Guptill hits ton during pink-ball prep

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill and the touring captain Brendon McCullum opened their shoulders with a pair of percussive innings in their attempt to find some rhythm batting against the pink ball on the second and final day of the practice match against a Western Australia XI at the WACA Ground.

Since his recall to the New Zealand Test side, Guptill has been counselled by the batting coach Craig McMillan to use more of his aggressive instincts at the top of the order, and there were signs of former anxieties less prevalent as he breezed to his hundred in a stay of 109 balls before retiring.

McCullum, meanwhile, seemed to equate the pink ball with its white equivalent as he clattered seven boundaries and two sixes in a 28-ball innings that tallied 49. It had been a more sedate McCullum at the Gabba as he tried to stave off an opening defeat, but it seems he has some more pugilistic intentions for the pink ball in Adelaide.

Most New Zealand batsman were able to get in at least half an hour of batting against the pink ball under the WACA lights, with last week's double-centurion Ross Taylor reaching 21 from 30 balls. Trent Boult was again absent from proceedings, having not bowled on day one of the fixture.

The local bowlers were largely subject to plenty of punishment, though the performance of the young left-armer Joel Paris may be cause for some interest from the national selectors. Considered a paceman of considerable promise, he claimed three wickets despite being treated with plenty of respect by the tourists. Andrew Tye's four wickets came at somewhat greater cost.