Cameron Green leads the way for Australia against Black Caps attack

Australian middle order batter Cameron Green proved to be a thorn in the Black Caps’ side during day one of the first Test in Wellington.

At stumps on day one Australia were 279-9 courtesy of a second Test century from Green.

Green took only 46 balls to move from 50 to 100 runs during a day that was dominated by New Zealand’s pace attack.

The 24-year-old from Western Australia arrived at the crease with Australia at 65-2 and continued to see off the Black Caps’ bowlers to be unbeaten on 103 at the end of the day’s play.

For the home side Matt Henry was the best with the ball taking 4-43 off his 20 overs.

Will O’Rourke and Scott Kuggeleijn finished with two wickets each.

Mitch Marsh, with a better than run-a-ball 40, was Australia’s next biggest contributor before coming Henry’s third wicket of the match.

Marsh’s was the first wicket to fall after tea and he was shortly followed by wicketkeeper Alex Carey who was Kuggeleijn’s second wicket as the pace bowlers continued to improve.

Mitch Starc was O’Rourke’s second wicket as New Zealand worked through the Australian tail.

The spin of Rachin Ravindra was introduced late in the day and he took the wicket of captain Pat Cummins with an LBW for 16.

Henry capped off his and New Zealand’s day by taking Nathan Lyon’s wicket late in the last session.

Earlier, the Black Caps struck three times after lunch to knock off Australia’s top order as the visitors tumbled from 61-1 to 89-4 in the second session.

In his first Test in New Zealand Marnus Labuschagne did not last long.

Kuggeleijn had an out-of-form Labuschagne caught in the slips by Daryl Mitchell for 1 run off 27 balls in the fourth over after lunch.

Opener Usman Khawaja was the next to go as Henry was rewarded with his second wicket when he bowled him for a cautious 33.

Travis Head barely troubled the scorers getting out for 1 off six balls as O’Rourke got his first wicket of the series.

Australia were 62-1 for at lunch after being sent in to bat on a green pitch in overcast conditions.

Some inaccurate bowling to start the day gave openers Steve Smith and Khawaja an opportunity to capitalise.

Smith was New Zealand’s first wicket of the day when he edged a Henry delivery to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell in the 25th over be out for 31.

The Black Caps bowled 15 overs of pace in the first hour of the day headed by captain Tim Southee who took the new ball alongside Henry.

Newcomer O’Rourke and Kuggeleijn in his second Test were the other bowlers used in New Zealand’s all-out pace attack in the first session.

New Zealand opted to include Kuggeleijn in the playing 11 in place of spinner Mitch Santner.

Australia are playing with the same 11 that lost to the West Indies in Brisbane in January.

This the first test series between the Black Caps and Australia in New Zealand since 2016.