BRISBANE, Australia (Reuters)
New Zealand have given a rusty display in the field in their opening tour match, according to team manager Jeff Crowe.

Queensland Academy scored 267 for 7 declared in reply to New Zealand's 297 for eight, and the tourists had reached 25 for one in their second innings at the close on day three. "It was our first run in the field and the word to describe it would be rusty," Crowe said.

Anxious to speed the game along after the second day was washed out, New Zealand reduced the home side to 66 for three before James Hopes (75) and opener Daniel Payne (57) added 108 for the fourth wicket.

New Zealand seamer Dion Nash, returning from injury along with Shayne O'Connor and Daniel Vettori, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of two for 36. "Nash was the only bowler to hit the mark, but even he would say he was not quite right yet," Crowe said. "He came through it very well as far as the workload was concerned."

Daryl Tuffey also took two wickets but conceded 72 runs from his 17 overs, while Vettori's figures were one for 60 from 13 overs. Opener Mark Richardson fell to the first ball of the second innings but the tourists avoided further loss as they built an overall lead of 55 with one day of the match remaining.

The first Test of the three-match series against Australia starts in Brisbane on November 8.

"They didn't quite get it right, but it's hard to expect them to come out from just net work and get it right out in the middle," Crowe said of his bowlers. "That will take a couple of days of work and continual effort."

Crowe said the tourists would be keen to have another bowl on Friday. "There won't be any mad declaration to try to create a result," he said. "But we'll try to give our bowlers another chance to get a feel for the middle again."

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