Marnus Labuschagne scored his fourth century in five matches as Australia dominated a New Zealand side ravaged by illness and missing captain Kane Williamson to reach 283/3 on the first day of the third and final Test.

With the series already lost after heavy defeats in Perth and Melbourne, the Black Caps were rocked when Williamson, batsman Henry Nicholls and spinner Mitchell Santner were ruled out of the match by a flu virus.

Labuschagne looked immovable as he hit a magnificent unbeaten 130 to add to the knocks of 185 and 162 he registered against Pakistan in November and the 143 he scored against New Zealand in the first Test.

The 25-year-old piled on the runs in a third-wicket partnership of 156 with Steve Smith (63) and will resume on Saturday with Matthew Wade, who was batting on 22 by the close of play.

“It’s rare that you play an away team with five changes, but that’s the circumstances,” said Labuschagne.“It was a nice day out there and a good day for Australia... I’m just trying to keep it in the moment and focus on each ball.”

Tom Latham was named New Zealand captain in Williamson’s absence and his first act was to lose a toss the visitors would have been desperate to win after selecting two spinners and dropping pacer Tim Southee.

With Southee’s usual strike partner Trent Boult ruled out by injury, New Zealand started a Test for the first time in more than a decade without one of the pair or Williamson in the side.

Colin de Grandhomme, who took the new ball with Matt Henry, played a part in all three wickets to fall, first having opener Joe Burns caught in the slips off an outside edge for 18.

David Warner departed for 45 three balls after lunch when quick Neil Wagner fired a delivery down the leg side that the Australian opener steered to gully for De Grandhomme to take a fine catch.