Australia get through just four down. Not the result New Zealand wanted after sending Australia in.
Steve Smith on Fox: "I never felt really in all day. There's a nice little patch on the 4-5m mark and if you hit that consistently the balls were doing funny things. It's not the kind of wicket you could go after them. I think we did pretty well today."
Australia will be pleased. New Zealand were disciplined but maybe bowled a little wide and didn't have enough attacking fielders in place. Labuschagne and Smith in particular were excellent. Their patience was the key to their success.
New Zealand 2 for 44 trail Australia 467 (Head 114, Smith 85, Paine 79, Labuschagne 63, Wagner 4-83, Southee 3-103) by 423 runs
The ball may be a different colour, and the playing hours back to normal, but the MCG Test was taking on alarmingly similar proportions to what happened in Perth for New Zealand as Australia exerted their control. First, it came through Travis Head, with his second Test hundred and a stand of 150 with captain Tim Paine, before the extra pace of the home attack removed two wickets before the close.
