Melbourne, October 31

New Zealand will travel to Brisbane early to acclimatise to local conditions ahead of the first Test against Australia after their preparations were disrupted due to a tour match being scrapped in farcical circumstances on Friday.

Originally intended to last four days, the match was scaled back to three before being abandoned by lunch on the second day due to the acute deterioration of the pitch at the Blacktown International Sportspark in western Sydney.

New Zealand’s bowlers could prise just one wicket from the opening four sessions and only after the Cricket Australia XI openers built a 503-run partnership.

New Zealand’s batsmen did not hit a ball in anger and the team heads to Brisbane frustrated by the lack of match practice. “We had two days and haven’t gained a lot out of it from a preparation point of view, other than time on our feet,” coach Mike Hesson told media.