HAMILTON: Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson took 6-73 as Australia wrapped up a 2-0 series victory over New Zealand by winning the second Test by 176 runs here today.

Left-armer Johnson finished with match figures of 10-132 as the Kiwis were bowled out for 302 on the final day. Martin Guptill (58) Brendon McCullum (51) and Tim Southee (46) produced a show of defiance with the bat. But Johnson cleaned up Guptill, Brent Arnel and Southee in successive overs to end the game shortly before lunch.

“The team is heading in the right direction in all three forms of the game,” said Australia captain Ricky Ponting. “Our Test cricket has been particularly good, we’ve been very consistent with our performances, which is what we’re after and some individuals have lifted themselves to a new level. We’ve only got a few Tests now before the Ashes and we need to have all systems firing, and I think we’re on the right track.”

Having defeated West Indies 2-0 and Pakistan 3-0 on home soil, Australia were determined not to let their chance of victory slip at Seddon Park. And with New Zealand resuming on 185-5, it looked like being only a matter of time before they wrapped up the match.

Guptill and McCullum kept them waiting 18 overs for the first breakthrough, however, extending their sixth-wicket partnership to 87 before McCullum, who hit nine fours and a six, was caught at gully off Doug Bollinger. The decline was rapid thereafter with Bollinger also accounting for Jeetan Patel and Guptill taken at slip by Ponting after flashing hard at an angled delivery from Johnson.

Arnel lasted two balls and although Southee hit a six off Bollinger and then picked up four successive boundaries in his next over, his 25-ball cameo was halted by Johnson, who had him caught at point by Michael Clarke. It was only the second time Johnson had taken 10 wickets in a Test, following his 11-159 against South Africa at Perth in December 2008. New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori later blamed a failure to perform consistently over five days for their defeat.