Lyon takes 10 for the match as Australia sweep series
New Zealand had arrived with some confidence they could repeat the singular feat of the triumphant 1985–86 tourists from across the Tasman Sea but will return well beaten after injury and illness ravaged the squad.
Spinner Nathan Lyon took 5-50 as Australia underlined their absolute dominance of New Zealand with a crushing 279-run victory in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday to sweep the series 3-0.
The hosts were utterly ruthless with bat and ball throughout the series and dismissed New Zealand for 136 having declared on 217 for two after lunch to hand the Black Caps an unlikely victory target of 416.
New Zealand had arrived with some confidence they could repeat the singular feat of the triumphant 1985–86 tourists from across the Tasman Sea but will return well beaten after injury and illness ravaged the squad.
With captain Kane Williamson and batsman Henry Nicholls missing because of a flu bug, New Zealand had no answer to the fearsome pace of Australia's quicks, and the guile of Lyon's spin.
Lyon, aided by paceman Mitchell Starc's 3-25, cleaned up the tail on a deteriorating pitch to finish with 10 wickets for the match.
The tourists' Ross Taylor scored 22 runs to take his career tally to 7,174 and overhaul Stephen Fleming as New Zealand's highest test scorer.
It was a rare glimmer of light for the visitors and five balls after passing that milestone Taylor had his off stump removed by the world's top test bowler, Pat Cummins.
After New Zealand had slumped to 22-4, Colin de Grandhomme scored a gritty 52 and BJ Watling 19 off 108 balls but they served only to postpone the inevitable.