Bowlers put Australia on top

Lunch New Zealand 4 for 94 (Ryder 5*, Brownlie 0*) v Australia

Peter Siddle picked up the first wicket when he had Martin Guptill caught behind © Getty Images

Australia's attack was as green as the baggy caps that were liberally dispensed on the first morning at the Gabba but by lunch they had put their team firmly on top. The debutant Mitchell Starc picked up the key wicket of Brendon McCullum and his fellow first-gamer James Pattinson removed the New Zealand captain Ross Taylor to leave the visitors on 4 for 94 at lunch.

It was a disappointing effort from New Zealand after they had chosen to bat on a cloudy Brisbane morning, all the more so because the openers McCullum and Martin Guptill had taken the score to 44 without loss. But Peter Siddle broke the opening stand and the offspinner Nathan Lyon, who had never bowled at the Gabba, also struck and by the first break New Zealand were in trouble.

The visitors were relying on Jesse Ryder, who had made 5, fresh from his century in the tour match, and Dean Brownlie, who was yet to score in his second Test. While the New Zealand batsmen had contributed to their own demises on a pitch a little on the slow side, conditions were not easy as there was some swing in the first session, exploited especially well by Starc.

Auditioning for a long-term role in the team in the absence of his fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson, Starc showed an ability to consistently swing the ball in to the right-handers and it was that talent that troubled McCullum. Earlier McCullum had pounced on width outside off, striking three boundaries in the first over of the match as Pattinson struggled to find his line.

But against Starc, McCullum had no room and twice was cramped up awkwardly, including once when a bouncer straightened and struck him on the helmet. Starc moved around the wicket to McCullum and had him caught for 34 when his cut was snapped up at point by another of Australia's three debutants, David Warner.

Already Siddle had made a breakthrough when Martin Guptill drove at a ball that moved away just a fraction and was caught behind for 13, and two wickets was a good start for Australia. There was more to come, though, with Kane Williamson struggling to move his feet against the offspin of Lyon, who was supported by the captain Michael Clarke with a leg-slip who nearly came into play when Williamson tickled a ball fine.

Soon enough Williamson's hesitance against the spin brought his downfall, his lunge forward resulting in an inside edge on to his leg that was snapped up at short leg for 19. Three wickets would have been a fine session for Australia but it became an even better one when Taylor handed Pattinson his maiden Test wicket.

Pattinson had been nervous early but on his return swung the ball impressively. However, it was a full and wide ball that accounted for Taylor (14), who tried for a powerful square drive only to see the ball rocket off his inside edge and back onto his stumps, a disappointing way for the captain to depart having chosen to bat in challenging conditions.

Clarke did not reveal at the toss what he would have done had Taylor called incorrectly, but by lunch he was certainly happy to be in the field. Australia had surprisingly left out the Queensland fast man Ben Cutting, whose experience at the Gabba could have been useful, but by the first break the rest of the bowlers were looking the part.