WELLINGTON: Australia was on the verge of a 1-0 series lead at stumps on day three of the first Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The Black Caps, who were forced to follow on, were 5 for 187 in their second innings at the close of play, still trailing by 115 runs.

The home side, replying to Australia’s 5 for 459 declared, was earlier dismissed for 157 in its first knock with Doug Bollinger doing much of the damage for the tourists with outstanding figures of 5 for 28.

At stumps, Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori was not out on 18 and Brendon McCullum was on 4.

Bollinger followed up his five-wicket haul with the opening two dismissals of the Black Caps’ second innings.

He collected the scalp of BJ Watling, trapping the opener lbw for 33, and first drop Peter Ingram fell to the charismatic quick for 1.

Ross Taylor was the third dismissal when he was out lbw to Nathan Hauritz for 25, while late in the final session the Australia spinner also removed Tim McIntosh, who had been a beacon of hope for the Black Caps with a well-crafted 83.

Martin Guptill was the other Black Caps dismissal, caught by Marcus North at short cover from the bowling of debutant Ryan Harris for 6.

Earlier in the day’s play, Vettori departed in the first over of the day and his team-mates put up little other resistance as Bollinger ran riot.

Having resumed at a dismal 4 for 108, the Black Caps had their backs to the wall from the get-go after Australia posted its formidable total on Saturday.

Harris (2 for 42) kept his maiden Test wicket company with the scalp of the Black Caps skipper on the sixth delivery of the day, teasing Vettori into driving at a shorter delivery.

But instead of carving it to the mid-off boundary, Vettori edged a sharp catch to his Australia counterpart Ricky Ponting at second slip.

The explosive McCullum referred an lbw judgment to the third umpire and was subsequently given a life before he got off the mark when it was ruled that Harris’ front foot was over the crease.

He made the most of his opportunity, flaying 24 off 25 balls including a sensational six off Mitchell Johnson before losing his head and mis-hit a short Bollinger delivery to a diving Harris at fine leg.

Guptill (30) and Darryl Tuffey (0) followed in quick succession, the latter run out after grossly underestimating Australia’s fielding prowess.

He was sluggish off the mark after defending a Bollinger delivery towards the covers, but Hauritz threw down the stumps and caught Tuffey short.

Brett Arnel’s first ball in Test cricket proved to be the last of his innings as he offered a simple catch to Ponting in the slips to give Bollinger his fifth wicket.

The final Black Cap fell when Tim Southee (5) went down swinging, appearing to edge Johnson (1 for 38) to Brad Haddin behind the stumps before asking for the home side’s last referral.

Replays indicated the ball might not have actually caught the edge but the umpire’s original decision was upheld.