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Mohammad Asif marked his return to Test cricket with three wickets as Pakistan restricted New Zealand to 276 for six on day one of the first Test in Dunedin.

The controversial fast bowler, back after a two-year absence, struck early to dismiss Daniel Flynn then removed Peter Fulton and Grant Elliott in quick succession in the final session to finish with figures of three for 76 off 24 overs.

The highlights for New Zealand were half-centuries for Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor.

Their third-wicket stand of 117 dug New Zealand out of trouble after a horror start which saw them reeling at 27 for two inside the opening six overs.

A maiden Test fifty for Guptill, who was eventually dismissed in the second session for 60, and 94 from Taylor appeared to give the Black Caps some hope of setting a reasonable total but that was dashed when Asif removed Fulton and Elliott in successive overs to leave the Black Caps at 211 for six.

Once again skipper Daniel Vettori (40 not out) was left to shore up his side's batting effort as he and Brendon McCullum (unbeaten on 25) made it to the close at University Oval, although not without some drama in the final over when Simon Taufel's lbw decision against the wicketkeeper was reversed after the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) was called into play.

It could have been worse for the New Zealanders but for some poor fielding from Pakistan.

Imran Farhat missed two chances - Guptill when he was on 26 and Vettori when he had yet to score - while Gul, who toiled hard for no reward with the ball (none for 78 off 21), also gave Guptill a life on 26 when he failed to take a catch out at fine leg.

Pakistan, the hosts of the series after it was switched from the sub-continent in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankans in Lahore in March, got off to the perfect start when left-arm quick Aamer (two for 62 off 19) struck first ball to dismiss Tim McIntosh with a yorker after Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf had won the toss and inserted the Black Caps.

Flynn, who replaced McIntosh at the crease, added just eight runs to the total before he edged an Asif delivery to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to leave New Zealand reeling on 27 for two.

But Guptill and Taylor dug in, showing plenty of patience in the face of some accurate and testing bowling from Aamer, Gul, Asif and spinner Saeed Ajmal (one for 49 off 26) and by lunch they had added 48 runs as New Zealand reached 75 for two.

Guptill looked the more comfortable of the two batsmen in the opening session, taking two boundaries off Asif in his first over.

But the right-hander could also count himself lucky after Farhat and Gul's fielding errors.

The opener made the most of his escape to be four short of a half-century by lunch.

After the interval the momentum swung the Black Caps' way as Taylor began to find his rhythm and moved from his 19 at lunch off 68 balls to register his sixth half-century off just a further 29 deliveries.

By then Guptill also had his fifty, which he brought up with lovely drive through extra cover - his ninth boundary of the innings.

In the 41st over the UDRS was called upon for the first time when Asif thought he had had Taylor trapped leg before wicket. But umpire Billy Doctrove's original decision was upheld, leaving Yousuf with just one challenge left in the innings.

The partnership was eventually broken though when Guptill hooked an Aamer delivery to Fawad Alam who ran back from square leg to take the catch.

It was the only wicket to fall in the second session as New Zealand reached tea on 171 for three.

But Pakistan rebounded strongly in the final session as Ajmal and Farhat combined to remove Taylor.

Asif then bowled Fulton for 29 before enticing an edge from Elliott (eight) which Kamram Akmal snapped up.

Vettori had a lucky escape the very next ball when his edge to the slips was missed by Farhat and he and McCullum had added 65 runs to the total when stumps were drawn.

Eurosport