PERTH, Australia: Australian opener David Warner smashed his third century in as many innings to put New Zealand to the sword on Friday, the opening day of the second test at the WACA Ground.
Warner was 129 not out at tea, propelling Australia to 243-1, with fellow lefthander Usman Khawaja on an unbeaten 69 in unbroken stand of 142 runs for the second wicket.
Warner raced to his century off 118 balls to complete 1000 runs in 2015, with four more tests to come before the end of the year.
The stocky opener was in outstanding form from the time he smashed two boundaries off the first two balls he faced after Australia had won the toss and elected to bat. Warner has struck 14 boundaries off 160 balls.
He and fellow opener Joe Burns posted their third successive century stand to start the series, before Burns was out just before lunch for 40, chopping a Scott Henry delivery onto his stumps.
Khawaja survived some anxious moments, with two dropped chances, and hit two sixes and seven fours in his unbeaten knock, but Warner made batting look easy on a pitch that failed to live up to expectations on being the fastest in the world.
New Zealand was left to rue some missed opportunities and running out of decision reviews.
Warner's century has put Australia in a perfect position to force a series win here following the 208-run victory in the opening test in Brisbane.
It was Warner's third century in four test matches in Perth, and his fourth successive against New Zealand. He scored an unbeaten 123 in Hobart in December 2011, and followed it up with 129 and 116 in the first test of the current series in Brisbane.
It is the second time in a 44-test career Warner has scored three back-to-back centuries.
Australia named an unchanged team for the test match while New Zealand replaced the injured allrounder James Neesham with Henry.
Tim Southee who struggled in the first test with a bad back, passed a late fitness test to spearhead the New Zealand attack, which once again looked pedestrian against the inform Australian top order.