Alex Carey scored an unbeaten 98 and shared a 140-run stand with Mitchell Marsh (80) – the highest sixth-wicket partnership in a fourth-innings against New Zealand – as Australia chased down 279 to complete a 2-0 series sweep and extend their dominance over Tasman neighbours New Zealand in the format, a lopsided record that now reads just 1 win for the Black Caps in the last 31 years.

Australia went into the final day of the series, four down, on the edge and confronting a rare possibility of losing only a second Test match to their Tasman neighbours in three decades. They had slipped to 34/4 on the third evening and victory was a further 202 runs away at the start of the day’s play. They were made to wait as portentous rain washed away the first hour of the morning session. But soon enough the sun was shining on them, literally and metaphorically.

Mitchell Marsh was going to be their big ray of hope having counter-attacked his way to a run-a-ball 29 last night. This morning, he was the beneficiary of some Black Caps benevolence as his fierce cut shot in the second over of the day was put down by Rachin Ravindra at point off the bowling of Tim Southee. His overnight batting partner, Travis Head, wasn’t as lucky as a similar shot two balls later led to his downfall.

That early dismissal brought Carey to the middle. Under pressure to keep his place in the side with Josh Inglis pushing him, the keeper-bat began solidly, driving Southee down the ground and punching Matt Henry past backward point for boundaries. It was a feature of Australia’s chase that despite the pressure they were subjected to, they maintained a scoring rate in excess of 4 (4.32 at the end).

Carey endured a heart-in-mouth moment when he was ruled out LBW to a nip-backer from Henry but DRS projected the ball to be sliding down leg. Another close shave arrived when he had moved to 37. Scott Kuggeleijn appealed for a caught-behind and got his captain to use a review, which eventually came to nothing. Between those two moments, Carey and Marsh were largely untroubled and Southee’s attempts to rotate his four seamers and Glenn Phillips could not put a lid on the scoring. Marsh got to his half-century with a fierce pull shot and three overs later Carey got a 50 of his own with a pair of boundaries off Ben Sears. By Lunch, the pair had put on 94 and victory was only 105 runs away.

The 43-over-old ball was significantly easier to contend with and the start of the second session’s play saw runs arrive in a glut. Marsh cut Southee for a pair of boundaries, forcing the captain to turn to his pace ace for a breakthrough. As it turned out, Matt Henry’s first over back cost New Zealand 16 runs with Carey tickling a legside delivery for four before Marsh unveiled one of his patented pulls over deep square-leg for a six.

With the target down to 59, Southee summoned Ben Sears into the attack and New Zealand’s fading hopes were reignited once more by the debutant speedster. With his second delivery, he broke the partnership with a pacy, full ball that Marsh missed while attempting a flick. The very next ball, Mitchell Starc chipped a simple catch down mid-wicket’s throat to leave Australia seven down.

Just like that, the clouds rolled in, the flood lights were turned on and the Hagley Oval crowd found its voice. But in Cummins, Australia had a No.9 with proven pedigree in such nip and tuck situations. Only last year, in the Edgbaston Ashes Test, the Australian skipper had seen his side over the line in a similarly tense chase. That chase in Birmingham was Australia’s first successful chase of 279 or more in over 12 years. And Cummins brought all his experience to the fore once he survived the hat-trick ball, which he edged just past second slip for four.

Carey continued to play his shots, a lap off Sears and a pair of swept boundaries off Phillips took Australia close. He was left two short of a century with Australia needing an identical number of runs when the strike turned over. Cummins punched the ball square off the wicket for a boundary to polish off an excellent chase.

Brief scores:
New Zealand 162 and 372 lost to  Australia 256 and 281/7 (Alex Carey 98*, Mitchell Marsh 80, Pat Cummins 32*; Ben Sears 4-90) by three wickets.