Steve Smith's superhuman hands and Mitchell Starc's pink-ball prowess have torn the Blackcaps apart and left them 109/5, as only Josh Hazlewood's hamstring soured Australia's dream night in Perth.
After Starc and Hazlewood had New Zealand struggling at 1/2 under lights in reply to their 416, Australia hit a hurdle, when Hazlewood limped off injured.
The tall quick was immediately sent for scans and Australia were still awaiting the result at stumps, leaving them with just two front-line quicks.
His departure provided the subplot to a dramatic final session, which saw Starc take 4/31 and Ross Taylor offer New Zealand's main resistance on 66 not out.
Australia remain in a dominant position, given their 307-run lead, but must pick up the required 15 wickets to win in the final three days, with Matthew Wade as their third quick.
New Zealand also have a pace problem, with Lockie Ferguson ruled out for the match with a calf strain and the temperatures tipped to edge 40 degrees celsius on Saturday and Sunday.
Starc started his rampage, when he got Tom Latham in the first over of the night with a leading edge, before Hazlewood swung one back on Jeet Raval in the next over.
Kane Williamson and Taylor then provided a fighting 76-run partnership, before Smith's catch of the summer. Standing at second slip, he dived full-length to his right and clutched the ball one-handed, after Starc drew Williamson's edge on 34.
"You sort of expect that from Steve, he's done that a few times," Starc said. "The big wicket of Kane, the captain as well... to hold onto him was a big moment in tonight's session."
The catch will live long in the highlights reels, but Smith would have had Williamson removed on 13, if he had his way.
The Blackcaps superstar edged one behind, off Pat Cummins, with Smith the only man to hear it as no other Aussies appealed.
Starc later finished the night in style, when Henry Nicholls edged one down the legside on seven, before yorking nightwatchman Neil Wagner first ball.
The left-armer's record with the pink ball now stands at a record 37 wickets in seven tests, at an average of 20.05 runs.
He also has 18 wickets for the summer now, just months after being dropped for most of the Ashes, as he made slight changes to his action.
"It probably is [the best lengths I've bowled]," Starc said. "Those little technical changes I made at the start of the summer probably have been a big part of that.
"The technical changes have helped me, not sacrifice any pace, but be able to be more consistent and help play a part for the other guys as well, where in the past I've leaked runs at certain stages and the other guys have had to work a little bit harder."
Marnus Labuschagne's third straight century had earlier set up Australia's test, as he went from 110 to 144 on Friday, before losing his leg stump to Wagner.
The 25-year-old barely offered a chance in his previous 239 balls, before he stepped inside one that swung and moved past his legs into the stumps.
He was one of Wagner's four scalps, as the left-armer finished 4/92, while Tim Southee also had 4/93.
AAP
