History will be made this week when the first day/night Test match takes place in Adelaide as Australia face New Zealand under the lights in a bid to add something different to the flagging longest format of the game.
The match is actually the final match of a three game series between these two and thanks to New Zealand’s exploits with the bat in Perth they can still secure a share of the series if they win this match.
Australia head to Adelaide leading 1-0 in the series and know that if they avoid defeat they will secure yet another home series. I’m sure they will be looking to win the match not just defend their 1-0 lead.
Not for the first time in 2015 Australia will begin a new era in this match after Mitchell Johnson retired from Test cricket after the last Test match. That leaves a bit of a hole in their attack but Johnson’s heart obviously wasn’t in it anyway.
New Zealand will be buoyed by the way they tamed the Australian attack in Perth but they will have to bowl significantly better if they are to get 20 wickets which they need in order to have a chance of winning.
It looks like the Aussie selectors will plump for Peter Siddle as Johnson’s replacement. He can consider himself unfortunate not to have played in the series to date and may come into this match with something of a point to prove. Usman Khawaja picked up a series ending injury in Perth so he will be replaced in the side by Shaun Marsh.
It remains to be seen what changes New Zealand can make to their bowling attack but they need to do something because they have not looked like taking 20 wickets at any point in the series so far. Neil Wagner is an option should McCullum think about a change. His batting line up is likely to remain unaltered barring a late injury.
This historic occasion will take place at the iconic Adelaide Oval. This place is a regular host of Test matches and some of the best matches have been on this ground. There have been 73 matches here in total. Of those matches Australia have won 37 and lost 17. New Zealand have played here four times and are yet to win.
In many ways this is a tricky match to bet on because we have never had a day/night Test match before. Common logic would suggest that the bowlers are likely to have conditions to exploit with the floodlights causing conditions conducive to swing bowling.
With that in mind I think there will be a result in the game but Australia look pretty short to me. I don’t really fancy New Zealand given what they have shown so far but if they show the necessary improvement with the ball they would certainly have every chance. For now though I’m happy to watch the first day or two before getting involved on any bets on the match outcome.
One bet that I do like is in the first innings lead market where New Zealand look overpriced to me. They secured the lead in Perth after the first innings and this could be the first time they have got conditions they will enjoy with the ball.
If the ball does a bit under lights, and quite frankly I refuse to believe it won’t, then the likes of Boult and Southee are right in the game. Another reason I like New Zealand to lead at halfway is Australia are without a decent source of runs in Khawaja while their safety net down the order in Johnson has quit.
The Kiwis’ top five are in decent nick and they bat a long way down so the 13/8 on them having the first innings lead just looks too big here.
Back New Zealand First Innings Lead for a 4/10 stake at 2.63 with Stan James
