SYDNEY, Oct 20: World record holder Matthew Hayden smashed an unbeaten century to steer Australia to a nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second Test on Monday and complete a 2-0 series sweep.

Chasing 172 for victory, Australia wrapped up the match after tea on the fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the loss of just one wicket.

Hayden and Ricky Ponting shared an unbroken partnership of 151 to steer Australia to an easy victory inside 30 overs.

Hayden, who scored a world record 380 in the first Test which Australia won by an innings and 175 runs in Perth, made 101 not out to finish the series with 501 runs while Ponting followed up his 169 from the first innings with an unbeaten 53.

Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe were dismissed in their second innings for 266 after resuming on 151-4. Australian part-time spinner Simon Katich finished with figures of 6-65 in only his second Test appearance.

Hayden cracked 11 fours and three sixes to post his 16th Test century and seventh in his last 14 matches, earning him the Man-of-the-Series award.

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 Heath Streak.

Zimbabwe’s hopes of providing the Australians with a stiffer Test evaporated when they collapsed to be all out just after lunch with 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 without scoring 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.

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