New Zealand teenager Tim Southee rocked Australia's top order as the home side reached 60 for three at lunch.

After a delay of half an hour due to a damp conditions, Black Caps skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and saw his decision to ask the Australians to bat first on a lively green pitch vindicated when Southee extracted good bounce and movement to reduce them to 23 for three at one stage.

The 19-year-old, playing his first Test match against Australia and just the third of his career, did not take long to make his mark as he put the new ball to good use and remove Australia's top three batsmen.

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Matthew Hayden was the first to go for eight in the fourth over when he tentatively drove at a delivery that squared the opener up and a thick edge flew to Ross Taylor at first slip.

Southee then grabbed the wicket of Simon Katich (10) in his next over when the batsman produced a thin edge to keeper Brendon McCullum off a seaming delivery.

Finally, Southee dismissed Ricky Ponting for four with a rising delivery short of a length that the Australian captain popped up to Jamie How at second slip.

Mike Hussey (16) and Michael Clarke (21) remained unbeaten at lunch as Southee finished the morning session with figures of three for 34.

Clarke in particular frustrated the New Zealand paceman as he found the edge of the Australian vice-captain's bat on two occasions but saw one fall short and the other fly wide of the slip cordon for boundaries.

Australia elected to go into the match without a frontline spinner after omitting off-spinner Jason Krejza at the expense of Andrew Symonds, who returned to the national side after a three month absence.