New Zealand began the day at 111/3, needing to chase a challenging target of 369.However, Lyon quickly took the wicket of Rachin Ravindra for 59 and also removed Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips within the first hour, completing his 24th five-wicket haul in Test matches.
Scorecard: New Zealand vs Australia, 1st Test
Daryl Mitchell and Scott Kuggeleijn provided some resistance for the seventh wicket, but Cameron Green, the all-rounder who scored an unbeaten 174 in the first innings, dismissed Kuggeleijn for 26.
Despite taking a blow to the helmet from a delivery by Green, Mitchell continued to bat and scored 38. However, he ran out of partners as Lyon and the rest of the Australian attack quickly wrapped up the New Zealand tail.
Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed his satisfaction with the game, stating, “It was a really good game, we never felt we were that far in front on that wicket, but overall really happy.”
He also praised Lyon, saying, “Thankfully it spun which, with Nathan in our side, is always a pretty good thing.”
This loss leaves New Zealand with only one victory in their last 24 Tests against Australia. They will now prepare for the second and final match of the series in Christchurch, starting on Friday.
New Zealand skipper Tim Southee acknowledged the need for improvement, saying, “Like every game, we’ll reflect and look at ways that we can be better in the next one.”
He also mentioned the change in venue, stating, “We’ll debrief and obviously move to a different ground, a different surface, a ground we’ve had a lot of success at.”
While Nathan Lyon’s performance in the match was exceptional, it was Cameron Green’s brilliant innings that truly made the difference. His partnership of 116 runs with Josh Hazlewood for the tenth wicket set the foundation for Australia’s victory.
Cummins praised Green, saying, “He was amazing, he was really the difference in the end.” Green’s unbeaten knock of 170 put pressure on the bowlers and helped Australia post a total of 383 in their first innings, giving them a significant lead.
Although New Zealand fought back on day three with Glenn Phillips taking 5-45, Lyon’s experience and skill proved too much for the Black Caps on a challenging pitch.
It was Hazlewood who delivered the final blow, dismissing Mitchell with a well-directed delivery that was easily caught and bowled. This sealed Australia’s emphatic victory.
(With inputs from Reuters)