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Hobart: Persistent rain has put a dampener on the first day’s play between Australia and New Zealand at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena on Friday.
Having dominated the opening two sessions to dismiss the Kiwis for just 150, the Australians had moved to 12 for one from four overs when umpires called for the covers as rain clouds hovered above the ground.
Play was officially abandoned for the day after a second inspection by the umpires at 5.15pm (local time).
Earlier in the day, James Pattinson ripped the heart out of the New Zealand batting and put another marker down on his road to superstardom with his second five-wicket haul in as many outings for Australia.
Pattinson (5-51) and Peter Siddle (3-42) bowled with good pace and were able to extract troubling sideways movement from the green surface at Bellerive.
Dean Brownlie (56) was the only Kiwi batsman to provide any real resistance to a rampant Australian pace attack, his assured innings adding a semblance of respectability to an otherwise below par first innings total.
Australian opener Philip Hughes was dismissed in all-too-familiar fashion from the bowling of Chris Martin.
Despite edging along the ground through a packed slips cordon from the first delivery he faced, Hughes (4) was soon out of luck, caught by Martin Guptill at second slip after edging an unconvincing defensive prod at a full delivery from Martin.
Usman Khawaja found the going no easier than Hughes when he arrived at the crease, beaten by both Martin and debutant left-arm paceman Trent Boult on a couple of occasions.
The Kiwis twice appealed for caught behind against Khawaja but were turned down both times and chose not to review either decision.
Players were forced from the field during the fifth over of the Australian innings as rain swept in from the west and spectators on the hill ran for cover. Despite a pitch inspection at 5pm, the heavy covers were soon back in place as rain began to fall again.
Day 2 will commence at 10am on Saturday and New Zealand will be desperate to make early inroads into the Australian batting order to help avoid a first innings deficit.
Brief scores
New Zealand 150 (Brownlie 56, Pattinson 5-51, Siddle 3-42)
Australia 1 for 12 (Martin 1-12)
Status Australia trail by 138 runs
