STEVE Smith and Usman Khawaja swung day one of the first Test against New Zealand Australia’s way with classy half-centuries.
After skittling the Kiwis for 183, Australia lost Joe Burns (0) and David Warner (5) to Tim Southee, before half-centuries from Smith (71) and Khawaja (57 not out) took the tourists to stumps at 3-147.
It was an eventful day of cricket that ended in controversy, with Adam Voges clean bowled for 7 in the final over by a Doug Bracewell delivery that was incorrectly ruled a no ball by umpire Richard Illingworth.
Earlier on Australia’s bowlers had a field day on a green top, ending New Zealand’s innings before tea.
It would have been much worse for the Kiwis if not for an entertaining last-wicket stand between Mark Craig (41 not out) and Trent Boult (24) that yielded 46 runs and several big sixes before Boult was well caught on the boundary by Usman Khawaja.
That was one of three wickets taken by the spin of Nathan Lyon, who cleaned up the tail after Josh Hazlewood (4-42) and Siddle (3-37) did the damage early on.
Five wickets fell in the first hour of play, including the key scalp of captain Brendon McCullum who was out for a duck in his 100th Test after edging a ball from Hazlewood onto his pad and being caught at slip. Siddle claimed Kiwi dangerman Kane Williamson on 18.
Jackson Bird, making his first Test appearance in two and a half years, failed to pick up a wicket.