PERTH, Australia, Dec 12, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Australian captain Tim Paine
won the toss and chose to bat in the first Test against New Zealand in Perth
on Thursday, with the visitors missing injured star paceman Trent Boult.
Scorching heat is predicted for the day-night clash, with temperatures
forecast to exceed 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on the first four days.
Paine said the heat played a big part in his decision to bat — as did the
fifth Test loss during the Ashes against England, when he chose to bowl.
“It’s very hot,” he said. “And when I won the toss at the Oval and bowled I
promised myself I wouldn’t bowl first again.”
The home team stuck with the same side for the third Test in succession.
Ranked second in the world, New Zealand were unable to select Boult due to
a side strain, with Lockie Ferguson called up for his debut.
“We were going to have a bat as well,” New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson
said.
“Obviously with the warm temperatures around and the nature of the surface
because it does tend to crack.
“But at the same time there has been a lot of water put in it so hopefully
we can get some sideways movement first up.”
The two sides observed a minute’s silence before the game to honour the
victims of the White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand, with the number
of people believed to have died in Monday’s disaster now standing at 16.
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith,
Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc,
Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor,
Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim
Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Neil Wagner
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Nigel Llong (ENG)
TV umpire: Paul Wilson (AUS)
Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIN)