Man of the match one day, sacked the next.

This is the lot of cricketer Stuart MacGill.

He finished the SCG Test with 8-170 in Australia's nine-wicket victory over Pakistan but captain Ricky Ponting admitted there was little chance of the 33-year-old leg spinner retaining his place in the side for the next Test against New Zealand in March.

Ponting said MacGill and Shane Warne had proved they could work together.

Neither Warne nor MacGill expressed any concerns about being in the same side as they took a combined 13 wickets.

But the big-turning New South Welshman still faces another lengthy stint on the outer.

"It's unusual for us to play the two leg spinners in the same team," said Ponting after Australia made the 62 runs required on day four of the third Test to sweep the series 3-0.

"It worked out in this game but you'd think, going to New Zealand, the wickets are probably flatter and won't turn as much as this one here.

"Playing two leg spinners there will probably be unlikely. We'd probably go back to a more structured lineup over there."

MacGill was a shock selection because of his mastery of the SCG.

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