New Zealand braces up for day-night Test

The tourists pad up for the first of a three-Test series in Perth with no warm-up games and in forecast 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) heat, before heading to Melbourne for the Boxing Day clash then Sydney.

It has momentum from last week’s 1-0 series win against England, but that came on slow and docile New Zealand wickets -- a contrast to the 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 the Australians are fresh from thrashing Pakistan by an innings and 48 runs under lights in Adelaide last week. “The old day-night thing, eh. It’ll be interesting. It’s just another thing to adapt to, I suppose,” captain and run machine Williamson told reporters. “Such is the international schedule -- we fly out, have a little bit of training and are straight into another match.

“The perfect preparation? It’s always hard to know what that is.” New Zealand received some good news with all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme fit after tearing an abdominal muscle in the first Test against England last month.