Millions tune in as history is made

Close to two million people watched yesterday's opening day of the historic day-night Test in Adelaide.

Channel Nine has reported the national audience for the first day of the inaugural pink ball Test peaked at 1.84 million viewers, with an average audience of 1.46 million across the five major cities and regional areas in the final session which ran from 7pm – 9.30pm local time.

At 2.00pm local time, 577,000 fans tuned in to watch Mitchell Starc create history by bowling the first delivery with the pink ball to New Zealand opener Martin Guptill.

The television numbers surpass the WACA Test figures (1.15m average), traditionally the strongest of the summer with the action beamed into the eastern states in prime time. 

WATCH: Damien Fleming and Glenn McGrath review day one on Stumps

The huge TV numbers, simulcast on Channel Nine's new HD channel and standard definition channel, mirror the ground-breaking attendance of 47,441 that crammed into a humming Adelaide Oval.

To put that attendance figure in perspective, the day one Adelaide crowd eclipsed the total attendance for the five days of the second Commonwealth Bank Test at the WACA Ground, and is just short of the 53,572 fans that watched the entire Gabba Test in person.

Peter Siddle, who claimed the two wickets he required to reach 200 in Test cricket yesterday, says the raucous crowd surprised some of his teammates.

"That was the exciting thing for the boys," Siddle said.

"The atmosphere out there today was amazing. From early on until the end of play, the crowd was upbeat and up and about.

"With a crowd like that, it's definitely surprised a few of the boys." 

WATCH: Peter Siddle takes 200th Test wicket

New Zealand counterpart Trent Boult was also thrilled by the unprecedented turnout.

"It was a great buzz out there. Everyone could see that," Boult said.

"It's amazing to be playing Test cricket in front of that many people."

With the Trans-Tasman series is set to conclude in the next four days, or less, attention will then turn to the three-Test Frank Worrell Trophy series against the West Indies starting in Hobart on December 10, and then season five of the KFC Big Bash League which kicks off with the Sydney Smash a week later.

Buy Tickets: Australia v West Indies, Hobart

Last summer, the BBL drew an average television audience of 943,000 viewers across the 35 matches, and with the deepest pool of players in its short history, Cricket Australia expects another strong this season.