World record holder Matthew Hayden blasted yet another century to steer Australia to a nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second Test on Monday and a 2-0 series sweep.
Chasing 172 for victory, Australia wrapped up victory after tea on the fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, losing just one wicket after Hayden and Ricky Ponting went on a run-feast.
"Even though it was only a mediocre score to chase, we were still under a bit of pressure," Hayden said.
"But once we got a partnership going and started to settle in it got to the point where we knew we were going to win the game, so we started hitting out."
Hayden, who scored a world record 380 in the first Test which Australia won by an innings and 175 runs, made 101 not out to finish the series with 501 runs at the remarkable average of 250.5.
Ponting followed up his 169 from the first innings with an unbeaten 53.
PART-TIME SPINNER
Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe were dismissed in their second innings for 266 after resuming on 151 for four. Australian part-time spinner Simon Katich finished with figures of six for 65 in only his second Test appearance.
"We actually thought we had a chance, but maybe the guys got a little too excited because we gave away some soft dismissals," Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak said.
"We really needed to get a 250-run lead so we could maybe apply a bit more pressure...but we're happy and we'll learn from this experience. I think we'll be very competitive against some of the lesser teams."
Hayden cracked 11 fours and three sixes to post his 16th Test century and seventh in his last 14 matches, earning him the player of the series award while Ponting was named man of the match.
The left-hander reached his hundred off 84 balls in 140 minutes when he smashed Gavin Ewing for six into the Bill O'Reilly Stand, but only after Ponting gave him a helping hand.
With Hayden closing in on his hundred and only a handful of runs needed for victory, Ponting curbed his own aggressive instincts and blocked out the final few overs to allow Hayden to reach triple figures.
Their 151-run partnership took less than two hours after Australia lost opener Justin Langer for eight with the total on 21 when the left-hander gloved a catch to Tatenda Taibu off the bowling of Streak.
STIFFER CHALLENGE
Zimbabwe's hopes of providing the Australians with a stiffer challenge evaporated when they collapsed to 266 all out just after lunch, Katich mopping up the tail in the absence of Australia's frontline bowlers.
Katich added the wickets of Craig Wishart (45), Taibu (35), Andy Blignaut (44) and Ray Price (naught) on Monday to the two victims he captured the previous night.
He also played a hand in running out Zimbabwe captain Streak for 25 while Brad Hogg got the only other wicket.
Katich made the early breakthrough when Adam Gilchrist stumped Wishart with the total on 176, then fired in a quick throw to get rid of Heath after a mix-up with Taibu.
Ewing went for a duck when he edged Hogg to Gilchrist before Ponting held an extraordinary catch to dismiss Taibu for 35.
Fielding at short-leg, Ponting instinctively tried to evade a full-blooded pull from Taibu but ended up taking an amazing catch when the ball lodged in the crook of his elbow.
"It was a great performance when you think about it because our bowling stocks were really depleted, but everyone lifted themselves," Australia captain Steve Waugh said.
Scoreboard
Zimbabwe (1st innings): 308
Australia first innings: 403
Zimbabwe (2nd innings): (overnight 151-4)
D.Ebrahim c Katich b Williams 0
T.Gripper c Hayden b Katich 47
M.Vermeulen c Waugh b Williams 48
S.Carlisle c Williams b Katich 5
C.Wishart st Gilchrist b Katich 45
T.Taibu c Ponting b Katich 35
H.Streak run out 25
G.Ewing c Gilchrist b Hogg 0
A.Blignaut c Williams b Katich 44
R.Price lbw Katich 0
B.Mahwire not out 1.
Extras: (b-6, lb-5, w-1, nb-4) 16
Total: (all out, 91.5 overs) 266
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-93, 3-103, 4-114, 5-176, 6-212, 7-216, 8-230, 9-244, 10-266.
Bowling: Williams 16-8-56-2 (w-1), Bichel 19-5-64-0 (nb-3), Hogg 31-9-70-1 (nb-1), Katich 25.5-3-65-6.
Australia (2nd innings):
J.Langer c Taibu b Streak 8
M.Hayden not out 101
R.Ponting not out 53
Extras (b-3, lb-3, nb-4) 10
Total (for one wicket, 29.1 overs) 172
Fall of wicket: 1-21
Bowling: Streak 9-1-46-1, Blignaut 4-0-35-0 (nb-4), Price 12.1-0-63-0, Gripper 1-0-2-0, Ewing 3-0-20-0
Result: Australia won by nine wickets
Man of the match: Ricky Ponting.
Series result: Australia won 2-0
Player of the series: Matthew Hayden