Nathan Lyon took a second-innings six-fer and registered a 10-wicket match haul for the fifth time in his illustrious career as Australia romped home to victory by 172 runs on the fourth morning of the series-opening Wellington Test.

New Zealand had shown admirable resistance on the third day after being pushed so far behind in the game and even teased the possibility of an incredible come-from-behind win but eventually the turn and bounce accorded by the pitch at the Basin Reserve was enough for Lyon to rubber-stamp his influence on the game.

Lyon’s feat was the first 10-wicket match haul by a spinner in New Zealand since 2006 and extended the hosts’ misery in Test matches against Australia, who they have beaten just once since 1993 now.

The hosts, playing in front of a near-capacity Sunday crowd, began sedately in pursuit of the 258 runs they needed at the start of the day’s play. The overnight pair of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell were largely untroubled in the first half-hour leading to a switch in strategy from Pat Cummins. To shackle the free-flowing Ravindra, Australia stationed three fielders on the off-side and got Lyon to swap to the RA Vance bowling end. The move took only three balls to pay off as Ravindra cut a short ball straight to point and was dismissed for 59.

That was enough for the veteran offspinner, who struck two more times over the next four balls, to dismiss Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips. The former was forced to lunge forward in defence and inside-edged his attempt on to his thigh-pad and into the hands of short-leg. Phillips, in Lyon’s next over, was pushed back in his crease and defeated by an sharp turner that missed his flick and struck him in front of the stumps.

The hosts, whose hopes were snuffed in a matter of two Lyon overs, found brief resistance through Mitchell and Scott Kuggeleijn, but it was always a matter of time before Australia opened up one end. First-innings centurion Cameron Green found a delivery to misbehave off a good length and kick up onto Kuggeleijn, who could only glove it to the ‘keeper.

The end came quickly thereafter as Josh Hazlewood bagged a pair of wickets while Lyon had the home skipper miscuing a slog to long on for his sixth wicket. It capped off a thoroughly impressive show from the visitors, who completed an impressive victory despite being put into bat on a green-top on the first morning, found a way to move into the ascendancy and stayed there through the course.

Brief scores:
Australia 383 and 164 beat  New Zealand 179 and  196 (Rachin Ravindra 59, Daryl Mitchell 38; Nathan Lyon 6-65) by 172 runs.

(Cricbuzz)