Australia belted New Zealand by 68 runs in Sydney in the series opener, then 116 runs at Canberra on Tuesday night.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann offered some mitigation for what has happened and certainly is not about to put the boot in while New Zealand is down.
"I think they’re a very good side," Lehmann said.
As we’ve seen, the game of cricket can work in weird ways.
"They’ve had a really good test series against Pakistan; they’ve got some quality players. Martin Guptill played a magnificent innings (114) in Sydney.
"We’ve just played better cricket at the moment. That’s not to say it won’t change tomorrow."
There is no question Australia is back on a roll. Forget test match travails of recent times. When it comes to the white ball game, the Aussies are confident and strong all round. How New Zealand could turn it around at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today is not clear, indeed much like the weather, which is threatening to affect the match.
But something has to be done.
New Zealand has not been able to take a trick so far, ranging from the decision not to refer an lbw decision against Australian captain Steve Smith at Sydney which, in simple terms, cost 150 runs; to choosing to field first on the Manuka Oval motorway and then bowl like drains as the Aussies ran up their second-highest total on home soil.
"We want to improve from those last two performances," wicketkeeper BJ Watling said yesterday.
"We weren’t at our best and if we can do a few things better and put them under some pressure we’ll be better off for it."
The bowling has been ordinary, the batting has been hamstrung by being asked to chase two substantial totals, and substandard fielding has not helped either.
"We can improve our fielding and energy," Watling said.
This is one area New Zealand can fix on its own. The opposition does not play a part in that. Watling put his hand up, given that ensuring the players are up for that particular challenge rests partly on him.
One of the wicketkeeper’s role is as gee-up man, keeping the fielders on their toes.
"It hasn’t been the greatest," Watling, a master of the understatement, admitted.
"They’ve put us under pressure and run well between the wickets and we haven’t stepped up.
"It is my job to make sure the boys are fizzed and doing their job."
New Zealand might give speedster Lockie Ferguson a second outing in place of the out-of-sorts Matt Henry but whether leg-spinner Todd Astle and batsman Henry Nicholls get a chance is a moot point. This management group is not usually into giving away freebies to keep players happy.
Watling was not in Melbourne for the last New Zealand match at the cavernous MCG. That was for the World Cup final, and that proved a game too far against Australia.
The previous match was won by Grant Elliott’s fine 61, a six-wicket win in 2009. Indeed look beyond the basic record against Australia at the ground — played 20, won four, lost 15 — and New Zealand has won and lost three of the last six clashes.
The chief talking point among the Australians is whether they will include the colourful Glenn Maxwell.
He has been on the bench for the first two games after being fined by the team’s leadership group — Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and David Warner — over remarks directed at his Victorian captain, and Australian team-mate, Matt Wade.
The game lacks any pull for spectators, given the state of the series, and there are fears that as few as 15,000 to 20,000 might turn up. Having Maxwell play on his home ground would pull more punters through the turnstiles.
Lehmann was not giving any clues yesterday, other than to praise the player for the way he has knuckled down within the group to get past a situation which could have had him banished from the ODI squad.
"He’s been fantastic. Full credit to him, the way he’s handled it and the way he’s been around the group in getting prepared to play each and every game.
"For him he’s just got to be ready to play. If he gets his opportunity, then away he goes," Lehmann said.
- David Leggat
