Steve Smith’s Australia rise from Ashes to close in on top ranking spot in New Zealand

AFTER ‘doing a Trent Bridge’ in Wellington, Australia will be deserved world No. 1s if they manage to climb to the summit of the Test rankings later this week.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Usman Khawaja, David Warner and Steve Smith of Australia prepare to take to the field during day three of the Test match between New Zealand and Australia at Basin Reserve on February 14, 2016 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

AFTER executing their own “Trent Bridge” in Wellington, Australia will be deserved world No. 1s if they manage to climb to the summit of the Test rankings later this week.

It seems strange that so soon after being smashed in the all-important Ashes series by England that Australia are now just one win away from becoming top of the pops.

But captain Steve Smith insists the ascension to first place would be the best possible proof of whether or not this Australian side is the real deal.

One more triumph like Monday’s innings and 52-run carve-up of New Zealand in the first Test and Smith’s revamped team will become the hunted for the first time since their brief stay at the top in early 2014.

“I think when you are number one in the world every team you play against is out for you,” said Smith.

“They’re hunting for you.

“So it takes a lot of hard work to stay No.1.

“If it does happen, if we do get to No. 1 in this series, there is still a lot of hard work.

“We’ve got a pretty tough series in a couple of months’ time in Sri Lanka, so there’s lots of hard work still in us after this series.”

Smith said the team led by Michael Clarke would deserve equal credit should Australia go No. 1, but praised the rapid evolution of his charges since six players retired in the wake of the Ashes series.

Australia were humiliated when routed for 60 at Trent Bridge in the decisive match of the Ashes, but just over six months later the top order rallied under pressure against the moving ball — led admirably by a gutsy captain’s knock of 71 by Smith.

“(Day one) was one of those mornings where there weren’t too many plays and misses and they (New Zealand) nicked most of the balls. It was a little bit like us at Edgbaston or Trent Bridge. It was nice to have one of those mornings,” he said.

“It was a really pleasing performance. I’ve said for a while now since I’ve taken over the job as captain that I want us to perform better away from home and win every series we play away from home.

Josh Hazlewood led the blistering Australian attack on day one in Wellington.

“I guess this first Test match is a step in the right direction. It’s great to be up one-nil in this series against a good New Zealand side.”

Smith said the improvements of the Australian team since the Ashes were two-fold.

The defining innings of 239 by man-of-the-match Adam Voges and the 140 posted by Usman Khawaja — after Australia were at one point 2-5 — were markedly more resilient than the capitulations in the UK.

The Josh Hazlewood-inspired bowling attack which made Smith’s coin toss on the first morning such an overwhelming success, and then closed out the match so effectively on days’ three and four — was also a huge development from the inconsistent offerings during the Ashes.

Nathan Lyon (4-91 and seven wickets for the match) and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (3-73) provided outstanding back-up to lead-man Hazlewood who hasn’t skipped a beat filling the void left by Mitchells Johnson and Starc.

“It was a pretty good toss to win but having said that, we had to put the ball in the right areas and I think we did that for an extended period and put the New Zealand batters under a lot of pressure and we reaped the rewards from that,” said Smith.

“Then from there, I think [in] our batting we were a lot more disciplined about the way we played. We were willing to bat for long periods and get through the tough periods. I think Adam Voges did that beautifully on the second morning.

“It was quite hard for him to score but he was able to get through that period and things got easier for him. We’ve all got confidence in all our batters’ abilities. Guys have really stepped up at the right times for us.

“The way we summed up the conditions was spot on.

“We’ve got a pretty new side and guys are gelling well together. There’s still a lot of improvement left in us but I think we are going in the right direction.”