Perhaps bitter from years of watching feeble top orders fold meekly, the scribes were predicting an early finish.
When opener Tim McIntosh was dispatched with a brutal yorker from 17-year-old Mohammad Aamer in the first act of the series, the Grab-a-Seat website probably registered a few extra hits in anticipation.
"Four for 60 at lunch," the prophets cried.
The soothsayers were proved a little eager, though the top order did eventually crumble.
But not before it staged a commendable rally, first through Martin Guptill with 60 and then Ross Taylor with 94.
At tea, the home side had reached 171 for three but much of the good work was undone in the final session with Mohammad Asif taking two wickets in four balls, ripping through the middle order of Peter Fulton and Grant Elliott.
With the innings teetering, skipper Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum led the side into the shed at 276 for six.
McCullum was actually given out lbw on the second last ball of the day by umpire Simon Taufel, but used the umpire decision review successfully to keep his wicket intact.
And Vettori survived a scared when he edged the first ball he faced but it dropped just short of first slip.
Taylor felt the game was evenly poised going into the second day, although if Pakistan break through early it will have an end open with just Shane Bond, Iain O'Brien and Chris Martin to come.
"That last decision going our way has helped us immensely," Taylor said.
"Last year, with the referral system, we had a couple not go against us but didn't go in our favour. [Yesterday] we had a couple go our way.
"The partnership of Daniel and Brendon out there at the moment has probably put us back in the match."
Taylor said he only had himself to blame for falling six runs short of what would have been a fifth test 100.
With the milestone in sight, he wafted at a flighted delivery from Saeed Ajmal once to often and got a nick.
"Obviously, the goal as a batsman is to try and get to three figures," he said.
"To be very close but not close enough was obviously disappointing. But I can't really complain too much. The shot I played was a poor shot in the end."
Earlier, Aamer silenced the home crowd, which swelled to 1300 by the evening, when he dumbfounded McIntosh with a lethal yorker.
The Aucklander desperately tried to clamp down on the ball but got just enough wood on it to send it careening into his leg stump.
Stunned, he tracked back to the dressing rooms, beaten by speed and beaten by some shape back into the left-hander.
Guptill and Taylor rescued what could have been a disastrous first session, guiding the home side to 75 for two at lunch.
Guptill should have been dismissed twice when he was on 26.
Imran Farhat lost sight of a ball which flew from Guptill's edge and crashed into his forehead.
And Umar Gul made a halfhearted attempt to pull in a catch down at fine leg.
He palmed the ball over the rope for six.
While Guptill had a generous helping of luck, he also played some delightful drives and shortly after lunch raised his maiden test 50 with another tremendous drive.
Taylor, who made a watchful start, taunted Gul with some streaky shots but also drilled anything wide and over-tossed through the covers.
A massive six over midwicket sent the Pakistan attack a sharp reminder how dangerous he can be, and he raised his sixth test half-century with a nicely executed cut shot through backward point.
Guptill's luck ran on 60.
He could not resist the opportunity to hoist Aamer but the delivery got big on him and Fawad Alam took a good grab at square leg after dashing around from midwicket.
The opener's dismissal ended a 117-run stand for the third wicket.
Vettori and McCullum scored at a quick clip and will need to go on today to give their side a target to bowl at.
