Perth: New Zealand finally separated Australia's openers just before lunch but the hosts still reached the break on a healthy 105 for one on a sweltering first day of the second test on Friday.

Sent in to bat after skipper Steve Smith won the toss, David Warner and Joe Burns took on New Zealand's bowlers as they had in the first test, where two opening partnerships in excess of 150 runs were the foundation stones of a 208-run victory.

Lefthander Warner made his intent clear by hitting the first two balls he faced for four to either side of the ground and he had reached 60 from 68 balls at the break.

Burns had been just as aggressive as Warner, but played on to a delivery from Matt Henry a few minutes before the break with 101 runs on the board to be dismissed for 40, bringing Usman Khawaja to the wicket.

Khawaja will resume after lunch on two.

Warner and Burns were the second Australian opening partnership to register century stands in their first three matches together after Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer in 2001.

New Zealand's day started well with paceman Tim Southee passed fit to play despite the back injury that limited his contribution at the Gabba but it rapidly went downhill after skipper Brendon McCullum lost a toss he was desperate to win.

Fielding a four-pronged pace attack after Henry replaced injured all-rounder James Neesham, the Black Caps were unable to muster any movement to threaten the Australian openers.

Spearhead Trent Boult was particularly disappointing, conceding the two boundaries to Warner in his first over and hammered for 23 runs in his first three overs.

Two early chances failed to carry to the fielders and Australia already had 61 runs when the first proper appeal emerged from the ranks of the tourists.

A more full-throated shout for lbw against Burns an over later tempted McCullum into a review but the television pictures showed Southee's delivery had caught an inside edge.

The hosts were unchanged from the Gabba and could wrap up the three-match series with a victory in Perth. The series concludes with the inaugural day-night test match at the Adelaide Oval.