Jason Gillespie enhanced his reputation as Test cricket's most reliable nightwatchman but his insertion possibly cost Adam Gilchrist a rare fourth straight century at Eden Park.

Gilchrist continued his amazing form streak with a signature unbeaten 60 that propelled Australia to 383 and gave it match-winning momentum in the third Test against New Zealand.

A fired-up Glenn McGrath then quickly shot out both openers Craig Cumming (0) and James Marshall (3) under floodlights for the Black Caps to be in dire straights at 2-11 in their second innings.

McGrath's important double pushed him to 497 Test scalps but put him in an awkward position as he wants wife Jane, still home in Australia on Monday night, on hand to witness him reaching his career goal of 500 wickets.

It consequently has the home side, trailing by 91 runs on the first-innings, ripe for the picking on day four.

Four rain delays and two bad light stoppages allowed only 48 overs of play on a stop-start day.

Contrasting Australia's ultra-cautious approach to shielding its recognised batsmen the night before by using Gillespie, NZ skipper Stephen Fleming took it upon himself to see out the gloomy third day.

He faced two balls after Marshall edged McGrath to third slip before the umpires called a halt.

Gillespie stonewalled for 2(1/2) hours to graft a stoic 35 at No.6 but the surprise decision to send him in effectively denied the destructive Gilchrist a chance at another Test century.

It was Simon Katich's call not to bat the final 22 minutes on Sunday night that meant the vice-captain came to the wicket at No.8 on Monday and was left high and dry by a lower-order slump.

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