Cricket: Pained NZ seek consolation

New Zealand will chase a consolation victory in Wellington while Australia confidently eye the two-test cricket series after their Chappell-Hadlee Trophy procession last night.

Worryingly for the hosts, the gap between the sides continued to widen in the past week as Australia cruised to a six-wicket win with 17 balls to spare in game four at Eden Park.

Chasing a rain-adjusted target of 200 off 34 overs, half-centuries from captain Ricky Ponting and Cameron White saw the tourists home to a 3-1 ODI series lead to retain the trophy ahead of game five at Wellington Stadium tomorrow.

A downcast New Zealand side filed off Eden Park still trying to fathom how they let slip an imposing position at 120 for one in the 20th over, to be all out for 238 off 44.1 overs.

It was more of the same for an exasperated New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori.

"Most of the dismissals were relatively soft. They're just poor mistakes and whether it is the mental shift from aggressiveness to accumulation I'm not sure. They're mistakes that shouldn't happen," he said.

New Zealand axed Peter Ingram and Neil Broom as they bolstered the batting lineup, but none of the top-five -- including debutant Shanan Stewart - were removed by unplayable deliveries.

Brendon McCullum led the way with a brash 61 while promoted opening partner Martin Guptill reached 30, his highest score of the series, before he drove uppishly to Ponting at short cover.

Only tailender Daryl Tuffey's 34 off 17, including four sixes, got New Zealand something to defend.

Vettori said offspinner Nathan McCullum would get his first run of the series in Wellington where New Zealand needed to restore some respectability they'd lost since their stunning two-wicket win in game one.

"We'll definitely look at Nathan coming in. Wellington's a bigger ground which allows him to come into the mix," Vettori said.

"We want to end the series on a high, 3-2 is not the result we wanted but it'll be a start on the road to improvement, hopefully."

Stewart will likely get another chance to prove his worth after he lofted a catch on four, while the other New Zealand batsmen will want to bank a big score with the first test looming next Friday.

Ponting was a happy captain as his side continue to improve while New Zealand take steps backwards.

"My philosophy is to attack from the first ball through till the 30-over mark and try to put them out of the game," he said.

"Once you put teams under the sort of pressure we had them under today it becomes pretty hard to get back into the game. Our wicket-taking ability through the middle has been the difference."

Paceman Ryan Harris (toe) was Australia's one injury concern and he may be rested in Wellington to allow Clint McKay his first start of the series, while replacement batsman George Bailey will also likely get an ODI debut.

"New Zealand have made a lot of changes most games and we've been pretty lucky that we've pretty much played an unchanged team right through," Ponting said.

"It's important we start looking ahead to the test matches, we're in pretty good shape."