Brent Arnel struck in his first over of test cricket but
Australia recovered to a strong position at lunch after
opting to bat in the first test against New Zealand here
today.
Arnel, 31, removed recalled opener Phil Hughes for 20 with
his fifth delivery before the tourists reached 93 for one off
29 overs after the opening session at a sun-drenched Basin
Reserve.
Captain Ricky Ponting, who won his sixth consecutive toss of
the tour, was unbeaten on 35 with opener Simon Katich on 32
as the pair added an unbroken 68 for the second wicket.
New Zealand handed tall Northern Districts paceman Arnel a
debut at the expense of spinner Jeetan Patel and he made an
immediate impact at first change.
Hughes, who raced to 20 off 24 balls with four boundaries,
cut loosely and edged a simple catch to Ross Taylor at first
slip.
Arnel gave Ponting some anxious moments early on, including
an lbw shout when he offered no shot on 13, before the
Australian skipper got into his work. Arnel had figures of
one for 25 off seven overs.
Chris Martin got some useful outswing to the left-handers but
went wicketless in a six-over opening spell for 16 runs,
while captain Daniel Vettori introduced himself in the 20th
over and bowled five overs for nine.
Key Australian allrounder Shane Watson was a late scratching
due to a hip/gluteal injury, which team medical staff said
was inflicted by a delivery from New Zealand paceman Shane
Bond during the fourth Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-dayer.
He was replaced by Hughes, while Queensland paceman Ryan
Harris was passed fit for a test debut after being in doubt
with a side strain.
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