AUSTRALIA WRAPPED up the second Test match against New Zealand shortly before lunch yesterday on the final day at Seddon Park in Hamilton to win the series 2-0. Australia dismissed New Zealand in the final innings for 302 to claim a 176-run win with man-of-the-match Mitchell Johnson (6-73) taking six wickets in the second innings for a total of 10 in the Test.
New Zealand had started the day still 293 runs behind and without much of a hope, but it was a matter of pride for Brendon McCullum (51) and Martin Guptill (58) who both managed to secure half centuries. In the end the New Zealand tail was never going to be strong enough to withstand the Australian attack, but the home side was by no means shamed in the match and bounced back well after a big 10-wicket loss in Wellington the week before.
Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels his side are now ready to reclaim the Ashes. The Australians arrived in New Zealand after beating Pakistan and then West Indies in Tests and soon added another series win after two solid victories over the Kiwis.
The next big mission on Australia’s calendar is the coveted Ashes series and they will be desperate for revenge after England took the honours last year.
Ponting believes his team have come through the last few months perfectly and reckons everything is in order to mount a good challenge for the 2010 Ashes series that begins on home soil in November.
“I don’t think we could be in a better place,” he said following the win over the Black Caps in Hamilton.
“There will be no excuses from us because we’ve done everything that I would have liked to achieve this summer and we’ve done it well.
“Now that we’ve got a good successive run of wins under our belt there’s a great confidence in the group so we can look forward to the Ashes knowing we’ve done most things as well as we can.”
Ponting paid special tribute to Johnson after the win in Hamilton. The workhorse left-armer claimed 10 wickets to end what has been a tumultuous two years of cricket.
Johnson, who has been the go-to man for Australia over the last couple of years, consistently bowled around 150kph and was far too good for the Kiwi batsmen.
In contrast, New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori blamed his side’s series defeat on not being consistent enough and failing to take key opportunities when they arose.
After an outstanding first day with the ball in Hamilton, the home side failed to match it with the bat and allowed Australia the room to move back into the match and then comprehensively win it.
“We played really well at times, but to beat Australia you have to perform over five days,” he said.
“We needed a sizeable lead to put pressure back on Australia and we couldn’t manage that.”
