Left-arm seamer Neil Wagner's raw pace and aggression proved too much for an out-of-touch Zimbabwean batting lineup as New Zealand stamped their authority on the first Test on the opening day at Queens Sports Club on Thursday.

On a surface offering little to the bowlers, Wagner bent his back and used the short ball to good effect to take career-best figures of 6 for 41, bowling Zimbabwe out for just 164 after they had won the toss and elected to bat first.

In a 13-over spell either side of the lunch break, the 30-year-old removed Chibhabha and Sean Williams before the interval and then struck three times in one over to reduce the hosts to 72 for eight.

Zimbabwe had not played a Test since November 2014, and the hiatus showed in their inability to occupy the crease on a pitch that held no demons.

New Zealand closed the day on 32 without loss, with Tom Latham on 16 and Martin Guptill on 14.

SCORES IN BRIEF

ZIMBABWE: First innings 164 (Raza 22, Masvaure 42, Tiripano 49 not out; Southee 2-28, Santner 2-16, Wagner 6-41)

NEW ZEALAND: First innings 32 for no loss (Guptill 14 not out, Latham 16 not out)