Hamish Marshall scored his maiden Test hundred and Craig Cumming hit a half-century on debut to help New Zealand pile on 265 for three on the opening day of the first Test against Australia in Christchurch on Thursday.
Marshall, appearing in only his third Test, struck 14 fours and a six in an unbeaten 103 to put New Zealand in a strong position after they were thrashed 5-0 by the World champions in the one-day series.
"It was pretty tough. I'm pretty tired now and feeling a little bit jaded," said 26-year-old Marshall, who had scored just one first-class hundred in nearly seven years as a professional cricketer.
"But I loved every moment of it, I wouldn't chuck it away for anything."
Marshall shared a 97-run partnership for the second wicket with Cumming, who repaid the selectors for promoting him to the Test side with a patient 74 after captain Stephen Fleming had gone for 18 before lunch.
New Zealand also lost Lou Vincent for 27 after tea but Nathan Astle made 29 not out in an unbroken stand of 66 with Marshall to give his side the upper hand at stumps.
Leg spinner Shane Warne, paceman Michael Kasprowicz and part-time spinner Michael Clarke captured a wicket each for Australia, who surprisingly left out quick bowler Brett Lee then handed the opposition first use of a placid Jade Stadium pitch after winning the toss.
POOR FIELDING
Australia could have been in a better position but let themselves down with poor fielding, with two catches going down off Glenn McGrath's bowling.
Justin Langer dropped Fleming at third slip when the skipper was on five before Warne spilt a straightforward chance off Cumming when he was on 43.
"We missed a couple of chances which may have made a big difference to the outcome of today regardless of the bowlers that were out there," Australia coach John Buchanan said.
Fleming failed to make the most of his let-off when he was trapped leg before wicket by Warne with the total on 56 but Cumming did capitalise on his second opportunity.
Rewarded with a Test call after a strong display in the one-day series, Cumming signalled his intentions early by pulling McGrath to the boundary to open his Test account.
After Warne dropped him at slip, he rubbed salt into Australia's wounds by pulling McGrath to the rope in his next over to reach 50.
Cumming's penchant for the pull shot eventually caused his downfall when Australia set the trap and he duly obliged by hitting a short-pitched ball from Kasprowicz straight to Jason Gillespie at mid-wicket with the score on 153.
Marshall brought up his half-century before tea when he cut Warne for a single and went past his hundred before the close of play by cutting Gillespie to the boundary.
It took 195 balls and 254 minutes and featured 14 fours and a towering straight six off Warne that sailed into the stands.
Vincent smacked five fours before he was adjudged lbw to Clarke before Astle added another four fours to leave the home side in a strong position when stumps were drawn.
"It would be nice if the guys who are in now...could add the runs that we need to be competitive in this test, and there is some way to get to the total we need to put some pressure on them," Fleming said.
Scorecard:
New Zealand (1st innings):
C.Cumming c Gillespie b Kasprowicz 74
S.Fleming lbw Warne 18
H.Marshall not out 103
L.Vincent lbw Clarke 27
N.Astle not out 29.
Extras: (b-4, lb-6, nb-2, w-2) 14.
Total: (for three wickets, 94 overs) 265
Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-153, 3-199
To bat: C.McMillan, B.McCullum, D.Vettori, I.O'Brien, J.Franklin, C.Martin
Bowling: McGrath 25-7-59-0, Gillespie 21-5-56-0 (w-2), Kasprowicz 18-4-64-1 (nb-2), Warne 25-6-60-1, Clarke 5-0-16-1
Australia team: R.Ponting (captain), M.Hayden, J.Langer, D.Martyn, M.Clarke, S.Katich, A.Gilchrist, S.Warne, J.Gillespie, M.Kasprowicz, G.McGrath
