A mesmerising six-wicket spell of swing bowling from Glenn McGrath pulled Australia back into the first Test against New Zealand to wrap up the first innings at 433, with the tourists 141 for three in reply at the stumps here Friday. McGrath's six for 40 in a scintillating 10-over burst began when New Zealand had reached 388 for five and the innings ended just 45 runs later.
His mastery coupled with a mature 146 by novice New Zealand Test batsman Hamish Marshall, left the honours even at the end of the second day on the placid Jade Stadium wicket.
Australia made a flying start in reply to New Zealand's 433, batting at a run-a-ball for the first six overs and with Justin Langer becoming the fifth Australian to top 1,000 Test runs against New Zealand alongside Allan Border, David Boon, Steve Waugh and Greg Chappell.
But Langer was to fall soon after, bowled by James Franklin for 23, and Matthew Hayden, who survived a controversial not out from the third umpire after hooking Franklin to Craig Cumming, edged Test debutant Ian O'Brien to Nathan Astle in slips for 35.
The New Zealand team were fuming that Hayden wasn't given out when on eight and Cumming claimed the catch.
Australia had an agreement with Sri Lanka in last year's series that a batsman would take a fielder's word if he claimed a catch, but New Zealand would not make a similar deal.
It was the first of two umpiring controversies, the other coming when Damien Martyn was adjudged leg before wicket for 32 by English umpire David Shepherd when replays showed Daniel Vettori's delivery hit a thick inside edge of the bat.
Martyn's dismissal left Ponting not out 41 with night-watchman Jason Gillespie yet to score.
With little to fear from the wicket, Australia plundered 59 runs off the 14 overs Chris Martin sent down and took 31 runs from O'Brien's six overs.
However, they had trouble reading Vettori who ended the day with one for 23 off 11 overs.
The New Zealand batsmen had controlled the first day and after resuming at 265 for three, Marshall and Nathan Astle carried the score through to 330 before Shane Warne broke through by bowling Marshall through the legs.
Marshall's 146 was the eighth-highest score by all batsmen on debut against Australia. It included 23 fours and a straight six off Warne, and left the young New Zealander with a world record Test average of 127.5 from three innings.
At lunch New Zealand were 362 for five, and just over an hour later they were all out.
McGrath, who had an unflattering none for 75, started his magical run by having Craig McMillan caught behind for 13.
When play resumed, he trapped Astle in front for 74, had Brendon McCullum caught by Justin Langer for 29 and took the wickets of James Franklin, O'Brien and Chris Martin cheaply, leaving Daniel Vettori not out on 24.
McGrath finished with figures of six for 115, while Warne took two for 112.

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NEW ZEALAND (1st innings):
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C. Cumming c Gillespie b Kasprowicz      74
S. Fleming lbw b Warne                   18
H. Marshall b Warne                     146
L. Vincent lbw Clarke                    27
N. Astle lbw McGrath                     74
C. McMillan c Gilchrist b McGrath        13
B. McCullum c Langer b McGrath           29
D. Vettori not out                       24
J. Franklin lbw b McGrath                 0
I. O'Brien c Gilchrist b McGrath          5
C. Martin c Gilchrist b McGrath           1
EXTRAS: (B-4, LB-14, W-2, NB-2)          22
TOTAL: (all out)                        433
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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-56, 2-153, 3-199, 4-330, 5-355, 6-388, 7-403, 8-403, 9-415, 10-433 McGrath 42-9-115-6, Gillespie 29-5-87-0 (2w), Kasprowicz 25-6-85-1 (2nb), Warne 40-6-112-2, Clarke 5-0-16-1

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AUSTRALIAN (1st innings):
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J. Langer b Franklin                     23
M. Hayden c Astle b O'Brien              35
R. Ponting not out                       41
D. Martin lbw Vettori                    32
J. Gillespie not out                      0
EXTRAS: (LB-6, NB-4)                     10
TOTAL: (for 3 wkts)                     141
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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-48, 2-75, 3-140
BOWLING: Martin 14-2-59-0 (1 nb), Franklin 10-3-22-1 (2nb), O'Brien 6-1-31-1 (1nb), Vettori 11-4-23-1
TOSS: Australia
UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (PAK), David Shepherd (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: Clive Lloyd (WI)