PERTH, Australia — A stunning catch by Steve Smith snared the prized wicket of Kane Williamson as Mitchell Starc tore through the New Zealand top order on the second day of the first Test in Perth on Friday.

Smith dived horizontally to his right at second slip to take the catch to remove Williamson for 34 from the bowling of Starc, just when it appeared New Zealand were fighting back well after losing their two openers with only one run on the board.

After Australia posted 416 in extreme heat on the back of a third successive Test century for Marnus Labuschagne the Kiwis were struggling at 109 for five in reply at stumps, still 307 runs in arrears.

Ross Taylor, who put on 76 for the third wicket with Williamson and made 290 in his previous Test in Perth, was on 66 and BJ Watling was yet to score.

Smith's freak catch was a key moment, as the Kiwis slumped to 97 for five by losing three wickets for just 20 runs.

Starc (4-31) did the damage with four wickets, including those of Henry Nicholls (7) and night watchman Neil Wagner (0) in successive balls.

However, Australia had also lost opening bowler Josh Hazlewood (1-0) with a left hamstring injury.

Hazlewood bowled opener Jeet Raval for a duck in his first over, but managed just two balls in his second before pulling up short during his run up.

He left the field immediately with a devastated demeanor, becoming the second fast bowler to succumb to injury in two days of scorching Perth heat.

Kiwi debutant Lockie Ferguson was forced out the game on the first day by a calf injury.

The wicket of Raval followed the dismissal of Tom Latham in the very first over, easily caught and bowled by Starc in his follow through.

Having claimed the two openers in quick time in favorable bowling conditions Australia looked in total control, but Williamson and Taylor rode their luck early and then settled in as the home side was forced to turn to former wicketkeeper Matthew Wade to send down a couple of overs of erratic medium pace.

Replays suggested Wade actually had Williamson caught behind on 13, but the Australians didn't review even though Smith seemed confident it was out.

Earlier, Labuschagne's 143 was the foundation of an Australian innings that lasted just a few balls shy of five full sessions as the mercury again climbed towards 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and a bushfire broke out adjacent to the ground.

Labuschagne looked set for his third successive innings over 150 until he was bowled by the determined Neil Wagner (4-92).

The 25-year-old hadn't given a chance in reaching 143, but walked a little far across his stumps and the ball crashed into his leg stump to reward Wagner for a spirited spell.

In stifling heat, the home team kept the Kiwis in the field for just a few minutes shy of five full sessions, with the last wicket falling in the final over before the break on day two.

It was slow going for much of the session before tea, with just 26 runs in the first hour as Australia looked to punish New Zealand by keeping them in the field after winning the toss and electing to bat, with the intention of bowling at the visitors in the final session under lights.

Just when it seemed Australia were destined for to score around 500, New Zealand gained some welcome relief when they claimed the last three wickets for just eight runs, with pacemen Tim Southee and Wagner each finishing with four wickets.

Travis Head was looking to solidify his spot in the Australian side, but on 56 he hit a Southee (4-93) ball straight to Mitchell Santner at cover.

The fire started on the far side of the neighboring Belmont racetrack about an hour before play, and smoke could be seen rising into the Perth sky.

It was quickly put out, but caused haze in the stadium for a short period — echoing the bushfire smoke that plagued last week's Australian Open golf in Sydney.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st innings

D. Warner c and b Wagner 43

J. Burns lbw b de Grandhomme 9

M. Labuschagne b Wagner 143

S. Smith c Southee b Wagner 43

M. Wade b Southee 12

T. Head c Santner b Southee 56

T. Paine c Watling b Southee 39

P. Cummins b Raval 20

M. Starc c Williamson b Southee 30

N. Lyon c de Grandhomme b Wagner 8

J. Hazlewood not out 0

Extras: (b2, lb 1, nb2, w8) 13

Total: (all out; 146.2 overs) 416

Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Burns), 2-75 (Warner), 3-207 (Smith), 4-225 (Wade), 5-301 (Labuschange), 6-325 (Head), 7-363 (Cummins), 8-408 (Starc), 9-416 (Lyon), 10-416 (Paine)

Bowling: Southee 30.2-7-93-4 (1w), Ferguson 11-1-47-0 (1w), Wagner 37-7-92-4 (1w), de Grandhomme 22-8-37-1 (2nb), Santner 33-5-111-0, Raval 13-1-33-1

New Zealand 1st innings

J. Raval b Hazlewood 1

T. Latham c and b Starc 0

K. Williamson c Smith b Starc 34

R. Taylor not out 66

H. Nicholls c Paine b Starc 7

N. Wagner b Starc 0

BJ. Watling not out 0

Extras (b1) 1

Total (five wickets; 32 overs) 109

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Latham), 2-1 (Raval), 3-77 (Williamson), 4-97 (Nicholls), 5-97 (Wagner)

Bowling: Starc 11-1-31-4, Hazlewood 1.2-1-0-1, Cummins 10.4-2-34-0, Wade 2-0-8-0, Lyon 7-0-35-0

Still to bat: Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson. — AFP