Cricket: Johnson leads Aussies to big win

Australia’s Mitchell Johnson finished with match figures of 10 for 132. Photo / Getty Images

Scoreboard

Australia completed a 176-run victory over New Zealand in the second cricket test as the hosts lasted until just before lunch on the fifth and final day at Seddon Park in Hamilton today.

Chasing an unlikely 479 to win, New Zealand were dismissed for 302 as the tourists sealed a 2-0 series victory after their 10-wicket win in Wellington.

Half-centuries from Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum and some late hitting from Tim Southee, who cracked 45 off 25 balls, defied the tourists for 126 minutes today.

Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson took six for 73 off 20.1 overs to end with figures of 10 for 132 for the match.

New Zealand started an overcast final day in a seemingly hopeless position at 185 for five, still 294 short of their mammoth target with their last two recognised batsmen at the crease.

Guptill and Brendon McCullum lasted 18.3 overs this morning as they extended their sixth wicket partnership to 87.

McCullum was the aggressor, cracking Johnson for three consecutive boundaries and reaching his 16th test half-century off 93 balls.

But his 117-minute resistance, including nine fours and a six, ended soon afterwards when on 51 he cut a Doug Bollinger delivery to Michael Hussey at gully from the third delivery with the second new ball.

Jeetan Patel, elevated to No 8 for this test, lasted 10 deliveries for three before Bollinger found the edge to the slips cordon.

Guptill lasted 205 minutes and 157 balls for 58 before he tried to crash Johnson through the covers but edged to second slip where captain Ricky Ponting took a sharp chance.

Southee hit out boldly and threatened South African Jacques Kallis' world record test half-century off 24 balls against Zimbabwe in 2004-05.

But after Brent Arnel was nicked out for nought by Johnson, Southee was finally caught on the cover boundary after hitting seven fours and a six.

- NZPA