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Steve Smith stepped up to guide Australia to 3-147 after an eventful opening day of the trans-Tasman Test series in Wellington.
New Zealand suffered an early collapse of 5-34 and were rolled for 183 in two sessions after being sent in by Smith at the Basin Reserve on Friday.
The tourists’ response was initially just as jittery, with Joe Burns and David Warner both falling to Tim Southee.
Australia slumped to 2-5; never before have they been two down for so few in a Test against NZ.
Smith and Usman Khawaja steadied in a 126-run stand.
It ended late in the session when the skipper was out for 71, caught and bowled by offspinner Mark Craig.
Craig will be kicking himself that the key wicket didn’t come earlier.
Smith was on six when an edge fell centimetres short of Craig at second slip, while he was on 18 when the ball burst through Craig’s hands.
Khawaja is 57 not out, having largely shown the sort of application and aptitude that was so sorely lacking from Australia during last year’s Ashes.
Khawaja had a slice of luck on 34 when he misread a delivery from Craig – and was almost stumped – but was otherwise rarely rattled.
There was more drama in the final over, when Adam Voges shouldered arms to a beautiful delivery that nipped in and kissed the top of off stump.
It was called a no-ball but replays suggested Doug Bracewell had some part of his foot behind the line.
Smith’s call at the toss on Friday was always going to be crucial to Australia’s hopes of logging a two-Test series win that will deliver the No.1 Test ranking.
Unsurprisingly, Smith opted to bowl for the first time in his captaincy career.
It’s been over five years since a side has won the toss and batted in a Test at the Basin and the pitch was typically green and lively.
“We would have bowled first as well but we’ve won Test matches here before batting first on these sort of wickets,” McCullum predicted at the toss.
McCullum, playing his 100th and penultimate Test, was back in the stands soon after when an edge rocketed off his pads to Warner at third slip.
It was one of three wickets to fall in Josh Hazlewood’s opening spell.
Hazlewood removed BJ Watling in his first over after the meal break to finish with figures of 4-42 from 14 overs.
First-change seamer Peter Siddle also created early carnage, dismissing dangerman Kane Williamson for 16 with his second ball.
Craig fought back furiously after lunch, as did Trent Boult in a final-wicket stand worth 46 runs.
It was NZ’s biggest partnership of the innings, while Craig top-scored with an unbeaten 41 off 57 balls.
Smith will be unhappy the tail wagged so furiously, adding 86 runs for the final three wickets after NZ were in deep trouble at 5-51 in the 12th over.
The 26-year-old will also be stroppy about his dismissal but thrilled Australia finished the day with the ascendancy.
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