Christchurch: Australia regained its number 1 Test rankings after Steve Smith`s side crushed New Zealand by seven wickets in the second Test to sweep the series 2-0 in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Australia comfortably chased the target of 201 runs in the fourth over after lunch, lead by their captain who smashed 53 off 46 balls. Adam Voges was not out 10 while the only wickets to fall on the final day were those of Joe Burns for 65 and Usman Khawaja for 45. The visitors won the first test in Wellington by an innings and 52 runs.
After resuming the day at 70 for 1, with David Warner (22) out late Tuesday, Australia took 34 overs to score the remaining 131 runs they needed.It marked an end to a glittering career of Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum, who took his final bow on the world stage after 101 tests.
Man-of-the-match Burns notched up his fourth Test fifty following up with his 170 in the first innings . Burns was removed shortly before the lunch break. Usman Khawaja scored 45 before giving Tim Southee his first wicket of the Test after 29 overs. Southee had Khawaja edging a ball angling away outside off stump which went to McCullum at first slip.
Burns on the other end patiently faced 162 balls for his 65 but his hopes of leading the Australians off at the end were over just before the end of the morning session when he was bowled by Trent Boult.
Smith had a go at Wagner, sending one bouncer over long leg for six and pulling a shoulder-high delivery to the fine leg boundary.
The series win put Australia ahead of India at the top of the world rankings to claim the US$1 million prize for the number one side at the end of the cricket year.