Blackcaps v Australia: Bushfire smoke set to hamper Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday

New Zealand are ready to take Cricket Australia (CA) and the ICC match officials' lead on bushfire smoke on Saturday with one of the toughest days of the summerforecast.

Temperatures are tipped to reach 45C in Sydney's west with blustery winds, leading to predictions of smoke haze.

The air quality index sat in the "fair" zone for the majority of day one of the test on Friday, but the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment predicts it will be poor on Saturday.

Under the terms of the ICC's guidelines, CA will report to match officials on air quality and visibility ratings, while team doctors will also pass on any concerns around breathing or sore eyes.

If any interruptions do occur, they will be treated like rain with players taken from the field until conditions improve. Time can also be made up later in the test.

New Zealand are likely to have to endure the worst of the conditions, with Australia set to resume at 283/3 on the second morning and aim to bat most of the day.

"We're comfortably with them [guidelines]," New Zealand coach Gary Stead said.

"We will be ready to go in the morning to the best of our ability and if it gets taken out of our hands, then that is the umpires' and match official's call."

A Big Bash match has already been disrupted in Canberra this summer due to poor visibility, while a Second XI game in Sydney's west was also delayed by an hour.

CA have been in constant communication with match referee Sir Richie Richardson over the past week, as well as both team doctors.

The issue of smoke will form part of the medical briefing at the ground with team doctors to discuss any players at particular risk.

It comes after the state's emergency services were honoured by a minute's applause on the opening day of the test.

"The focus should be on the bushfires and with everything going on around Sydney," Australian century-maker Marnus Labuschagne said.

"If all we did today was create a distraction or bit of enjoyment for people in those tough times, that's a win for us.

"The focus should be on the firies and what they did for the community, because that's the most important thing at this point in time."

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