Australia are one win away from their first perfect Test summer in six years after wrapping up the trans-Tasman trophy with a 247-run flogging of New Zealand.
Nathan Lyon bowled Australia to victory on Sunday’s fourth day of the second Test at the MCG, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
If they win at the SCG, it will mark the first time since the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash they have won all Tests in a home summer without a loss or a draw.
Opener Tom Blundell offered the only real resistance, batting superbly to hit his second century in just his third Test, out for 121 in his maiden first-class match as an opener.
But it mattered little as the Black Caps finished on 9-240, chasing 488 for victory, with Trent Boult unable to bat because of a broken hand.
James Pattinson also claimed 3-35 on Sunday to make it six wickets for the match in his first Test on Australian soil in almost four years.
The Victorian broke the Black Caps’ backs with the key scalps of skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in one over just before lunch.
The wicket of Williamson came via a controversial DRS call which showed the ball just clipping his leg stump, after he was given out lbw on-field.
But it summed up a miserable Test for the New Zealand captain, who won the toss and opted to bowl only to see man-of-the-match Travis
Head’s century help Australia to amass 467 first-innings runs.
Williamson scored just nine in the first innings, and watched Australia hit 5-168 in their second innings before declaring midway through Sunday morning.
Lyon rolled through their middle order to finish with 4-81, his best wicket coming when he deceived Henry Nicholls on 33 with a delivery that spun past his bat to be stumped by Tim Paine.
He has taken 13 wickets in the final innings of matches this summer, proving his status as one of the best finger spinners in the world.
Pat Cummins finished his dominant year, going wicketless in the fourth innings, but still played a key role in the victory with 5-28 in the first.
The loss ended New Zealand’s unbeaten run in Test series, having either drawn or won their past seven going back to early 2017.
They will also drop the out of the world’s top-two ranked teams, after struggling with the bat for a second-straight Test and lacking impetus with the ball.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
It's the Eucalyptus trees SA has imported en-masse. They're everywhere along the south coast PE to Cape Town. The oxygen content being given off is clearly Australian in nature and influencing the movement of the new ball. Plus smells real good.. And as well as the Durban tide and also the emissions from the Newlands Brewery on the west side of the CT ground; the heavy yeast outputs clearly affect surface conditions - the timing of bowling changes to coincide with brewery smoko breaks when yeast content dips out of the chimneys, is a lost art.
Seymorebutts
Guest
I think you can make a case that they are the best Australian quicks since Lillee and Thompson. Not sure about the greatest of all time... there are some West Indian fans who would disagree with you on that, but, Im happy with the cattle we have at the moment ;-)
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Only if there are injuries. One thing with the world test championship it means there is no such thing as a dead rubber anymore. It’s not just about the series, it’s about WTC points. They will want to put everything into this test to try and win it, no playing second stringers.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Richardson is very promising. But he’s not got back to his best since the shoulder injury yet. Neser hasn’t had a chance at international level yet so it’s hard to know if he could make the step up or not.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Maybe Cummins but surely not Starc
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
We don’t know that yet though
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Didn’t help that they all bowled pies in the first innings. And Stokes doesn’t have more than 4-5 overs in him
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
They also sent the opposition in, unsuccessfully
badmanners
Roar Rookie
If the spinner your picking to take a bowlers spot in the line up averages less than 2 wickets per test then he is really only a part timer who's batting isn't up to being in the top 6. That is Santner. The point is to take 20 wickets to win a match, he is not helping. It is good to see Somerville called up for the Sydney test, his experience in Aus conditions should be a plus but he will be bowling against better batsmen than in his shield stints. The West Indies won an awful lot of games without a spinner and if NZ had played another seamer they would have still lost these tests in Aus but wouldn't have been playing with one hand tied behind their back.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Dont agree Bad Manners.. All pitches will deteriorate over 5 days. All cricket ball will lose shape and shine before replacing. Even an average spinner can capitalize. It also changes the tempo of the game and allows the captain to rotate his quicks more frequently. Very good spinners are a rare commodity in World Cricket and are an added bonus. Doesn't mean you shouldn't choose the best you have. England won the toss but incorrectly chose to bowl. Imo that decision was made because they had no recognized spinner and hoped to blast out a rookie SA batting line up quickly before too much wear on the pitch. Backfired spectacularly.
Tanmoy Kar
Roar Rookie
I think Australia will give other pacers a chance at Sydney, giving rest to Cummins and Starc.
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
Throw Jyhe Richardson and Neser in too and we have another test quality line up as backups
The Late News
Roar Rookie
I guess because the climates are similar...apart from the altitude in the high veld
badmanners
Roar Rookie
And if your supposed best spinner has best test figures of 3/53 and currently this series has figures of 1/250 compared to the local who has 10/227? It's very hard bowling spin in Australia, they would be better off with another seamer.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
South Africa v Australia is one of those anomalies in test cricket when home advantage doesn’t exist. Australia wins more often in South Africa while SA often wins in Australia.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Pretty much how I thought the series would unfold. One of the things that really makes the Australian attack so dangerous is the fact they currently are able to lose one of the top 10 ranked fast bowlers in the world who was bowling incredibly well and the replacement they bring in means they are barely missing anything.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Australia has smashed NZ the last couple of test series over there too.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
True. But he is in the side as their only spinner. That is his primary role and he isn’t close to good enough.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Ah well. Next two home summers are against India and England I believe. Two to look forward to.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Santner did score a century in one of those tests.