New Zealand seamer Tim Southee thanked the selectors for sticking by him after picking up four wickets in Hamilton.
Black Caps bowler relieved by return to form
New Zealand seamer Tim Southee was delighted after picking up four wickets on the opening day of the second Test against Australia in Hamilton.
Southee and Black Caps skipper Daniel Vettori, playing his 100th Test, combined for eight wickets as Australia were dismissed for 231 after opting to bat first.
New Zealand, who trail 1-0 in the two-match series, closed the first day at 19-1 in reply.
"We had a good couple of days training after Wellington and it's obviously Dan's 100th Test so we wanted to come out firing," said Southee.
The 21-year-old Northern Districts bowler was also happy to repay the selectors' faith in him after he had gone wicketless in the series opener, which the hosts lost by 10 wickets in Wellington.
Southee would likely have been dropped had Darly Tuffey not sustained a fractured hand in the first Test.
"I was obviously pretty disappointed after the last Test as I didn't play very well," he added.
"To come back the way we did was pleasing. We bowled well as a unit and I was just the one that picked up the wickets.
"It was good to be able to give the selectors a bit of payback for sticking with me."
Reward
Simon Katich, who top scored for Australia with 88, admitted his side's total was below-par, especially after they had been 172-3 at one point in the afternoon.
"The track was slower than in Wellington but I think it's more the fact that New Zealand stuck to its game plan and shut things down as long as they could and they got the reward," said Katich.
"We've got a bit of hard work ahead of us but I think the way we bowled tonight, it'll be pretty hard for the Kiwis as well.
"There's no doubt we're disappointed with only 230 given that we were only about three for 160 and it seemed like we were going all right.
"We've got to do some hard work with the ball but there's plenty of Test cricket left in this match."
