WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Australia secured an easy victory in the first test against New Zealand yesternday, thrashing the hosts by an innings and 52 runs after lunch on the fourth day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Nathan Lyon grabbed two more wickets to finish with figures of 4-91 for Australia, who can take the top test ranking from India with a series victory.
The second match starts in Christchurch on Feb. 20.
Mark Craig, who top scored in New Zealand’s first innings with 41 not out, was left 33 not out when Trent Boult was bowled by Mitchell Marsh for 12 to bring the hosts’ second innings to an end on 327.
New Zealand were dismissed for 183 in their first innings and faced a deficit of 379 runs after Adam Voges’ second test double century drove Australia to a mammoth 562.
The visitors captured the last six wickets yesterday without the experienced Peter Siddle, who bowled just eight overs on Sunday before succumbing to a back spasm.
“They (the bowlers) put the ball in the right areas and put New Zealand under pressure and that’s all you can ask for,” Australia captain Steve Smith said in a televised interview.
“We battled quite hard with the bat and were under a little bit of pressure early but the partnership between Usman (Khawaja) and Voges was spot on and they played out of their skin and put us in a good position.”
Marsh, Lyon and Jackson Bird all grabbed wickets before lunch to set up the victory push in the middle session.
Hazlewood trapped Doug Bracewell in front for 14 just three deliveries after they returned from the break. Tim Southee provided some typical rearguard fireworks with 48 from 23 balls but holed out at long on trying to hit a fourth six off Lyon, before Boult was bowled by Marsh just under an hour into the final session.
Scoreboard
New Zealand 1st innings 183 (J. Hazlewood 4-42)
Australia 1st innings 562 (A. Voges 239, U. Khawaja 140, S. Smith 71) New Zealand 2nd innings (Overnight: 178-4)
T. Latham c Khawaja b Lyon 63
M. Guptill c M. Marsh b Lyon 45
K. Williamson c Nevill b Hazlewood 22
H. Nicholls b Bird 59
B. McCullum lbw b M. Marsh 10
C. Anderson lbw b M. Marsh 0
B. Watling b Lyon 10
D. Bracewell lbw b Hazlewood 14
M. Craig not out 33
T. Southee c Khawaja b Lyon 48
T. Boult b M. Marsh 12
Extras (b-2 lb-5 nb-4) 11
Total (all out, 104.3 overs) 327
Fall of wickets: 1-81 M. Guptill,2-121 K. Williamson,3-157 T. Latham,4-178 B. McCullum,5-185 C. Anderson,6-214 B. Watling,7-218 H. Nicholls,8-242 D. Bracewell,9-301 T. Southee,10-327 T. Boult
Bowling J. Hazlewood 29 – 7 – 75 – 2 J. Bird 19 – 4 – 51 – 1(nb-2) P. Siddle 8 – 0 – 30 – 0 M. Marsh 17.3 – 2 – 73 – 3(nb-2) N. Lyon 31 – 10 – 91 – 4 Referees Umpire: Richard Illingworth Umpire: Richard Kettleborough TV umpire: Ranmore Martinesz Match referee: Chris Broad Result: Australia won by an innings and 52 runs
