New Zealand's batsmen are rightly cursing their shot-selection after giving up the first five wickets of the innings with a flurry of poor choices

Mitchell Starc's debut day for Australia began with a pep-talk from Richie Benaud. It ended with two wickets and an enhanced reputation

Michael Clarke and Ross Taylor are new leaders with talent, but on the first day of the series each had moments to forget as their sides edged nervously into action

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the first day of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand at the Gabba

This series is the first chance at home for Michael Clarke's XI to prove themselves worthy to the Australian fans

New Zealand captain Ross Taylor expects great things of Doug Bracewell, declaring the young allrounder capable of growing into one of the best in the world

Though Australia's XI for the first Test against New Zealand is flushed with youth, Michael Hussey has admitted it lacks the familiarity and closeness of past teams.

Virender Sehwag saw the Test batsman in David Warner before he realised it himself

New Zealand's batsmen can make a callow Australian attack sweat in the first Test, so long as they successfully manage the awkward adjustment from the easy surface of Allan Border Field to the more steepling bounce of the Gabba

On the same day he anointed Peter Siddle spearhead of Australia's least seasoned bowling attack for 23 years, the head coach Mickey Arthur has stressed the spinner Nathan Lyon must also be prepared to play the role of a leader in the first Test against Ne

Australia have turned injury crisis into selection opportunity by naming four potential debutants in the squad for the first Test against New Zealand, and they are unlikely to be the last this summer

Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Cutting have been named as the Australian pace quartet for the first Test against New Zealand

David Warner, James Pattinson and Trent Copeland loom as the chief beneficiaries of the injury drama enveloping the Australian team and its new selection panel

Ricky Ponting has conceded he does not have much time left in the game, saying he will quit as soon as he considers himself incapable of improvement

Shane Watson, Ryan Harris, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins will all miss Australia's first Test against New Zealand, scheduled to start from December 1 in Brisbane

Brendon McCullum has said he was trying to place Australia A's bowlers, who were aspiring for a place in the national XI, under pressure

Greg Chappell has called for the swiftest possible introduction of a Test Championship to aid the health of the game's longest form

Trent Copeland agrees a bleak injury prognosis for Shane Watson has greatly enhanced his chances of taking part in the first Test against New Zealand

Pat Cummins has added to Australia's myriad injury troubles by revealing he has carried a tender left heel home from his momentous debut in South Africa