The best team in the world, officially, faces its toughest challenge since that magnificent series in India earlier this year. New Zealand have played superbly in this third and deciding Test and now Australia's batsmen must tackle the most demanding task in the game: batting second after the opposition has made 500. It is easy to lead from the front when you are in front from the first hour of a match. It is much harder to mount a rally from behind. So now we will see the Australians tested. They became frustrated at times today but so far the "ugly Australians", as so many people – foreigners and locals jealous of anyone who is successful – have not appeared. When Shane Warne dropped a hard chance at slip late in the day he could raise a smile. It had been that sort of day. When Mark Waugh drops a chance, even a hard one, you know things are going against you.

Warne battled away on a less-than-sympathetic pitch and only looked like losing his rag when he pulled a face at the batsman during his run-up. This is no heinous sin but really he should no do it. It is an aspect of his slightly unconventional attitude to the game, his willingness to break free from some of the stuffier conventions. In Australia we call it, with some pride, the larrikin streak - what we like to think of as a national trait of healthy disrespect for pompous authority. But Warne could easily be accused of trying to interfere with the batsman's concentration during his short run-up. He'd better stop it just in case.

There was a nice moment today as the players left the field at stumps. Mark Waugh jogged down from the far end of the pitch to shake Adam Parore's hand to congratulate him for his excellent century. The Australians have in the past not taken to kindly to Parore's noisy presence behind the stumps but they know and respect a proud, competitive cricketer when they confront one. Parore had played a fine innings and the Australians were keen to show their appreciation.

Similarly Stephen Fleming, among other Kiwis, has been dining on this tour with past players like Ian Chapell and Mark Taylor, picking their cricket brains for advice - which has been given freely. In the past Warne has coached Mushtaq Ahmed in the middle of a Test series and reassured Anil Kumble when Kumble's form was fading. There is a soft edge as well the well-known hard edge to Australian cricket.

When a team is used to success, a tough day can bring out the worst in some players. Glenn McGrath has been known to spit the dummy occasionally but mostly the Australians are good losers. That means they cope with the rare loss with equanimity and generosity to the victors. After they lost the third one-day match in South Africa in April last year, they amazed some hotel guests with the enthusiasm with which they partied in the bar that night. "Didn't these guys lose today?" one man wondered.

The Australians were left wondering a few months ago when Mark Butcher, who makes no secret of the fact he enjoys a beer, was the only Englishman to come into the Australian dressing-room to share a drink and a chat after England stole a famous win at Headingley in the fourth Test. "What's wrong with these blokes?" the Australians wondered. "Don't they know how to win?"

This combination of fierce competition on the field and warmth off it puzzles players from some other nations. At a time when difference, cultural and racial, is sadly being emphasized it is worth reflecting on some of the better things in this fractious game.

Mark Ray has covered Australian cricket since 1987 and is also the author of a number of books on the game.

Day 1 Verdict: The Perth challenge

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