New Zealand lose but find some positives

New Zealand slid to a six-wicket defeat but there were positive signs ahead of the first Test as Brendon McCullum was cleared of a broken foot and Jesse Ryder returned to the action following his mystery illness. Chris Martin also found some bowling form and picked up 3 for 16 as New South Wales reached their target of 162 with six wickets in hand.
The result was not ideal for New Zealand in their only warm-up match before the Test starts on Thursday but the bright spot was the good news on the fitness of McCullum and Ryder. McCullum had just posted an entertaining half-century when he was struck on the left foot by a Grant Lambert yorker shortly before lunch.