Australia completed a perfect summer of Test cricket after beating New Zealand by 279 runs at the SCG. The Australians dismantled the Black Caps in the third Test for 136 on Monday, wrapping up the series 3-0 as they claimed all five Tests of the home summer inside four days for the first time.

Nathan Lyon claimed five wickets to make it 10 scalps for the match, while Mitchell Starc also finished with three for 25. Batsmen Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner starred again on Monday, as the latter scored his third century of the summer. It allowed Australia to declare at 217 for two, setting New Zealand an unlikely 416 to win.

Australia beat New Zealand to win third Test and series 3-0 – as it happened Read more

Warner was busy between the wickets as he finished unbeaten on 111 from 159 balls, taking his tally for the summer to 786 runs at 131. It is the most by an opener in a five-Test Australian summer, as he cover drove as well on day four in Sydney as he did in his century to start the Test season against Pakistan in Brisbane in November.

Meanwhile Labuschagne’s 59 marked his seventh score above 50 in eight innings in a breakthrough summer. It came came after his first-innings 215, while his 896 runs at 112 in this campaign are also the most by an Australian in a five-Test summer.

“It’s been an amazing summer,” man-of-the-series Labuschagne said. “Us as a team have been playing really and it’s good to see everything come together. The way the bowlers and the whole batting group have performed together is tremendous.”

The pair’s only blemish came late in the innings when they were both picked up in the same over for running down the pitch and in the danger zone. They were penalised with five runs added to New Zealand’s first innings score.

But when Starc removed Tom Blundell and Tom Latham in the first five overs and Lyon followed it up with two straight wicket maidens, it was clear it would matter little. Lyon and Pattinson both took screamers in the rout. Diving at point, Lyon caught Blundell to start the rot; Pattinson then ran 15 metres and dived to remove Todd Astle off Lyon.

Marcus Stoinis's homophobic slur came from clash of 'two alpha males', says coach Read more

Such was New Zealand’s struggle, only Colin de Grandhomme (52) and Ross Taylor (22) scored more than 20. Taylor’s dismissal had left New Zealand 38 for five. The match ended meekly when Starc clean-bowled Will Somerville with a yorker 15 minutes before scheduled stumps and Lyon had BJ Watling caught in close to finish the job.

The 3-0 defeat marked New Zealand’s first series defeat since 2017 against South Africa, and saw Australia replace them as world No 2 in the latest rankings.

“Credit to Tim and the Australian team, they were outstanding throughout the series and so clinical in all areas,” sidelined captain Kane Williamson said. “They put us under pressure Test after Test, and we were never able to reverse it.”

It is only the 10th time in more than 140 years of playing Test cricket that Australia have completed a home summer of clean sweep Test wins.