Australia is 155 for two at tea on day two of the second cricket test in Adelaide in reply to New Zealand's first innings of 270.
The hosts started well but Matthew Hayden ran himself out for 24 in his 100th test and Simon Katich was caught bat-pad off Dan Vettori's bowling for 23 with the score at 49.
Since then though Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey have added 106 runs with the captain on 79 and Hussey on 28.
New Zealand failed to cash in on a good wicket and were all out in the ninth over after adding only eight runs to the overnight total and losing four wickets.
Dan Vettori was left unbeaten on 18, showing a level of concentration lacking in most of the top order.
