CHRISTCHURCH (New Zealand), March 11: Glenn McGrath grabbed six quick wickets as Australia fought back to leave the first Test with New Zealand evenly poised after the second day here on Friday.

The lanky paceman mopped up the tail to finish with figures of six for 115 from 42 overs as the Kiwis were bowled out for 433 in their first innings.

Australia, in reply, were 141 for three at stumps, trailing by 292 runs. Captain Ricky Ponting was unbeaten on 41 with night-watchman Jason Gillespie yet to score.

New Zealand resumed at 265 for three 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.

Marshall’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 Zealand’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 wicket-keeper 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.

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.

Langer looked to be in great touch until he fell for 23 when he dragged a ball from James Franklin back on his stumps.

Hayden was given the benefit of the doubt to a low catch when he was on eight but eventually went for 35 when he was caught by Astle at second slip, giving debutant Iain O’Brien his first Test scalp.

Damien Martyn was unluckily given out leg before wicket to left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for 32 after he got a thick inside edge leaving Ponting to continue the recovery on Saturday.

Ponting has been in great form this year, scoring a double-century in his last test against Pakistan in Sydney and continuing his golden run in the one-day series in New Zealand.

The skipper was in an ominous mood again on Friday, smashing five boundaries and a six to finish the day nine runs short of a half-century and set the scene for an intriguing weekend.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings, overnight 265-3):

C.D. Cumming c Gillespie b Kasprowicz 74

S.P. Fleming lbw b Warne 18

H.J.H. Marshall b Warne 146

L. Vincent lbw b Clarke 27

N.J. Astle lbw b McGrath 74

C.D. McMillan c Gilchrist b McGrath 13

B.B. McCullum c Langer b McGrath 29

D.L. Vettori not out 24

J.E.C. Franklin lbw b McGrath 0

I.E. O’Brien c Gilchrist b McGrath 5

C.S. Martin c Gilchrist b McGrath 1

EXTRAS (B-4 LB-14 W-2 NB-2) 22

TOTAL (all out, 141 overs) 433

FALL OF WKTS: 1-56, 2-153, 3-199, 4-330, 5-355, 6-388, 7-403, 8-403, 9-415.

BOWLING: McGrath 42-9-115-6; Gillespie 29-5-87-0 (2w); Kasprowicz 25-6-85-1 (2nb); Warne 40-6-112-2; Clarke 5-0-16-1.

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

J.L. Langer b Franklin 23

M.L. Hayden c Astle b O’Brien 35

R.T. Ponting not out 41

D.R. Martyn lbw b Vettori 32

J.N. Gillespie not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-4) 10

TOTAL (for three wkts, 41 overs) 141

FALL OF WKTS: 1-48, 2-75, 3-140.

TO BAT: M.J. Clarke, S.M. Katich, A.C. Gilchrist, S.K. Warne, M.S. Kasprowicz, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING (to-date): Martin 14-2-58-0 (1nb); Franklin 10-3-22-1 (2nb); O’Brien 6-1-32-1 (1nb); Vettori 11-4-23-1.—Reuters