We have played some great cricket Ricky Ponting More reaction

Australia wrapped up a 2-0 series victory over New Zealand as captain Ricky Ponting guided them to a nine-wicket victory in Auckland.

Ponting made an unbeaten 85 and Justin Langer was 59 not out as Australia cruised past their target of 164.

Nathan Astle had earlier top scored with 69 in New Zealand's second innings total of 254 all out.

Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne took four wickets each, leaving McGrath one short of 500 Test wickets.

The home side had resumed on 11-2 and were 23-4 within 10 overs of the start of play.

Skipper Stephen Fleming gave a return catch to Jason Gillespie after making only three and Hamish Marshall followed for seven, when he edged a ball from McGrath to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.

Astle and Lou Vincent halted the slump temporarily with a fifth wicket stand of 70, but Vincent was then run out for 40 and Brendon McCullum went for a duck in the next over when he was lbw to Warne.

Ricky Ponting made a sensational century From CG Have your say on TMS

Despite the double blow, the New Zealand tail showed plenty of resolve, with Daniel Vettori helping add 81 before Astle was caught by Simon Katich off Warne after hitting 12 fours.

Leg-spinner Warne also accounted for James Franklin (23) and Vettori, who further advanced his claims for being recognised as a genuine all-rounder by making 65 off 108 balls before he was caught by McGrath.

Warne's 4-77 lifted his Test wickets tally to 583

With the 500-wicket milestone out of reach until the summer's Ashes series in England, McGrath nevertheless had the final say in New Zealand's innings as he bowled Paul Wiseman for 23 for figures of 4-40, leaving Chris Martin on four not out.

Australia were understandably keen to end the game a day early and went about their task with typical single-mindedness despite the dismissal of Matthew Hayden, who was run out by Vettori for nine in the sixth over.

Ponting reached his fifty off 64 balls and struck two sixes and 11 fours in a superb exhibition of strokeplay.

But Langer was only three balls slower to a half century and he it was who cracked off-spinner Wiseman to the extra cover rope for his 10th four, which took Australia to 166-1 and ended the match.

New Zealand: C D Cumming, J A H Marshall, H J H Marshall S P Fleming (Capt), L Vincent, N J Astle, B B McCullum (Wkt) D L Vettori, J E C Franklin, C S Martin, P J Wiseman.

Australia: J L Langer, M L Hayden, R T Ponting (Capt), D R Martyn M J Clarke, S M Katich, A C Gilchrist (Wkt), S K Warne J N Gillespie, M S Kasprowicz, G D McGrath.