Australia fight back

Glenn McGrath grabbed six quick wickets as Australia fought back to leave the first Test with New Zealand evenly poised after the second day...

Glenn McGrath grabbed six quick wickets as Australia fought back to leave the first Test with New Zealand evenly poised after the second day in Christchurch on Friday.

The lanky paceman mopped up the tail to finish with figures of 6-115 from 42 overs as the Kiwis were bowled out for 433 in their first innings. Australia, in reply, were 141-3 at stumps, trailing by 292 runs. Captain Ricky Ponting was unbeaten on 41 with nightwatchman Jason Gillespie yet to score.

New Zealand resumed at 265-3 with Hamish Marshall on 103 and Nathan Astle 29 and seemed set for a score in excess of 500 before McGrath ran through the lower-order, taking 6-40 from his last 10 overs. Marshall and Astle took their fourth-wicket stand to 131 in the morning session before Shane Warne triggered the collapse by bowling Marshall around his pads for 146 with a wicked-turning leg spinner.

Marshall8217;s maiden Test hundred was the equal fifth highest by a New Zealander against Australia. His innings lasted 256 balls and nearly six hours and featured 23 fours and a six. Astle went on to make 74 but got little support from the tailenders as the last seven wickets tumbled for 103 runs although the total of 433 was still New Zealand8217;s fifth highest against Australia.

McGrath, who had two straightforward catches dropped off his bowling on day one, finally got his first wicket when Craig McMillan edged to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist before lunch. The medium pacer then cleaned up the remaining five wickets after the resumption to claim his 26th five-wicket haul in Tests and lift his career tally to 487 and ever closer to the magical 500 mark.

8220;It8217;s the way it goes sometimes. All of a sudden at the end it came together,8221; McGrath said. Australia made a bright start to their reply with Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden putting on 48 for the first wicket at a run-rate of four an over.

Brief scores

New Zealand

: 433 C.Cumming 74, H.Marshall 146, N.Astle 74, McGrath 6-115, Warne 2-112 vs Australia: 141-3 R Ponting 41 batting, M Hayden 35.