New Zealand will be hoping to strike quickly on the second day to get back into the first Test against Australia, after the visitors roughed them up on day one.
Australia will resume at 147-3 on Saturday morning at Wellington's Basin Reserve, just 36 runs behind New Zealand's stripling first innings of 183.
Usman Khawaja, looking in good touch, is on 57 and Adam Voges seven.
New Zealand's top scorer was Mark Craig, whose unbeaten 41 helped his side limp closer to the 200 mark towards the end.
After dropping Steve Smith on 18 his offspin later snared the Aussie skipper on 71.
Craig says he feels things would have been more even if they snared two or three more wickets.
That meant Saturday's first hour would be crucial before the wicket dries out and batting becomes easier.
"I think we've got to come out and get the ball in the right areas for long enough and see if we can grab a couple early," Craig said.
New Zealand haven't lost a Test at the Basin since their 10-wicket loss to Australia in 2010.
The match is the first of a two-Test series and Australia will take the number one ICC ranking spot off India if they win it.
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