An unbroken 80-run stand for the sixth wicket between Dan Vettori and Dean Brownlie partially rescued New Zealand from a big hole of their own making on the opening day of the first transtasman test in Brisbane.
The pair came together with New Zealand, having won the toss, listing badly at 96 for five one over after lunch.
The first two hours proved a disaster for New Zealand. Electing to bat was a bold, assertive call. But that move was undone by awful shot selection and execution. Five wickets fell for 52 in 15.2 overs, four to poorly played attacking strokes.
Had Australia not spilled four catches the day would have been even grimmer for New Zealand.
Heavy rain arrived in the tea break, ending the day's play.
Opener Martin Guptill was dropped at short leg on seven; Brownlie was spilled twice on three in the space of three balls and captain Ross Taylor was grassed on four.
This was not a case of a piercing Australian attack undoing New Zealand's best endeavours.
When bad light had the players off the field just before the scheduled tea break, the batsmen had, by distinctly different means, lifted the score to 176 for five, with former captain Vettori on 45, Brownlie on 32.