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Australia will reclaim the No.1 Test ranking if they avoid defeat in the second trans-Tasman Test in Christchurch after belting New Zealand by an innings and 52 runs in Wellington.
NZ resumed at 4-178 on day four, their hopes of salvaging a draw having been all but dashed by the loss of key batsmen Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum on day three.
The Black Caps made it to lunch on Monday but were rolled in the second session for 327.
Australia turned the screws at the Basin Reserve despite Peter Siddle being restricted to fielding duties.
Siddle failed to bowl because of back spasms, which also kept him out of the attack in Sunday’s final session.
“I think he could have bowled today if needed,” skipper Steve Smith said.
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Debutant Henry Nicholls impressed in his knock of 59 but otherwise it seemed like a case of when, not if, as the visitors hunted the six remaining wickets.
Corey Anderson, BJ Watling and Nicholls all departed in the morning session.
Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee and Trent Boult threatened to make Australia bat again but all fell after lunch, Australia completing the win at 2.08pm local time.
Australia will top the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings if they win the two-Test series 1-0 or 2-0, with the Christchurch match to start on Saturday.
Their previous stint at No.1 came in June 2014 but South Africa reclaimed the mantle a month later.
From the moment Smith won the toss and Josh Hazlewood grabbed three wickets in his opening spell, NZ’s 13-Test undefeated streak at home looked in a degree of doubt.
Umpire Richard Illingworth’s no-ball howler, which reprieved Adam Voges on seven when he was bowled by Bracewell, will be one of the main talking points of the match.
Voges went on to score 239 and be named man of the match.
“It’s obviously not ideal but you’ve still got to give credit to Adam .. it was tough for our boys to cop at the time,” McCullum said in the post-match ceremony.
“We’ve said all along you have to cop the rough with the smooth.
“We were outplayed through the Test match and Australia deserve to be up 1-0 in this series
“Australia were very, very good.”
On day four it was Mitch Marsh who fired first, with a little help from Smith.
Smith gestured that Anderson could be an lbw candidate given how much the ball was reverse-swinging.
Anderson’s dismissal followed that exact script, with the allrounder on his way for a duck after unsuccessfully reviewing the verdict.
Watling, who always puts a high price on his wicket, fell to a sharp-turning delivery from Nathan Lyon (4-91).
Watling attempted to cut the ball but was cramped for room and played on.
Recalled paceman Jackson Bird then broke through for his first wicket of the match, skittling Nicholls’ stumps.
Spearhead Hazlewood grabbed his sixth wicket of the match in the first over after lunch, trapping Bracewell lbw.
Southee slapped 48 off 23 balls, the entertaining knock ending when he tried to hammer Lyon for a fourth straight boundary but instead picked out Usman Khawaja in the deep.
Boult hammered the 17th six of his Test career, grabbing the record for a No.11 batsman before Marsh bowled him to end the contest.
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