Australia 256 and 281 for 7 (Carey 98*, Marsh 80, Sears 4-90) beat New Zealand 162 and 372 by three wickets
Alex Carey produced a brilliant knock under pressure to crush New Zealand’s bid for a famous victory as Australia ran down a tough 279 runs in a nerve-jangling chase at Hagley Oval.
Australia’s bid to win the second Test and seal the series 2-0 appeared in major trouble at 80 for 5 after the early wicket of Travis Head on day four. But Carey and Mitchell Marsh, who made 80 after being dropped on 28, combined for a brisk 140-run sixth-wicket partnership to inch Australia within 59 runs.
Debutant Ben Sears, bowling in the mid-140 kph, flipped the match on its head with the wickets of Marsh and Mitchell Starc on consecutive deliveries to revive New Zealand’s hopes.
Carey, however, was unperturbed and finished Australia’s hero with an unbeaten 98. He found calm support through Pat Cummins, who again helped Australia over the line much like he memorably did at Edgbaston in last year’s Ashes. Cummins made 32 and hit the winning boundary at an increasingly gloomy Hagley Oval as the batters embraced mid-pitch.
Australia had only run down 279 or more in the fourth innings on 13 previous occasions and only twice since 2006. New Zealand were left bitterly disappointed as their misery against Australia continued having only beaten them once in the past three decades.
