Brent Arnel struck in his first over of test cricket but Australia recovered to a strong position at lunch after opting to bat in the first test against New Zealand here today.
Arnel, 31, removed recalled opener Phil Hughes for 20 with his fifth delivery before the tourists reached 93 for one off 29 overs after the opening session at a sun-drenched Basin Reserve.
Captain Ricky Ponting, who won his sixth consecutive toss of the tour, was unbeaten on 35 with opener Simon Katich on 32 as the pair added an unbroken 68 for the second wicket.
New Zealand handed tall Northern Districts paceman Arnel a debut at the expense of spinner Jeetan Patel and he made an immediate impact at first change.
Hughes, who raced to 20 off 24 balls with four boundaries, cut loosely and edged a simple catch to Ross Taylor at first slip.
Arnel gave Ponting some anxious moments early on, including an lbw shout when he offered no shot on 13, before the Australian skipper got into his work. Arnel had figures of one for 25 off seven overs.
Chris Martin got some useful outswing to the left-handers but went wicketless in a six-over opening spell for 16 runs, while captain Daniel Vettori introduced himself in the 20th over and bowled five overs for nine.
Key Australian allrounder Shane Watson was a late scratching due to a hip/gluteal injury, which team medical staff said was inflicted by a delivery from New Zealand paceman Shane Bond during the fourth Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-dayer.
He was replaced by Hughes, while Queensland paceman Ryan Harris was passed fit for a test debut after being in doubt with a side strain.
