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Australia in command after Martyn and Gilchrist turn tide

Australia, in danger of being routed for their lowest ever score in New Zealand, roared back to take charge on the second day of the third and final cricket Test in Hamilton on Saturday.

The Australians, bidding for their 10th straight Test victory, were teetering at 29 for five before two innings-saving partnerships centering around Damien Martyn eked out a 20-run innings lead.

Then Steve Waugh's men applied the blowtorch late in the day to have the Kiwis on the back foot at 58 for three at stumps, effectively 38 for three, with three days' play left.

At the close on a day where 306 runs were scored and 12 wickets fell, Craig Spearman was not out 29, with Nathan Astle one two.

Colin Miller was Australia's hero in the Kiwi second innings with the wickets of Mathew Sinclair (24) and captain Stephen Fleming (2) along with his direct throw that ran out opener Matthew Horne for a duck.

But the Australians can thank the resolve of Martyn, who was stranded on his highest Test score as Australia counter-attacked aggressively to turn around a likely sizeable innings deficit into a small but pyschologically-important lead.

Australia fought back with a blistering 119-run sixth-wicket partnership in 91 minutes by Martyn and fellow West Australian Adam Gilchrist. Gilchrist crashed 16 fours in his rollicking 75 before he holed out to Horne off spinner Paul Wiseman.

Martyn ran out of batting partners to remain unbeaten on 89 with Australia dismissed at tea for 252, a lead of 20 runs.

Martyn, who is in the Australian side for Ricky Ponting, who is at home with an injured ankle, had hit his previous highest score of 78 in the second Test.

Left-arm seamer Shayne O'Connor finished with Test best figures of 5-51 off 15.5 overs and Chris Cairns took 3-80 off 22 overs.

It was a tremendous fightback by Australia, who were all at sea in the morning session as O'Connor and Cairns dominated with lively movement off the pitch.

At one stage, Australia were staring at their lowest Test score in New Zealand of 103 in Auckland in 1985-86, before partnerships of 75 in 65 minutes between Martyn and Mark Waugh (28) and the century stand between Martyn and Gilchrist recovered the situation.

It was an outstanding morning for New Zealand bowlers with O'Connor snaring the wickets of Michael Slater (2) and Shane Warne (10), both to dubious lbw decisions given by Indian umpire Arani Jayaprakash.

Cairns bowled Justin Langer off his glove for four and got the priceless wicket of captain Steve Waugh for three, edging to first slip where NZ skipper Stephen Fleming celebrated his 27th birthday with a great low two-handed catch.

Cairns gave Waugh a rousing send-off, no doubt relishing the rare occasion of seeing the Australians on the run.

Yet inexplicably with Australia having no where to escape, skipper Fleming replaced O'Connor after bowling just five overs for two wickets, and pitched debutant Tuffey into the attack. Powerfully-built Tuffey was punished in two spells going for 0-75 which included nine no-balls. It was a turning point with a relaxation of pressure on Martyn and Mark Waugh allowing them to regain scoring momentum.

The pair cruised to a 75-run partnership in 65 minutes before Waugh popped a catch to Sinclair close in off spinner Paul Wiseman to be out for 28.

Then it just went pear-shaped for the Kiwis with Gilchrist joining Martyn and helping themselves to a flurry of runs, at one stage adding 90 runs in the hour after lunch.

From rubbing their hands at the prospect of at last taking a decisive innings lead for the first time in the series, the Kiwis found themselves desperately trying to restrict the Australians from building a handy lead themselves.

The loss of three wickets late in the day only compounded New Zealand's frustration as they try to stop the Australians from a series clean sweep.