Australia skipper Smith charged with dissent for profane outburst

Smith was fined 30 percent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a heated exchange with on-field umpire Ranmore Martinesz in the second Test.

Smith did not believe the team had an image problem despite perceptions the Australian side can not win and behave well simultaneously.

Joe Burns and Steven Smith scored fifties on the final day to complete a seven-wicket victory for Australia as they chased down 201 in the fourth innings against New Zealand in the second Test in Christchurch easily and completed a 2-0 series whitewash.

The Black Caps, who lost the opening Test in Wellington last week by an innings and 52 runs, started day four at Hagley Oval on 121 for four – still needing another 14 runs to make Australia bat again.

It turned out to be the Kiwi skipper’s last catch in global cricket.

Wagner proved to be nearly unplayable as he removed Australia skipper Steve Smith soon after.

Earlier, Jackson Bird had taken his first five-wicket haul in Tests, combining with James Pattinson to end New Zealand’s second innings at 335, thus setting Australia a target of 201 to win.

For New Zealand it put a cloud on Brendon McCullum’s farewell as their captain took his final bow on the world stage after 101 Tests. Pakistan and New Zealand were playing in Sharjah and Phillip Hughes passed away in Australia after being hit on the head.

He says McCullum’s momentum-swinging 145 on the first day in Christchurch summed up his front foot approach to the game.

McCullum’s name on a teamsheet was enough to bring fans to games.

They added 118 for the eighth wicket to get New Zealand up to 328 for 7 before another batting meltdown saw the final three wickets fall for seven runs.

But when he did come off, and he did in so many forums, it became a badge of honour to fans to have been there. “He’s a great ambassador for our game and a terrific leader”.

The report said “explicit taunts referencing players’ wives and girlfriends in a sexual manner” began in the first ODI in Auckland and continued right throughout the tour.

But McCullum did mark his swansong in trademark fashion, setting records for the fastest century and most sixes in Test history (107). But nor could he be pigeonholed as a slogger; while his stroke play in limited-overs formats could be innovative, he also had technique.

As a young cricketer he was thought somewhat callow: talented but immature and often unreliable. Cricket was secondary. New Zealand won by a mile but, within those five days, was born a new attitude.

“For him to be able to do it for 35 overs of a test is phenomenal”.

McCullum, who will still play on the lucrative Twenty20 circuit, praised his team mates for their achievements during his reign as captain. As expected, there was little fanfare about the outgoing New Zealand captain.

McCullum has been sidelined by a back injury in recent weeks and he said he knew it was “time to move on”.