New Zealand too strong for PM XI in Australia tour opener

New Zealand's Black Caps launched their Australian tour with a thumping 102-run win over the Prime Minister's XI in a one-day game in Canberra on Friday.

After setting a target of 307, the Black Caps - led by paceman Trent Boult - made light work of Test aspirants Usman Khawaja, Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns with the pink ball at Manuka Oval, dismissing the trio for a combined total of six runs.

Adam Voges brought up a solid 55 as he looks to fill one of the holes left by several retirements ahead of the three-Test series against the Kiwis starting in Brisbane on November 5.

Boult finished with three wickets for 27 and James Neesham claimed three for 23 as the New Zealand bowlers dismissed the PM XI for 205 off 45.2 overs.

Khawaja went for a duck after being caught off a swinging ball from Boult, while Bancroft was bowled on one by stand-in skipper Tim Southee.

Boult reduced the hosts to 13 for three after claiming Burns on five.

The left-arm quick managed to find some movement on the normally slow, flat pitch with the bright pink ball under lights.

Khawaja and Bancroft's opening partnership of one paled in comparison to the 196-run stand of Kiwi openers Tom Latham (131) and Martin Guptill (94) - the second biggest by a visiting side in the history of the traditional Manuka Oval fixture.
- 'A lot of confidence' -
Latham said New Zealand's win was a good way to start the tour and he hoped to continue the momentum into the next two days.

He praised both Boult and Southee for their efforts in tearing down the PM's XI top order.

"We've certainly got a lot of confidence in them," he said.

"I think the way they've been bowling the last couple of years has been outstanding and they certainly set the tone at the top of the innings for us."

Ryan Carters top-scored for the PM's XI with 74.

Khawaja, Bancroft, Burns and Voges will get another chance to press their claims on Saturday and Sunday in a two-day red ball Cricket Australia XI match with the Black Caps, featuring fellow hopefuls Shaun and Mitchell Marsh.

Having not faced them before, Voges relished the chance to look at the Kiwi bowling attack.

"I get another opportunity over the next couple of days, so everytime I go out there I've just got to try and make as many runs as I possibly can," Voges said.

"It was nice to get a few tonight but it would've been nice to get a lot more."

Peter Siddle, also looking to shore up his Test claims, didn't have as much success with the pink ball as Boult earlier in the day, with the veteran paceman ending the first innings with 1-54.

Jason Behrendorff got 3-56, while Ashton Agar (1-52), David Hussey (1-40) and Mark Steketee (1-79) also got on the board.

The Kiwis were without skipper Brendon McCullum, rested after recently returning from London where he gave evidence at the perjury trial of former teammate Chris Cairns.

BJ Watling, Kane Williamson and Matt Henry also sat out the day-nighter, but are expected to play a role in the CA XI clash.

Source: AFP