Scott Morrison declared that the upcoming Test match between Australia and New Zealand would be played in the shadow of tragedy.

As children of the two teams played a few overs on a lawn that crunched like tinder underfoot at Kirribilli House on Wednesday, the Prime Minister acknowledged the bushfire crisis away from the idyllic harbour setting.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins the Australian cricket team at Kirribilli House before the Sydney Test against the New Zealand side. Credit:Steven Siewert

"This Test and this whole season has been played out against terrible events both here in Australia and also in New Zealand with the White Island [volcanic eruption]," the Prime Minister told those gathered for the New Year’s Day function in support of the McGrath Foundation and the Pink Test that begins on Friday.

He thanked the Australian captain Tim Paine and Black Caps vice-captain Tom Latham for their teams’ decision to wear black armbands to commemorate the lives lost in the fires and expressed his gratitude to New Zealand for its on the ground support.