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Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins keeps on delivering, running through New Zealand's brittle batting line-up with a five-wicket haul at the MCG.

Pat Cummins is always looking to improve, but even the world's best bowler thinks he might have already peaked.

The Australian quick was finally rewarded with another five-wicket haul, coming almost 12 months after his last.

For how dominant Cummins has been this year, his 5-28 against New Zealand at the MCG on Saturday is his first five-wicket Test haul since tearing apart Sri Lanka at the Gabba with 6-24 in January.

"I've had a pretty good run lately so I can't see it getting too much better than what the last few years have been, but hopefully I can maintain that level," Cummins said.

"Australia Day and those kind of Tests (in Brisbane) feel so long ago; even the Ashes feel a long time ago so I'm not really focused too much on the past."

The right-arm paceman is comfortably Test cricket's leading wicket-taker of 2019 with 59 scalps, 16 ahead of England paceman Stuart Broad.

Cummins was the chief destroyer of the Black Caps in a devastating 17 overs as the Black Caps slumped to a monstrous first innings deficit in the second Test of the Trans-Tasman series.

The 26-year-old, who became the richest-ever overseas Indian Premier League player last week, didn't give the Kiwis an inch as he bowled with typical pace and accuracy.

Cummins formed a lethal combination with fellow quicks James Pattinson (3-34) and Mitchell Starc (2-30) as offspinner Nathan Lyon bowled just nine overs and didn't take a wicket.

Still with an innings to come to round out 2019, Cummins' average for the year stands at 19.3.

It was the fifth five-wicket haul of his career, improving his average to an elite 21.58 from 29 Tests.

At the same time of Glenn McGrath's career, the legendary Australian paceman had 18 less wickets than Cummins and averaged 25.48.

Before the Boxing Day Test, Cummins hadn't been his usual prolific self this summer with 11 wickets from four matches.

But the co vice-captain didn't mind because Australia had been winning.

"I'm lucky that I've played so much, there's less things you have to think about," he said.

"I thought the Gabba against Pakistan, it's a bit more of a jump up there and I struggled with that.

"But the last couple of Tests I've felt really good."