An unbeaten century by skipper Ross Taylor has given New Zealand the upper hand after the first day of their one-off cricket Test against Zimbabwe in Napier.

At stumps on Thursday, the Black Caps were 5-331 in their first innings, with Taylor on 112 and BJ Watling on 15.

Taylor has hit 13 fours and two sixes and his century is his sixth in Tests and his second at McLean Park.

He and former captain Daniel Vettori shared an 82-run fifth-wicket partnership that helped to steady the ship after the Black Caps lost two quick wickets to be 4-196.

Both sides had expected the pitch to be bowler-friendly and it was no surprise when Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor elected to field when he won the toss.

But there were few apparent terrors as openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill put on a century stand against an attack that lacked penetration.

The pair reached 124, before the tourists made a double breakthrough.

Guptill, on 51, was the first to go when he was caught behind for debutant seamer Shingirai Masakadza’s first Test wicket.

Kane Williamson, on four, was then run out in a mix-up with McCullum.

McCullum and Taylor consolidated to get New Zealand to 2-195 before Zimbabwe again struck twice in quick time.

McCullum, who had hit eight fours and two sixes, was on 83 when seamer Kyle Jarvis trapped him leg before.

Jarvis should have had new batsman Dean Brownlie in the same over as well but Brendan Taylor spilled a chance at second slip and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu couldn’t grab the rebound.

Brownlie’s luck ran out in the next over when he edged a ball from medium-pacer Hamilton Masakadza to Taibu for a duck.

Vettori showed a willingness to play his strokes, hitting seven fours in reaching 38, but fell to a slick stumping by Taibu off leg spinner Graeme Cremer.

Hamilton Masakadza had the best figures of the Zimbabwe bowlers, with 1-33 off 16 overs.