Cricket Australia XI v New Zealanders

At Sydney (Blacktown International Sportspark), October 29-30, 2015. Drawn. ‡Cricket Australia XI 503-1 dec (121.1 overs) (R. G. L. Carters 209, A. J. Finch 288*) v New Zealanders. In one of first-class cricket's strangest games, the Cricket Australia XI openers, Ryan Carters and Aaron Finch (who hit 24 fours and seven sixes), shared a stand of 503 - the highest on Australian soil, beating 464* by the Waugh twins for New South Wales's fifth wicket against Western Australia at Perth in 1990-91. But when they were finally separated, shortly before lunch on the second of the scheduled three days, the match was abandoned as the pitch was breaking up and had become dangerous; Brendon McCullum did not use his faster bowlers on the second day. "I'd describe it as a jigsaw with half the pieces missing," observed New Zealand's coach Mike Hesson. "They're unable to grow any grass here at this time of year so it was basically like rolled mud with a little topping. As it dried, it baked and bits started falling out." A spokesman for CA said: "Preparation of the wicket was compromised by poor weather conditions in Sydney early this week."