5.45pm Australia 380 for 6 (Ponting 70*, Warne 23*)
Scorecard

The run-fest continued as Ricky Ponting, in his classical style, and Shane Warne, with his more personalised crabby short-arm jabs, put on 44 runs after the fall of Adam Gilchrist for 39.

New Zealand took the new ball at the first possible moment, after 80 overs (367-6). Chris Cairns's first delivery with it zipped into Warne's pads, but later in the over Warne scythed a shortish ball over cover point for yet another four, the 54th of a day that has also included two sixes.

Australia, still scoring at over four an over after being put in on an overcast morning at Hobart, had well and truly mended the breaches caused by the loss of five quick wickets after the rampaging opening stand of 223 between Justin Langer, who cracked 123 – his third century in as many Tests – and Matthew Hayden (91). For the second match running Australia's middle order wobbled – both Steve Waugh and Damien Martyn (first ball) made ducks.

5.13pm Australia 336 for 6 (Ponting 50*, Warne 0*)

New Zealand struck another important blow by removing Adam Gilchrist for 39. He seemed set for another important innings, and had just been dropped – a fingertip chance skimmed to Mark Richardson at midwicket (the ball zoomed away for what turned out to be the last of Gilchrist's seven fours).

The successful bowler was Daniel Vettori, the left-arm spinner. He lured Gilchrist down the wicket, and beat him when the ball spun back in to the left-hander's pads. Adam Parore was poised for the stumping, but Gilchrist was bowled anyway. It was a mirror image of the ball that left Mark Waugh bewitched, bothered and bowled.

This was Vettori's fourth wicket (for 91) on a day that had started badly for New Zealand with the huge opening stand of 224 between Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden.

5pm Australia 326 for 5 (Ponting 45*, Gilchrist 34*)

Just when New Zealand looked as if they were inching back into the game, in came Adam Gilchrist, the world's best No. 7 batsman, to take it away from them again. By the drinks interval Gilchrist and local favourite Ricky Ponting had added 59 to give Australia the upper hand again.

It nearly didn't happen, When Gilchrist had made 20 he edged an artful awayswinger from Daryl Tuffey, and was well caught by wicketkeeper Adam Parore, diving in front of Stephen Fleming at slip. But it was a no-ball - just - and Gilchrist survived. When Fleming picked himself up, he went for a little walk to regain his composure. Gilchrist had no such problems: he'd already belted Daniel Vettori for a straight six, stroked him for the sweetest of cover-driven fours, and shelled a short one past short leg's ear for a very rapid four indeed. Now he late-cut Tuffey for another boundary, and dropped onto one knee to blast Vettori for another.

Australia had dipped alarmingly, losing five wickets for 44, after the opening stand of 223 between Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden. But as Gilchrist went on his merry way they were delighted that umpire Steve Davis had kept his eyes gimleted on that no-ball line.

4.15pm Australia 267 for 5 (Ponting 23*, Gilchrist 0*)

Australia's slide continued after tea as New Zealand claimed two quick wickets. First Steve Waugh went, for a duck, playing no shot at an inducker from Shane Bond – an impressive first Test wicket (266-4).

There was a suspicion that Waugh's leg-before might have been a little high – he was up on his toes when he allowed the ball to pass – but there was no such doubt when Damien Martyn took his first ball, from Daniel Vettori, flush on the toe. Steve Bucknor eventually answered Vettori's man-on-hot-coals appeal in the affirmative, and Australia were 267 for 5.

Five wickets had gone down for 44 after that rip-roaring opening stand of 223. Suddenly Stephen Fleming's decision to put Australia in on an overcast morning at Hobart's Bellerive Oval didn't look quite so silly.

Tea Australia 263 for 3 (Ponting 20*, S Waugh 6*)

If you closed your eyes for a second you might have thought that the clouds that persuaded Stephen Fleming to bowl first in the second Test at Hobart had burst, and you were watching a replay of the first Test. Here's Australia being put in again, the openers putting on more then 200, and then New Zealand hauling themselves back with some quick wickets. Justin Langer even survived another hairline lbw decision in the opening stages of the match.

Langer, who was also dropped in the gully when he had made only 1, made a century, just as he had at Brisbane. But this was a much more forthright affair, studded with 20 feisty fours, many of which flashed past the cover fielders before they could move. For a while it seemed that Langer might become only the fifth player ever to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test, but he throttled back a little and had reached 78 by the interval (128-0).

Matthew Hayden, who was becalmed for a while early on – his second single was raucously applauded in the 12th over – now got in on the act. He muscled Daniel Vettori over long-on for six, in an over that cost 17, as Langer homed in on his 10th Test century. The pair were just one short of their Brisbane beanfeast when Langer failed to get to the pitch of one from Cairns and slapped it straight to Vettori in the covers (223-1). It was their third successive stand of more than 150, following 158 at The Oval in August and that 224 (still the record for Australia v New Zealand) at the Gabba.

Much encouraged, Vettori immediately started to bowl better. He got one to turn in to Hayden as he tried a big hit, only to loft it straight to the debutant Shane Bond at long-on (238-2). Hayden had made 91, with 11 fours as well as that six.

Mark Waugh survived an appeal for a bat-pad catch, but soon he too fell to Vettori, beaten in the flight as he came down the pitch and bowled (253-3).

New Zealand had taken three quick wickets, and could feel happy with their afternoon's work. Unfortunately, they will be less enchanted with the morning, when Australia roared away in the face of some woolly-headed bowling (Hayden was fed a diet of leg-side dross, and Langer's booming drive was grooved generously). The Aussies are still going at better than a run a minute, and around four and a half an over. New Zealand are still on the back foot. And they are unlikely to be gifted such a generous fourth-innings target this time.

3.30pm Australia 253 for 3 (Ponting 11*, S Waugh 6*)

Another four overs, another wicket: Daniel Vettori, settling in to a teasing spell, lured Mark Waugh down the pitch and bowled him. It was a second successive triumph for Vettori, whose flight had also confused Matthew Hayden for 91.

Australia were still in a commanding position with ten minutes to go before tea. But what had been looking like a mountainous total is slowly starting to look manageable for New Zealand.

3.15pm Australia 244 for 2 (Ponting 8*, M Waugh 6*)

Four overs after Justin Langer departed, Matthew Hayden went too. Hayden looked a little lost once the opening stand of 223 had ended, and had gone on to 91 when he tried to loft one from Daniel Vettori. The ball turned in on him, and his shot flew straight to long-on, where the debutant Shane Bond hung on gratefully (238-2).

Just as at Brisbane, Australia had wobbled after a good start. But it's a high-risk game-plan to gift the opposition 200 runs before you start bowling properly. It wasn't quite what Stephen Fleming had in mind when he won the toss and put Australia in.

The new batsman, Mark Waugh, was soon late-cutting Chris Cairns for four. He then survived an appeal for a bat-pad catch off Vettori, who threatened more as soon as he had two right-handers to contend with.

2.58pm Australia 223 for 1 (Hayden 85*, Ponting 0*)

In the 47th over of the day New Zealand finally made a breakthrough. Justin Langer, who had smashed many of his 20 fours past the cover fieldsmen before they'd had time to move, finally lifted one off the turf and smacked it into Daniel Vettori's midriff. Chris Cairns was the successful bowler.

New Zealand weren't celebrating too wildly, though. Langer and Matthew Hayden had come within one run of matching their record stand of 224 at Brisbane – and all after being put in after Stephen Fleming won the toss.

The new batsman was Ricky Ponting, Tasmania's favourite son on his home ground. He joined Hayden who, after a slow start, was looking set for another century of his own.

2.40pm Australia 205 for 0 (Langer 116*, Hayden 76*)

The misery continued for New Zealand at Hobart. Halfway through the afternoon session Justin Langer rocked back and punched Chris Cairns through the covers for two, to bring up the 200 partnership with Matthew Hayden.

It continued a fine run for the two left-handers. Since Langer supplanted Michael Slater at the top of the order he and Hayden have had successive stands of 158 (against England at The Oval), 224 (in the first Test against New Zealand at Brisbane) and now 200 and counting. Slater is probably the only Aussie not applauding heartily.

And still no wickets for New Zealand. When play started under Tasmanian cloud Stephen Fleming was confident that he'd done the right thing. He doesn't look so sure now.

2.20pm Australia 179 for 0 (Langer 103*, Hayden 63*)

Australia started the second session as they began the first – with a flurry of runs. This time they were shared equally between Justin Langer, the marauder of the morning, and Matthew Hayden, who made the most of a lot of leg-side dross to reach his half-century from 92 balls.

At the other end Langer carved on, and eventually reached his 10th Test century – his third in successive Tests – with a steer to third man. Unusually, he had to run the single: his hundred, which took him only 123 balls, included 18 meaty fours.

Immediately after lunch New Zealand gave the ball to Craig McMillan, their unlikely bowling hero at Brisbane. He almost made a first-ball breakthrough, rapping Langer on the pads, but the umpire turned down the appeal. It looks as if New Zealand will have to bowl Langer out in this series – and that's proving rather difficult.

Lunch Australia 126 for 0 (Langer 78*, Hayden 38*)

Australia went on the rampage in the first session of the second Test after Stephen Fleming put them in on an overcast morning at Hobart's Bellerive Oval. And the rampager-in-chief was an unlikely runaway train: Justin Langer. He reached 50 at better than a run a ball, and briefly looked like becoming only the fifth player ever to score a century before lunch on the first day of the Test, before throttling back to reach 78 from 99 balls by the interval. Langer and Matthew Hayden, who shared a stand of 224 in the first Test, had blazed to 126 by lunch, from only 28 overs.

Langer cracked 14 fours, most of them glorious drives. One, off Vettori, was past the beleaguered cover fieldsman before he could move. Langer rode his luck: he should have been caught by Matthew Bell in the gully in Daryl Tuffey's first over, and looked lucky to escape a hearty leg-before shout in Tuffey's next one. Steve Bucknor thought it was swinging down leg, but not everyone was so sure.

At the other end Hayden seemed to have hibernated. His second single didn't come until the 12th over, to raucous cheers from the crowd, but he soon woke up and joined Langer's party, once swinging Vettori over long-on for six in an over that cost 17.

In the face of this onslaught New Zealand's bowlers lost their shape. Chris Cairns was the best of them, and Tuffey, who looks more like an All-Black centre than a fast bowler, had his moments. Shane Bond, making his debut, made the ball jag away from the two left-handers at a respectable pace – but no-one was able to apply the brakes for long.

So the first session belonged to Justin Langer. He was dropped when 1 and survived that confident leg-before appeal before he'd reached double figures. New Zealand will remember ruefully that they had what looked like a cast-iron lbw against Langer in the first Test at Brisbane, before he'd scored – and he went on to make 104. Two let-offs at Hobart … what price 200?

12.30pm Australia 102 for 0 (Langer 70*, Hayden 24*)

Just when Australia seemed to be slowing down after their flying start, Matthew Hayden sauntered down the track to Daniel Vettori and blasted him over long-on for six. Justin Langer then unrolled a superb cover-drive, then took the aerial route himself for another four. The over from Vettori, supposedly New Zealand's control bowler, cost 17.

It was time for Chris Cairns to come back and try to apply the brakes, but the last ball of his next over, the 22nd of the innings, was tucked to the boundary by Hayden, to bring up Australia's hundred after they were put in.

Langer had roller-bladed to 70, but his wheels were showing signs of seizing up as the prospect of a century before lunch hove into view. Only four players have ever done this on the first day of a Test, and three of them are Australian legends – Victor Trumper, Charlie Macartney and a chap called Bradman (the other one is Majid Khan of Pakistan). Possibly Langer doesn't think he belongs in such rarefied company.

12 noon Australia 66 for 0 (Langer 59*, Hayden 2*)

The first drinks interval slowed Australia's – or rather Justin Langer's – helter-skelter progress. Langer had hurtled to 58 before his opening partner Matthew Hayden collected his second single, to raucous cheers from the crowd at Hobart's Bellerive Oval. Langer had already thumped 11 fours by that stage.

Chris Cairns was the best of the bowlers, although new cap Shane Bond started impressively. His first ball rapped Langer on the shoulder, and although the second was pulled away for four Bond continued to bowl quickly – in the high 80mph bracket – and move the ball away from the two left-handers.

Langer was beginning to make Stephen Fleming's decision to put Australia in look misguided. But it might have been different if he'd been caught in the gully or given out lbw to Daryl Tuffey (who looks more like an All-Black centre than a quick bowler) before he'd reached double figures. The New Zealanders will remember ruefully that Langer survived a cast-iron lbw at Brisbane before he'd scored – and finished up with 104.

11.30am Australia 53 for 0 (Langer 49*, Hayden 1*)

Justin Langer rocketed away at the start of the second Test, reaching 49 from 47 balls, with ten clunking fours, while his opening partner Matthew Hayden collected a single from just 12 balls faced.

But Langer was riding his luck: he was dropped in the second over, by Matthew Bell in the gully off Daryl Tuffey, and in Tuffey's next over a good appeal for lbw was turned down by Steve Bucknor. That was a bad case of déjà vu for New Zealand, who thought they had trapped Langer leg-before for 0 at Brisbane. That one was turned down too, and Langer went on to make a century there.

Chris Cairns also had an appeal for caught-behind turned down, when Langer seemed to hit his pad with his bat as the ball sailed by. But then Langer got into his stride, thumping two copybook cover-drives for four as Tuffey pitched a little too wide.

Shane Bond's first ball in Test cricket cracked Langer on the shoulder, but after rubbing the spot and smiling Langer pivoted and cracked the next ball for four, to bring up Australia's half-century.

Toss New Zealand won the toss and put Australia in

On an overcast morning Stephen Fleming won the toss for New Zealand and put Australia in on the first day of the second Test at Hobart. Chris Cairns, New Zealand's most dangerous bowler in the first match at Brisbane, started with a tight over. Justin Langer sprinted off the mark with a quick single from the fifth ball.

Langer had a lucky escape in the second over, when he cut Daryl Tuffey high towards gully. Matthew Bell got both hands up to his right to grab the ball, but it burst through for two runs. Langer and Matthew Hayden, who put on 224 in the first innings at Brisbane, were on their way again.

Australia were unchanged from the first Test, but New Zealand made two changes, both forced by injuries: with Shayne O'Connor and Dion Nash both unfit, in came fast bowers Daryl Tuffey, for his seventh Test, and Canterbury policeman Shane Bond, for his first.

Teams
Australia 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Mark Waugh, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Damien Martyn, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Glenn McGrath.

New Zealand 1 Mark Richardson, 2 Matthew Bell, 3 Mathew Sinclair, 4 Stephen Fleming (capt), 5 Nathan Astle, 6 Craig McMillan, 7 Adam Parore (wk), 8 Chris Cairns, 9 Daniel Vettori, 10 Daryl Tuffey, 11 Shane Bond.

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