Michael Clarke just missed a century as New Zealand bowled Australia out for only 214 on day one of the first Test in Brisbane.

Clarke's gutsy 98 off 216 balls lasted almost five hours, but the vice-captain was the only batsman to offer resistance of any substance on a green pitch.

New Zealand openers Jamie How and Aaron Redmond then had a nervous time seeing out five overs, before the umpires offered bad light, but were able to reach seven without loss at stumps.

The Kiwis attack was earlier spearheaded by seamer Tim Southee, who reduced the hosts to 23 for three - and New Zealand were still well on top at tea, which Australia took on to 152 for seven.

Southee (four for 63) completed his haul when Brett Lee was eighth out to an excellent one-handed diving catch by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum - before Clarke shared a last-wicket stand of 31 with Stuart Clark, which ended anti-climactically when the number five was bowled by part-time medium-pacer Jesse Ryder.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori had put his hosts in - and Southee, in his first Test against Australia, saw off the top three in only half-an-hour.

The 20-year-old extracted good bounce and movement to clean up Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting in quick succession.

Mike Hussey worked hard to rebuild the damage in a 73-run partnership with Clarke - but his dismissal, when he shouldered arms and was trapped lbw by Chris Martin, was the beginning of the end.

Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin all surrendered meekly.

Symonds' short but lively stay was a head-turner, on his return to the Test fold after disciplinary problems, containing three consecutive boundaries off all-rounder Grant Elliot's seventh over.

Redmond failed to hold a tough chance offered by Symonds, who was to take eight runs off one Iain O'Brien delivery when he and Clarke ran four - and the visitors then conceded a further four in overthrows.

O'Brien had the last laugh when two balls later he had Symonds caught behind.

Watson's attempted cut at O'Brien resulted only in another edge behind, and Haddin went to the last ball before tea when he could not resist a wider delivery from Ryder and was caught at second slip.

Clarke was unaffected by the wickets falling around him and kept the score ticking to help Australia nudge past 200.