Otago Sparks coach Warren Lees was disappointed but not surprised his side was so comprehensively outplayed two weeks ago.
The defending one-day champion suffered back-to-back losses to Auckland and also lost the twenty20 fixture.
It was a poor start to the summer but Lees felt it was not entirely unexpected.
''They started off like they had played a lot more cricket, and they had,'' Lees said of Auckland's performance.
''They had played 18 games, some of them. It would take us about three years for some of our girls to play that many. We also hadn't played on grass and things like that.
''I knew it was going to be hard ... and we really battled to get under way.''
Batting was the biggest issue for the Sparks.
Suzie Bates (68) and Katey Martin (48) scored runs in the first one-dayer but lacked support.
When they both missed out in the second match, no-one else was able to step up.
Otago was all out for 102 in that game.
''We just need more people to contribute,'' Lees said.
''But I think the girls are getting better. We will be much better for the experience.''
The Sparks play Canterbury in a series of matches over the next three days.
There is a T20 fixture today and back-to-back one-dayers at the weekend.
All the games are at Main Power Oval in Rangiora.
Canterbury beat Wellington its T20 fixture but shared the honours in the two one-day games.
Captain Amy Satterthwaite scored an undefeated 129 in the second of the one-dayers and remains the most obvious threat.
Her duel with Bates could have a big impact on the outcome of the matches.
Canterbury has been a bogey team for Otago in the past but the Sparks won both one-day games at Brooklands last summer.
''Canterbury are much the same as Auckland in that they've got four or five extremely good and experienced players and any one of them could take it away from us. But we've just got to keep fighting in the field.''
The Sparks will be without Polly Inglis, who has hockey commitments.
Tayla MacDonald travelled to Auckland as cover for Bates who was nursing an injury. She will take Inglis' spot in the 12.
