WELLINGTON. — Australia secured an easy victory in the first Test cricket against New Zealand yesterday, thrashing the hosts by an innings and 52 runs after lunch on the fourth day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Nathan Lyon grabbed two more wickets to finish with figures of 4-91 for Australia, who can take the top test ranking from India with a series victory. The second match starts in Christchurch on February 20. Mark Craig, who top scored in New Zealand’s first innings with 41 not out, was left 33 not out when Trent Boult was bowled by Mitchell Marsh for 12 to bring the hosts’ second innings to an end on 327.
New Zealand were dismissed for 183 in their first innings and faced a deficit of 379 runs after Adam Voges’ second test double century drove Australia to a mammoth 562. — Reuters.