25)

McCullum does call for the brand new Kookaburra and Southee is the man who gets first crack with it. The other item of note as third umpire Paul Wilson brought it out was that he also brought a light metre onto the field for the central umpires to use at this gloomy late-afternoon stage. That would be the final insult for the Kiwis, wouldn’t it?

Anyway, new or old, the ball doesn’t seem to matter. Khawaja drives Southee for an all-run-four and worse still, Brendon McCullum appears to injure his leg (the knee maybe?) diving for it at the boundary.

80th over: Australia 352-2 (Khawaja 81, Smith 25)

In all likelihood McCullum will take the new ball at the first opportunity, so Bracewell continues with the ropey old one to let Boult and Southee prepare themselves for a wicket or two late in the day.

Guys, if it means one thing, that one thing definitely isn’t this.

79th over: Australia 352-2 (Khawaja 81, Smith 25)

Khawaja is happy to dab Craig around for singles right now, an approach in which I think he’s missing a trick. Perhaps that’s harsh. He’s been in lovely touch today and right as I ponder his need to get a wriggle on, he eases back and pulls the offie through mid-wicket for a boundary. What a dream return this could end up being in front of his adopted home crowd. Can you adopt a crowd? When they’ve fallen victim to Usmania, I’d guess so.

78th over: Australia 346-2 (Khawaja 76, Smith 24)

With Bracewell reverting to type and plugging one in short and straight, Steve Smith is able to pull him through leg for four with the kind of automated movement you and I only have for tasks like flicking channels with the TV remote or tapping the pedestrian crossing button. He’s just made the easiest first 24 runs you’ll ever see.

77th over: Australia 340-2 (Khawaja 76, Smith 18)

Trent has shot his Boult so Little Dog Craig is back to bowl a few overs of spin before the new ball arrives. Smith and Khawaja each nudge singles and for the latter, the only barrier to a maiden Test century will be that new ball. He’s passed his highest Test score by 11 now.

76th over: Australia 336-2 (Khawaja 74, Smith 16)

Actually, Bracewell is also doing a decent job of building some pressure just at the moment, metronomically hitting a line outside Smith’s off stump and asking questions of him – questions other than “Would you like some easy runs?” That’s been the story of the rest of the day. And would you look at that, the Kiwis have managed two maidens in a row.

75th over: Australia 336-2 (Khawaja 74, Smith 16)

This is far better from Boult. He pins Khawaja to the crease with a sting of dot balls to at least build pressure where outright menace is absent. The over ends up a maiden, an infrequent enough event today as to be worthy of celebration for the tourists. Never fear though, Doug Bracewell is up next.

74th over: Australia 336-2 (Khawaja 74, Smith 16)

Okay, time for Khawaja to get moving again with a lofted drive for four. This one comes from Mark Craig, against whom he’s happy to skip down the track. As Ian Chappell notes, there’s actually a decent amount of turn and bounce in this Gabba pitch (Nathan Lyon usually bowls well here) so Craig surely should have made a better fist of things today.

73rd over: Australia 327-2 (Khawaja 66, Smith 15)

Breaking: Trent Boult is alive and back bowling. Actually, you know what? It’s actually his 15th over. That’s a reasonable shift I guess. It’s all a bit easier on the sofa. Boult’s immediately cut for four when he drops short outside Smith’s off stump and then straightening up, his next ball is pulled dismissively through mid-wicket for another boundary. With Khawaja crawling along a little now, he’s taking it upon himself to demoralise the tourists in the final few hours.

A late runner for the ‘cricket blocks’ competition.

72nd over: Australia 319-2 (Khawaja 66, Smith 7)

Mike Lyle from Northern Ireland has dropped us a line as Mark Craig goes through the motions in uneventful style. “Greetings from Larne in Northern Ireland,” he says. “Not long to go before it reaches 6am GMT...this is the magic moment when the top 6 teams in the world rankings will all be simultaneously playing live on TV!”

“As someone who grew up in the 80s it strikes me as truly remarkable that there is now such a varied choice of Test viewing available. In November 1986 for instance, UK viewers only got live BBC Ashes coverage of the last two sessions of the Perth Test! I remember it well, even though it was all a bit crap and ended in a draw.”

“Now almost 29 years to the day later I have a full choice of 3 matches! Obviously I will miss the best bits as I flick between channels and will fall asleep soon but still, what a turnaround. Basically Test cricket coverage is the only thing in the world that has improved since 1986, at least in my world.”

And we now have Pespi Max, of course.

71st over: Australia 317-2 (Khawaja 65, Smith 6)

With Warner now removed, Neesham faces the oh-so-easy prospect of containing Steve Smith. The Australian skipper arrives at the crease like he’s spent the day in a cage, pulling Neesham through mid wicket for two and then a boundary to get started. This could be fun.

Wicket! Warner c Taylor b Neesham 163 from 224 balls (Australia 311-2)

Warner is gone! At the start of the over Neesham looks like he’d rather be playing on his phone and he’s maybe even struggling a little on a physical level, but with a real loose one outside off he draws a big swipe from Warner and Ross Taylor hangs onto a high one at first slip. After a patient 224-ball stay, Warner is finally gone.

At drinks in the final session, the Aussies are still in command

70th over: Australia 305-1 (Warner 157, Khawaja 65)

In a moment of karma, I’ve just missed Southee’s entire pre-drinks maiden to a power outage. Was it good? If a Tim Southee maiden is not seen, did it ever happen? Anyway, hopefully I’m back on track now.

69th over: Australia 305-1 (Warner 157, Khawaja 65)

Neesham keeps bounding in to Khawaja he’s rarely nailing both his line and length simultaneously, so runs are there for the taking as the Aussies pass 300.

Sorry, but not being a Kiwi volume, this entry doesn’t count towards the competition.

68th over: Australia 298-1 (Warner 156, Khawaja 60)

Tim Southee is back into the attack now but Kiwi sprits are flagging so badly I feel compelled to focus on something fun, like their historical tendancy to produce better pun titles for cricket books. My favourites: Gavin Larsen’s ‘Grand Larseny’ and Jeremy Coney’s ‘Playing Mantis’. Have you got a favourite? Email in now to the saddest competition in the history of cricket media.

In the meantime, Khawaja’s wristiness is a continued joy but he almost runs himself out, only narrowly scraping in with a dive to save his skin when Warner takes a quick single. How much do you want to bet that the next wicket will be a run out? I’d stake my copy of Grand Larseny if it wasn’t signed. An heirloom, that.

Warner moves to 150 as Australia continue to dominate

67th over: Australia 293-1 (Warner 154, Khawaja 57)

The 140-character Don is back into the attack now, just in time to help David Warner to the 150-run mark. Warner crunches him for four on the drive and is looking to fill his boots for the rest of the over too. Neesham circumvents that perhaps though luck more than good management. We still love him though. It can’t be much fun bowling to Warner when he’s in a mood like this.

I stand corrected.

66th over: Australia 288-1 (Warner 149, Khawaja 57)

Some would say that the 66th over is a little too early to be hanging out for the new ball, but perhaps with the lagging over rate in mind, McCullum gives Williamson an uneventful over.

I quite like Tubby’s work for the most part, but this pun is too good to pass up.

65th over: Australia 285-1 (Warner 147, Khawaja 56)

If Boult is going to be the saviour for New Zealand here, there’s one key move that McCullum needs to make, and that’s to actually give him a bowl. For now he sticks with Bracewell, whose mediums are so military they should be wearing a slouch hat and playing two-up.

64th over: Australia 280-1 (Warner 142, Khawaja 56)

In his ever-expanding desire to get a line on every corner of his wagon wheel, Usman Khawaja rocks back to Craig and plays a classical late cut for four. Mark Taylor’s still bagging him, for some undeclared reason. He’s been at it all day. Very strange. Anyway, there’s 8 from the over as Little Dog continues to fall short in the area of obedience.

63rd over: Australia 272-1 (Warner 139, Khawaja 51)

Ever the enthusiast, Warne now hustles Khawaja through for the third all-run-four of the day when the opener crunches Bracewell to deep cover. That’s keen. With this match now slipping away, Kiwi Ian Smith says it’s going to take a magical spell from Trent Boult to turn this around, but I don’t think bowling partnership of David Blaine and Harry Houdini would unsettle these two. Could be wrong.

A half-century for Usman Khawaja

62nd over: Australia 265-1 (Warner 134, Khawaja 50)

Oh my. Usman Khawaja is batting like a genius right now. He skips down the wicket to Little Dog Craig and hits him for an inside-out six over cover, a shot that makes Khawaja look like the lovechild of David Gower and Brian Lara. A few balls later he brings up his 50 from 60 balls, a knock that featured 5 fours and 2 sixes. The Kiwis are playing him into a permanent spot in the side at this rate. The pitch is flat and the bowlers tiring, but he’s playing a gem of an innings to complement Warner’s controlled savagery.

61st over: Australia 256-1 (Warner 132, Khawaja 43)

McCullum needs to send Doug Bracewell down to the fine leg boundary and have someone lean over the fence with a smartphone so he can watch a Vine of Southee dismissing Burns earlier. Any danger he’ll stop banging every ball in short? It’s a tactic of sorts, but an entirely negative one that concedes he’s got no virtue other than tempting a rash stroke. Remember the way he swung it all those years ago in Hobart? Seems like a fever dream now.

60th over: Australia 253-1 (Warner 130, Khawaja 42)

Khawaja skips down the track in his usual silky style and ruthlessly flays Craig over his head for a huge six. He’s really switched on today, Khawaja. Not so much Mark Craig. I’m struggling to think of a famous Craig who has suffered a worse fate than the Kiwi spinner today. Even Craig David still does okay playing nightclub shows to 300 people.

59th over: Australia 246-1 (Warner 130, Khawaja 36)

I was wrong about Warner, by the way. It’s only his longest stay in Test cricket. He batted far longer in some Australia A games. I’m sorry if you’ve rushed off and told your loved ones that stat in the meantime. You did, didn’t you? Bracewell is knocked around a little in this over but nothing too dramatic.

Meanwhile, “brown pajamas” sounds like something deplorable you’d find on Urban Dictionary, doesn’t it?

58th over: Australia 239-1 (Warner 124, Khawaja 35)

Now it’s Khawaja’s turn to feast on Mark Craig, who I regret labelling Big Dog for the entirety of the last session, because it only works ironically at the moment. Usman swats him through mid-wicket for four, continuing the trend of the day in which he’s always offered up at least one buffet ball per over. He’s the opposite of Bracewell: not enough stock balls.

You know what else I just remembered? Steve Smith hasn’t even batted yet. Good grief that could be ugly.

57th over: Australia 235-1 (Warner 124, Khawaja 31)

Doug Bracewell was something of a bogeyman for the Aussies the last time New Zealand toured for Tests, which from memory was at about the mid-way point of the Keating government, but he’s a little flat at the moment. He’s serving up more stock than Iron Chef Bobby Flay in fact. Still, a maiden is a maiden.

56th over: Australia 234-1 (Warner 124, Khawaja 31)

Having been hit for 47 runs off his 12 wicketless overs in the first session, Mark Craig is back with the unenviable task of trying to get past a well-set David Warner. The batsman has other ideas, resting on his left knee and slog-sweeping the offfie over cow corner for four. Worse is to come for Craig when he shoots down a long hop and Warner crunches it throw mid-wicket for another boundary and then finishes with a single. He’s doing as he pleases now and guess what? He’s just reached 175 deliveries faced, his longest stay in first-class cricket. Dizzy stuff.

55th over: Australia 225-1 (Warner 115, Khawaja 31)

Okay, we’re back live at the Gabba. I went and scrounged an ice-cold Pepsi Max and a bite-size KitKat from the fridge, because I do like to treat myself occasionally, and Doug Bracewell has just made me blast a huge mouthful of it all over my screen as he slips onto his back attempting to deliver the first ball of the session. Poor bloke.

He does produce a half-decent yorker to Warner too but it was at about three-quarters of the pace it needed to be to clean him up. Warner has now faced 169 deliveries. The countdown is on.

Some more Jimmy Neesham

54th over: Australia 222-1 (Warner 113, Khawaja 30)

Big Dog gets a treat after all. One more over. Is this just because the quicks are too tired? Maybe. He draws Khawaja into a false stroke when the left cuts at one that was a little too close to his off stump, but the rest of the over is dross. Which is to say a reasonable microcosm of New Zealand’s day; the odd threatening moment but mostly a whole lot of toil.

David Warner was magnificent in the first two sessions to reach 113, and he and Khawaja will resume after tea with all the momentum. I’ll be back after a quick mission to the fridge.

53rd over: Australia 222-1 (Warner 113, Khawaja 30)

Big Dog is lacking bark, so Kane Williamson is speculatively thrown the ball for the final over before tea. The thinking, you’d guess, is that Warner won’t be able to help himself from indulging a wild swing, but after Khawaja gets off strike he’s all care until he’s gifted a full toss and hammers it down to the vacant cow corner region for four more. They’re racing through this over. Maybe they’ll get another in.

Yes, there will be one more over! My refreshment break will have to wait...

52nd over: Australia 217-1 (Warner 109, Khawaja 29)

I don’t really want to tempt fate but we’ve officially entered the danger zone for Warner; close to a break and with the Australian opener 150-odd deliveries into his knock. He’s never lasted longer than 174 balls in Tests. And...crack! He’s cut one straight into the back of Brendon McCullum at silly point. Is the Kiwi skipper brave or stupid for fielding there? At least they share a laugh and a handshake. Better than their pre-game bickering.

Warner survives. He’s 160 deliveries deep now. I’ll admit, I’m perversely fascinated with this stat. C’mon Davey, you’ve got it in you.

51st over: Australia 217-1 (Warner 109, Khawaja 29)

With tea approaching and the 50-run partnership between these two ticked off in 69 deliveries, I guess we must be pretty close to the tea break now. Warner’s even mis-hitting fours at this stage, this one straight down the track off Southee, who’s done yeoman’s work today and only has the wicket of Burns to show for it. Factor in that Blacktown tour game debacle and the Kiwi attack has two wickets in close to three days of cricket. Hard yakka.

50th over: Australia 210-1 (Warner 102, Khawaja 29)

Big Dog Craig hasn’t set the world on fire today but keeps grinding away for another over, conceding three runs. His action is reminiscent of Graeme Swann but he’s bowling a little more like Graham Gooch at the moment, sadly. Can he find a new gear?

49th over: Australia 207-1 (Warner 101, Khawaja 27)

There’s some funky field placements happening now, with McCullum depositing a man very close to the pitch at short mid-on , in case Khawaja is a little too laconic with his on drive from Southee. There’s also a conventional mid-on and a man in short at mid-wicket. Southee is bowling a leg-side line as well. I think I understand what they’re getting at here and unfortunately, so does the batsman.

Ooh, remember Chris Sabburg, the professional sub fielder from last summer? He’s out there giving Warner some Panadol and a glass of water. Nice to have him back.

48th over: Australia 207-1 (Warner 101, Khawaja 27)

Warner’s two to bring up his ton is the only major event of the over, but Scott Lowe drops by with a question or two. “Love your work. Two things a) why did Iain O’Brien block you? and b) Usmania sounds very much like Inzamania. The adoring fans, the comical run-outs. All he needs is a magnificent beard and all of Cricket Australia’s revenue problems are solved and we won’t have to resort to just playing England and India back-to-back-to-back.”

I like your thinking, Scott. The O’Brien block was, as far as I can tell, in regards to a column Scyld Berry wrote about...yep...you guessed it...Usmania. Everything it coming full circle.

David Warner gets his century!

This will surprise you, but Mark Craig has gifted Warner a century here by dragging one short and the Australian duly cuts hard to the off side to bring up his milestone. Brilliant stuff. He’s been calm and composed today. It took 141 balls and featured 14 fours and a six, but it’s been a truly mature knock.

David Warner takes off in celebration of reaching his century.
David Warner takes off in celebration of reaching his century. Photograph: Ryan Pierse - CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Updated

47th over: Australia 205-1 (Warner 99, Khawaja 27)

Your humble correspondent might be under imminent threat of a tornado here in Melbourne, but in Brisbane it’s Usmania that is the main danger for New Zealand. He pulls Southee for an all-run four to move into the twenties and looks the goods at the moment, rubbing it in even further with a majestic straight drive for for more. So composed. Much elegant. Wow.

Update: the bureau of meteorolgy have canceled that tornado warning now. I won’t be the first man killed completing an OBO after all. You know what they say about near-death experiences though... Yep, hanky panky time.

46th over: Australia 197-1 (Warner 99, Khawaja 19)

Speaking of Khawaja, all he needs to do here is milk a single off Big Dog to let Warner ease his way to the milestone, but he’s going a bit heavy on leaves for the first three balls. But then... he sweeps three to leg so Warner has one ball of Big Dog badness to biff his way through.

Craig comes in...he loops his arm... he reaches his delivery stride...and Warner misses an absolute gift, short and something else starting with “sh” but the batsman can’t connect with a lusty cut.

45th over: Australia 194-1 (Warner 99, Khawaja 16)

As Warner edges ever closer to a big moment, Matt Harris has stopped by with some more Khawaja love. “One can only hope that if Khawaja can cement his spot, he has the good sense to refer to his supporters as Usmaniacs.” Did you know that he’s a qualified pilot, Matt? I think he should star in the next series of The Bachelor, if only so he can actually spirit his dates to those cliff-top picnics himself. There’s nothing impressive about sitting in the passenger slot in a Spitfire. That’s not an adventure date. ‘The Bachelor - Usmania’ - make it happen Channel Ten.

Anyway, Warner moves to 99 by nudging Southee for two to end the over. Everyone stay where you are. Let’s not jinx this.

44th over: Australia 190-1 (Warner 96, Khawaja 15)

Right on cue there’s a near run-out at the bowler’s end after some indecision between Warner and Khwaja. But...it wasn’t Warner’s call and he was ball-watching. I’m letting Khawaja off there. And there’s bigger issues at hand: Warner is now just one weighty blow from a... I won’t tempt fate. He’s batting so patiently today. Tres mature, as the French don’t say.

43rd over: Australia 187-1 (Warner 94, Khawaja 14)

Now Boult is stinking it up, dropping short to Warner and allowing him to punch that swivel-pull of his through mid-on for a boundary. He’s into the 90s now. Worse for the Kiwis, Khawaja is able to biff another four to the exact same spot as Warner. He’s loving it out there right now.

Reader Sam Fiddian has stopped by, too. “Afternoon Rusty, an unmitigated joy to have you back,” he says, currying immediate favour. “Since the games seems to be only marginally interesting and I can’t get any radio reception at work, is it too early in the season to ask how the next few months might pan out, and how many people might care? Everyone likes going up against New Zealand (as long as we win) but is there wisdom in only having a three test series? Are the West Indies going to put up any sort of show or will those tests be over by tea on the third day?”

“I know you’re not on Channel Nine, but vaguely ill-informed comment with no sense of accountability seems to go with the First Test... and will offer you some talking points.”

You mean wilder than Paul Weller references? Here’s a bold prediction: by the end of the summer, Usmania will envelop the country so thoroughly that we’ll all have tattoos of the great man on our necks. I’ll think of some more and update as I go along. Also: he’ll run someone out in comical style.

Updated

42nd over: Australia 178-1 (Warner 89, Khawaja 10)

Mark Craig starts his second over with another shocker, dragging it short and allowing Khawaja to bolster his confidence by cutting four and then three more through the hands of Marty Guptill at point. With that the new man is into double figures and away. McCullum will be miffed with that. Warner finishes by driving three through cover. Craig might get dragged for that. The Big Dog could be sent outside to his kennel without so much as a dinner scrap lobbed under the table.

41st over: Australia 168-1 (Warner 86, Khawaja 3)

Trent Boult is back into the attack to try and prize out Khawaja early because the Kiwis think he’ll struggle to the ball that moves away from him. That’s a little harsh on the wicket-taker Southee but being the team man he is, he’ll understand.

Reminder: though you think of him as that cousin who plays Lil Wayne through headphones during family dinners, Usman Khawaja is actually 28 years old now. How did that happen? Anyway, he gets off the mark by slicing three down towards third man, which will be a relief of sorts. Wasn’t entirely convincing.

40th over: Australia 165-1 (Warner 85, Khawaja 0)

The Big Dog is back! Yes, Mark Craig has been treated like an outcast for the last 90 minutes and you can see why to a degree, because he’s just dropped his first ball short and been flayed to the mid-wicket boundary by Warner. The rest of the over is far better but I’m sure Tom Latham is feeling a little nervous at short leg.

39th over: Australia 161-1 (Warner 81, Khawaja 0)

Southee has a one-ball shot at the new man Khawaja, who is playing his first Test in a couple of years, and it’s well wide outside the off-stump so the man who is known to cause ‘Usmania’ - a very real condition among cricket fans - lives to fight another over.

WICKET! Joe Burns c Watling b Southee 71 (Australia 161-1)

Southee strikes! It’d been an ordinary over for the most part but Southee finally produces a wicket ball, tempting Burns forward and when he takes the edge, BJ Watling moves smartly to pouch the catch. A shame for Burns. He looked set for a big one there. The Kiwis have finally struck gold.

Joe Burns departs as Tim Southee celebrates with Mitchell Santner.
Joe Burns departs as Tim Southee celebrates with Mitchell Santner. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Updated

38th over: Australia 159-0 (Burns 71, Warner 81)

Unable to tweet, Jimmy Neesham is making himself useful by having another bowl but upon his return to the attack he drags one hopelessly short and allows Burns to clatter him through cover for a cross-batted boundary.

Reader Michael Tilley has a different take on Trans-Tasman relations. “Long-suffering Aussie living in NZ here,” he says by way of introduction. “All this chat about the Kiwis being the altar boys of world sport is a load of old cobblers’ – anyone who’s worn a Wallabies jersey to a Bledisloe Cup game at Eden Park knows that.”

37th over: Australia 155-0 (Burns 67, Warner 81)

With the game gradually slipping away, McCullum has decided to throw in an extra gully while Warner is facing up to Boult, but that doesn’t stop simple misfields at cover, which is what happens in the immediate aftermath of the move. Boult has throaty appeal to finish the over when he ducks one in towards Warner’s off stump but it was both high and outside the line, which tends to be a bit of a buzzkill for umpires.

36th over: Australia 152-0 (Burns 66, Warner 79)

Warner’s done with circumspection now, clumping Bracewell for a pair of boundaries to bring up the 150-run partnership with Burns. The first one was streaky, in actual fact. Really reared up off the pitch and flew away off a leading edge, but we’ll ignore that. Warner finishes the over by cracking two more runs out to deep point.

I’ve created a monster.

35th over: Australia 142-0 (Burns 66, Warner 69)

Burns is on the attack again here, moving forward decisively and scooping out another square drive for four, this time from the bowling of Boult. So much for a tough reintroduction to Test cricket; he’s creaming it at the moment.

Robert McLiam Wilson has worked me up and then let me down. “I’m off to bed,” he says. “It’s 4am here and I have train to catch in the morning to the still relatively balmy South of France. Warner’s let me down (do tell him for me, won’t you?). What’s with the Kiwis? It’s Gabbastrophic, Gabbageddon. Are they all embarrassed about All-Black supremacy and feel they should give the other kids a go? Nothing more nauseating than decency and fair-mindedness, I find.”

Is this start Brendon McCullum’s ultimate act of kindness? Just letting the Aussies take the game away? His bowler’s are hardly helping him. By the way, if this blog cuts out it’s because a tornado is apparently due to hit the rough location in which I’m tapping away right now. Not ideal really.

34th over: Australia 138-0 (Burns 62, Warner 69)

The local broadcaster is faffing on about with some kind of strange new result probability tool but you don’t need statistics to tell you that David Warner will always tee off at some stage, as he does here upon the reintroduction of Bracewell. It’s a filthy shot really, but brilliant. Warner shuffles back and just flogs a short one over cow corner to pick up four. Disdainful.

Paul Weller update:

33rd over: Australia 134-0 (Burns 62, Warner 65)

It takes four deliveries of watchfulness for Warner to push one from an ever-improving Boult but the square cut boundary that follows from Burns is just a gorgeous shot. Burns blocks Boult’s final ball, probably because he can’t improve on the last one.

Sledging update:

32nd over: Australia 129-0 (Burns 58, Warner 64)

Clang! Southee saw what Burns did to Boult’s short one an over back and here he decides he’ll give him an even ropier bouncer, one that the Queenslander duly canes to the mid-wicket boundary. Rules in life: don’t put baby in the corner, don’t put Burnsy on the back foot.

Can someone send me a decent email? I’m already deteriorating.

Speaking of sub-par performances, now Southee is straying on to Burns’ hip and accordingly concedes four leg byes. My idea from McCullum: give Southee a rest for Big Dog, keep Boult on.

31st over: Australia 121-0 (Burns 54, Warner 64)

Christopher Magus has emailed in with a decent addition to the musical bona fides of the Stanley Street end of the Gabba. “Stanley Road by Paul Weller gets close,” he notes. Speaking of Weller songs and awkwardly jamming them into cricket commentary, of this New Zealand bowling effort you probably wouldn’t say “That’s Entertainment”, would you? Okay I’ll see myself out. The Morrissey version is better anyway.

There’s a bit of swing away from Warner here by Boult, though it’s a very wide one and Warner counsels himself for heaving at it so injudiciously. It ends up a pretty handy over from Boult actually. I’d written him off ten minutes ago but I think he’s getting his mojo back. Never really doubted him. Onya Trent. That one’s a maiden too.

30th over: Australia 121-0 (Burns 54, Warner 64)

This is a little dispiriting for the Kiwis at the moment. Warner punches a couple more to the off side after Southee drops short with his first delivery of the over and there’s an anaemic quality to the tourists’ cricket right now. Trent Boult is as lively as a dead bolt and Southee’s not much more energetic.

Time for ‘Big Dog’ Craig? The Big Dog gotta eat, as Jarryd Hayne would say.

Joe Burns passes the half-century mark!

29th over: Australia 118-0 (Burns 54, Warner 61)

The Boult over starts with a home town half century for Joe Burns, who pushes two to bring up the milestone. He took 86 deliveries to do it and biffed 7 fours along the way. Good on him. Do we hazard a guess that he’s earned himself more than a 2-Test run now, as Australian selector Mark Waugh had bizarrely claimed this morning? You’d hope so. That’s his third Test fifty in as many games.

Oof, Boult has also gifted him a boundary now, banging it in short on leg, and Burns effortlessly swivels onto his back foot to deposit a neat hook shot down to the fine leg boundary. That’s a bit too easy.

28th over: Australia 112-0 (Burns 48, Warner 61)

Okay, so as we should have suspected, Williamson only bowled that session-opening over so the quicks could change ends and Southee promptly produces a gem to go past Burns’ outside edge. McCullum is a genius. Never doubted him.

Burns is better the next ball, turning it towards fine leg for two to get going in this session and then a single too. So far, so ordinary for the Kiwis. I’m going to go out on a limb here and theorise something: they’d quite like to get a wicket here. Am I out of line? Is this a crazy notion? Maybe.

Reader Liam Connelly has stopped by with a gem though. “On a scale of 1 to Malcom Turnbull in an Adelaide Café, how well are NZ ignoring David Warner’s sledging?” he asks.

Malcolm Turnbull brushes off David Warner

27th over: Australia 109-0 (Burns 45, Warner 61)

It’s Trent Boult who takes the ball from the Stanley street end, which unlike the Vulture street end, doesn’t have a Powderfinger album named after it. A blessing really. Anyway, Warner isn’t entirely convincing when he comes forward to a decent out-swinger from Boult but in connecting with soft hands, he manages to glide it between second slip and gully for a boundary.

One other thing: Warner’s dodgy thumb is giving him some trouble at the moment, so in the time honoured tradition observed by cricketers of all abilities, he violently shakes it about. That’ll fix it.

Warner turns two more through mid-wicket to finish a fairly pedestrian over from Boult. Where’s his zip after the break?

26th over: Australia 103-0 (Burns 45, Warner 55)

Ooh, it’s spin to start with but Kane Williamson is the man, not front-liner Mark Craig. That’s a bit of a diss to the Big Dog. That’s my name for Mark Craig, by the way. Feel free to use it yourself. Ian Chappell doens’t like this move but Williamson’s right on the button to start with and Warner defends it respectfully before bunting a single. Joe Burns relieves Williamson of two more and that’s that. Craig is presumably dragging his heels out in the deep and wondering what he did to offend.

One more reader email before the second session starts

And it’s from Paul Clarke, whose email signature tells me he works at a brewery dangerously close to my house (ahem, I said ahem). “Welcome back Russell! Can we have a running channel 9 idiot commentary?” he asks. “Must be a lot quieter now that Warnie is blowing his mouth off with the yanks. On a side note Dirk Nannes, Chris Rogers and Simon Katich welcome additions to the ABC, very insightful.”

Unpopular opinion: Ray Warren intro aside, the Nine coverage has actually been pretty decent today, Paul. And no, I haven’t been flaying your product all morning. This is an honest take.

Anyway, to the cricket...

As Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy continue reeling in Barramundi

...well not really, but they’re having fun with Mark Taylor all the same.

I get my first reader email of the summer and I’m overjoyed to say it’s from my favourite novelist/OBOer (the only novelist/OBOer?) Robert McLiam Wilson, who is not easing me in at all. “Good to have you back, Mister Russell,” he says. “My life has been mere dust and ashes without you. In other words, get on with it and make me laugh, bitch, so I can go to bed. Or should I wait up the extra 22 minutes to watch Warner get his ton? (If Vitushan can talk about his junk, I can definitely call you bitch)“

Stay up and watch his ton, Bobbo. Twenty minutes max, I’d think.

P.S. I’ve missed you through the long, cold winter.

How are you celebrating the start of the Test summer?

You know what I’m doing (watching Mark Taylor fishing with Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy, of course) but I want to know where you are as you take in this inaugural Burns-Warner partnership. At work? Skiving off for the day? Sitting in the near-empty stands at the Gabba?

Having discovered this morning that a certain former New Zealand medium pacer has blocked me on Twitter, I’ve also just foolishly asked the people of Twitter to give me their favourite cricketer blocks (not if you’re a lunatic - it’s fair enough if they block you for that) and this has been a very popular response. Oh dear.

Cricket is back

We’ve already covered off the first session well so I’ll just focus on what a brilliant thing it is that Test cricket is finally back for the Australian summer. The people are going mad for it. Well, at least the elderly gent who sidled up to me at a cafe this morning was. He wanted to talk about Alex Doolan, Simon Katich, the 1983 Sri Lankan team and W.G. Grace playing in Walhalla, in that specific order.

If that’s not a sign that this great nation is currently going bonkers for cricket, I don’t know what is.

Idiot box update: I won’t harp on it today, I promise, but I have some good news for those of you who haven’t been near a TV today but plan on watching plenty of cricket in Australia this summer; Kiwi Ian Smith has joined the Nine commentary team, a most welcome addition given he’s one of the best in the business. Dare I wonder whether the home broadcaster is finally listening to our grips? Well played if so.

Anyway, don’t watch them. Read me. Or mute them and do both. I need this. I don’t get a company polo shirt or a bar stool like Brett Lee. I’ve only got a couch, a can of Pepsi Max and this slightly infuriating keyboard. Stick with me.

Wall to wall Neesham

I literally only had to look back through his last 20 tweets for some gems.

On Nathan McCullum’s early attempts at tweeting:

On that report about bacon being the new No1 killer:

Jimmy the audiophile:

Updated

Hello OBOers

Russell Jackson here to come in and swat it around for the afternoon after Vish so capably took the shine off the new ball. What a glorious start to the summer and a most pleasing beginning to the Steve Smith era of this Australian Test side.

First some housekeeping. You can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or via Twitter (@rustyjacko) with all your comments and quips throughout the day. I might even put some of them up, you never know. Can you also bear with me as I adjust to a new keyboard? I’m all thumbs at the moment. You know that first time you wear a pair of smart shoes and you’re on a date and don’t want to be a wimp by complaining that your heel is bleeding? No? Well anyway, that’s me right now.

I know Vish called him ‘the 140-character Don’, but I think he’s undersold the virtues of Jimmy Neesham’s twitter account in that first session. Hang with me a sec and I’ll go and unearth a few gems. They’re never far away. The only shame of Neesham playing today is that he’s not live-tweeting the game.

That’s it from me. You’ll now have the very capable fingers of Russell Jackson taking you through the next two sessions. Before I go, some reactions to that session...

25th over: Australia 100-0 (Burns 43, Warner 54)

Good bumper from Neesham has Warner ducked under. The next one’s not as good – in fact, it’s called a wide as it skips down the legside. And that’s a third short ball and it’s called a no ball for height. A run, this time off the bat, and there’s that third century partnership Ric was looking for and did well not to jinx. And that’s lunch.

24th over: Australia 97-0 (Burns 43, Warner 53)

Trent Boult comes back into the attack. He started with five overs, 0 for 20 and was struggling a bit with his line. Now the length is off and Burns is quickly onto it, cross-batting it over midwicket for four. Better from Boult and solid from Burns, who defends back to the bowler. Ewww that’s grim from Boult – a full toss is guided through third man for four.

23rd over: Australia 89-0 (Warner 53, Burns 35)

Burns doesn’t waste any time, taking a single off the first ball and giving Warner the strike. He’s watchful at first and then threads him through cover for an ALL RUN FOUR! That’s his half-century – 69 balls, eight fours and one six. Neesham drops short and Warner thinks he’s quicker than he is, going through a hook shock far too early and under-edging through to the keeper, on the bounce.

David Warner celebrates reaching his half-century.
David Warner celebrates reaching his half-century. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

In other news, a legend needs your help...

Updated

22nd over: Australia 84-0 (Burns 34, Warner 49)

Bracewell a touch too short – short enough for Warner to short-arm jab him through square leg for four. And BOOM! Bracewell looks to have bowled a decent length ball but it’s obliterated back over his head for a huge six! Holds the pose and all. Stunning.

So, so true...

21st over: Australia 74-0 (Burns 34, Warner 39)

Allrounder Jimmy Neesham is brought into the attack. Almost a full set outside off stump until his fifth ball comes in a touch and Burns has to defend back down the pitch. A dot to end the over and the 140-character Don starts with a maiden.

New Zealand paceman Jimmy Neesham comes into the attack for the tourists.
New Zealand paceman Jimmy Neesham comes into the attack for the tourists. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

20th over: Australia 74-0 (Burns 34, Warner 39)

Warner’s nowhere near this one but gets away with a drive high over gully. An appeal, a review and the umpire’s “not out” decision is upheld as New Zealand decide to check on an LBW shout (pitched outside leg).

NOT OUT

No bat but the ball DID pitch outside leg stump. As you were...

REVIEW

Bracewell hits Warner on the pad and, after a stiffled appeal and a “not out”, McCullum decides to review. Might have pitched outside the line and there’s a chance bat is involved, too...

19th over: Australia 70-0 (Burns 34, Warner 35)

Craig’s best over so far – preventing Burns from leaving his crease. Craig darts one into his feet and Burns works it to midwicket for a single. Warner immediately gets back to the nonstriker’s end, testing Guptill’s reflexes at backward point and being kept to one.

18th over: Australia 68-0 (Burns 33, Warner 34)

Looks pretty hot out in the middle. Warner’s bat lies beneath a heat haze that is temporarily broken as he reaches down to pick it back up. He’s sporting a tube around his neck which is filled with ice to keep him cool rather than preventing him from clawing out some stitches. Gets a single to the side of mid off. Then Burns chases a short ball and top edges but right between the man at fine and deep square leg. Better next ball, as he dabs into the legside for one.

Updated

17th over: Australia 62-0 (Burns 28, Warner 33)

More feet from Burns as he skims one in the air through a gap at extra cover for four. A bit more finesses with this next boundary – arms flowing through as he caresses high and almost all the way. Opened up really well there.

16th over: Australia 53-0 (Burns 20, Warner 32)

Classy back cut from Burns races away behind point for four. A bit more respectful for the rest of the over as Bracewell finishes with tighter lines.

Joe Burns started slowly but looked confident early on at the Gabba.
Joe Burns started slowly but looked confident early on at the Gabba. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Updated

15th over: Australia 49-0 (Burns 16, Warner 32)

Burns uses his feet nicely to get to the pitch of Craig. At first he defends but then, after a tuck around the corner for two, comes down and hits Craig unconvincingly but safely over the infield for three. Warner then gets a freebie down the legside, which he helps along the way for four.

Updated

14th over: Australia 40-0 (Burns 11, Warner 28)

First hour negotiated. Crucial, no doubt. Burns begins this less important second hour with a couple of nicely timed defensive shots. He’s beaten outside his off-stump with one that seams away just enough to miss his edge. He then mistimes a pull “well enough” to get two out to the man at deep square leg to move into double figures. Single to finish the over.

13th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 28, Burns 8)

Mark Craig’s off spin gets an early outing, with Warner facing. Drops a couple short allowing Warner and Burns to take a single each.

12th over: Australia 35-0 (Burns 7, Warner 27)

Burns clouts one to point. It’s about now that he’s looking at the Gabba scoreboard and feeling a bit self-conscious having his score next to Warner’s. He adds to it with a soft single into the offside. Warner immediately gives him back the strike and Burns finishes the over with a dab to point for none.

11th over: Australia 33-0 (Burns 6, Warner 26)

Warner thrashing outside off to good effect. As a result, McCullum reinforces the offside, which is now housing eight fielders. He’s stationed himself at short-cover, right in Warner’s slot. Another field change – I can’t keep up with where everyone is – and Warner finishes the over with two to the right of McCullum. Bowling change, too, as Dough Bracewell comes into the attack for Boult.

“I sold a Dire Straits CD to Richard Hadlee once,” says Paul Stockman. “And yes he does have big plates.”

“Why am I up at this hour?”

Living, Paul. Living.

10th over: Australia 30-0 (Burns 5, Warner 24)

Suicidal from Burns, who drops the ball into the lap of Brendon McCullum and sets off for a run. Like covering your junk in peanut butter and running through a monkey enclosure. Somehow, Burns is safe, as McCullum’s shy is high. Warner, though, is smashing things to bits: first extra cover with a cracking drive and then the stumps at the non-striker’s end. He’s furious and punishes himself by pushing hard for two next ball. Thin edge off his pad dribbles around the corner and somehow he’s got another couple, as BJ Watling has to leave his post from behind the stumps to gather and throw. Good running.

9th over: Australia 21-0 (Burns 4, Warner 16)

He’s threatened to pierce that offside and, after a sighter, puts his bottom hand through one to get four through extra cover. And then another, straighter, beating the man at mid-off. Warner’s in ya face.

“Be still my beating heart, can it really be true?” asks Robert Wilson. “The peerless Russell Jackson is back? The man whose description of a drunk trying to punch a seagull put James Joyce right in his place? After a suspiciously Jackson & Lemon-free Ashes summer, I’m beside myself.”

The great Jacko is indeed back. He’s basically running the gaff now. He will be taking over this here blog from lunch.

8th over: Australia 13-0 (Burns 4, Warner 8)

Warner’s first boundary of the day is an uppish chop past gully (Williamson), who dives to his left in vain. Warner tries to leave and inadvertently pats one on his head then falls over himself as he just manages to keep out a Boult yorker. A dab into the offside and he calls Burns through for a quick but safe single.

Trent Boult bowls to David Warner during the first session of the first Test.
Trent Boult bowls to David Warner during the first session of the first Test. Photograph: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Updated

7th over: Australia 8-0 (Burns 4, Warner 3)

Tim Southee finally concedes a run. He decides to go around the wicket to Warner and then, after returning to over, he bowls his first loose ball of the day, which is clipped around the corner for one. Burns leaves on length. Ooooo, spot the Brissie lad.

Brett Crowley wades in on the representation of score debate: “I turned on to see what was happening and thought we were THREE FOR NONE! El catastroph! Please don’t do in such a dismissively cavalier fashion in future. Think of the frail.”

6th over: Australia 7-0 (Burns 4, Warner 2)

Burns nearly does himself a mischief, pulling out of a shot late and offering a bit of bat through to the slips. Luckily, the ball meets ground first. Then, to his 20th delivery, he gets off the mark with a square drive for four.

Our first email of the day comes from Scott Poynting:

“You might have an inkling where I come from, but the ‘good v’ trope is as worn as a Shahjah wicket. On Monday, a colleague reminded me (in case I’d forgotten), that Kiwis were Gracious Winners as well as Gracious Losers and Australians were, well, not. The colleague, I hasten to add, was an expatriate Pom.

“Exhibit A: George Gregan’s ‘four more years’ jibe in the Rugby Wold Cup of -- well, 2003. Now, I reckon if you can pull off a match-winning tackle that is forever after known as ‘THAT tackle’, then a bit of arrogance might be understandable.

“Shane Warne: THAT ball (you know the one). Yes, I know, The Underarm Incident.

“But there’s only one country that has its losing Americas Cup yacht stuck up on a pole, with a big plaque saying how the Yanks cheated. (That was within the rules, too.) It took 13 minutes into the 2015 RWC final for the New Zealand commentators to be whinging about the ref. And three references in one minute after the final whistle to the All Blacks’ ‘humility’. The Uriah Heeps of the oval ball.”

5th over: Australia 3-0 (Burns 0, Warner 2)

An over of the ball coming out of the middle of the bat, the crowd cheering and Warner bellowing “WAIT ON”. Another maiden from Southee.

Tim Southee steams in early on at the Gabba on day one of the first Test.
Tim Southee steams in early on at the Gabba on day one of the first Test. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Updated

4th over: Australia 3-0 (Burns 0, Warner 2)

Boult hasn’t quite got going. There’s movement for him, but he wastes a couple of deliveries going too wide. He again strays onto Warner’s legs and there’s a single taken into square leg.

[casually changes from Australian to English scoring without you lot even noticing]

3rd over: Australia 0-2 (Burns 0, Warner 1)

Leg bye gives Burns back the strike. A couple of good leaves from the Middlesex man, who has a quick glance back after the second, just to make sure he called correctly. The next ball, he’s completely undone – pressing forward, maker’s name and all. However, after pitching, it leaves him and passes off-stump. Another maiden.

2nd over: Australia 0-1 (Burns 0, Warner 1)

Trent Boult and his Inbetweener overbite with the new ball from the other end. David Warner needs just two balls to get off the mark, working one around the corner as Boult strays onto his hip. Good shape to the right-hander, Burns, as Boult clocks him on the thigh pad. Burns getting his right foot forward, but not quite meeting bat with ball as he would like. Boult strays down the legside to end the over.

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Burns 0, Warner 0)

Three slips, a gully and Southee with the new nut and some outswing. Burns does tend to get very front on at times and, second ball, he’s squared up by a bit of extra shape. Then there’s the advantage: as he pushes forward on an off-stump delivery which he times to cover – the only fielder in front of the bat on the off side. Williamson makes a smart stop at gully to prevent Burns getting off the mark. Maiden.

Quick one on the weather – it’s overcast but temperatures will still reach 30-degrees because Queensland. A 40% chance of rain in the late afternoon.

The players are out in the middle and Joe Burns will be taking the first ball of the summer...

Updated

Some Kiwi memories of the Gabba, courtesy of former Test cricketer Iain O’Brien...

Updated

Cricket, the B-Mac way...

It won’t catch on.

AUSTRALIA HAVE WON THE TOSS AND WILL BAT FIRST...

TEAM NEWS

Australia: Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith*, 5 Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill †, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum*, Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling †, Mark Craig, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

The Australian players link arms prior to the start of the first Test at the Gabba.
The Australian players link arms prior to the start of the first Test at the Gabba. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Blackcaps have not won a Test series in Australia since 1985 and this is probably their best chance since, with a seam bowling cartel of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell, along with Mark Craig who looks more like a middling character in a Tony Hawks game than a wily offspinner. Australia, for all their gusto, are a team in transition, unfortunate to come into this series cold after the decision not to tour Bangladesh. Joe Burns has his first crack at Test cricket, Usman Khawaja gets his third in five years, while Peter Nevill gets to wear his Baggy Green at home for the first time.

These teams kicked-off in Brisbane in 2011, too, with Australia winning by nine wickets as James Pattinson blitzed the visitors’ top order. In fact, the last time Australia lost a Test at the Gabba, Steven Smith was a mere twinkle in his father’s eye.

While we wait for battle to commence, read up on all things Australian cricket with Russell Jackson’s latest Notes from the Pavilion. Or just stare at his glorious new headshot and try not to think “flat white”.

Updated

Morning, my Trans-Tasman OBOers, and you Non-Trans-Tasman-ers joining me for this battle of Good versus Evil. You can probably guess who’s who.

OK, “Good versus Evil” might be overstating it a bit. But that’s the vibe emanating from the “he said, she said” that has been the build-up to this first Test of the Australian summer. David Warner says he wants to play in your face (maybe on it, too) and Mitchell Johnson “finds it strange when someone tells you how nice they are”. New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, the Aslan of cricket’s cupboard world, can’t stand the unpleasantness and just wants both countries to share a smile and a schooner, and discuss their weird love of stars.

This is probably the most important morality-driven sporting contest since The Mighty Ducks took on Iceland in D2. New Zealand, the Ducks, fusing together two dressing room factions for the good of the nation. Australia as Iceland, who dominate from the off and show no sign of relinquishing their advantage or alpha male shtick with their ruthless too-big-to-be-high-school-kids ways (seriously, who was in charge of checking registrations – this is the Junior Goodwill Games, not some pissabout at grandma’s house).

Anyway, for all the faux animosity, we know how this story ends...

“Let’s go shake their hands.” – Gunnar Stahl

Vithushan will be along shortly to bring you day one’s first session in Brisbane, before Russell takes over the controls later on. Until then, here’s what Nathan Lyon has been thinking about the first Test:

I can’t wait. I’m approaching it very similar to Kevin Pietersen. They seem to not like spinners very much. It’s a massive challenge. They want to try and hit you out of the attack and it provides chances.

More the full article here.

Updated

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