Black Caps trounced

MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times CHRIS HILLOCK/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times. MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times.

Brad Haddin gets 100 runs.

Brad Haddin, Cameron White and Michael Mason.

Neil Broom at bat during the New Zealand vs Austrailia one day international game in Hamilton, Seddon park.

Brad Haddin during the third one day international against New Zealand.

Gareth Hopkins appeals for a LBW with Ricky Ponting.

Daniel Vettori gets run out.

Gareth Hopkins makes a break.

Ryan Harris and Ricky Ponting celebrate.

James Hopes drops the catch.

Michael Hussey catches out Ross Taylor.

Mitchell Johnson celebrates a wicket.

Brendon McCullum plays a shot.

Doug Bollinger fields his own bowling.

Ryan Harris celebrates a wicket.

Doug Bollinger gets the wicket of Brendon McCullum.

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You can only hope the Black Caps are more successful on the punt at Ellerslie, than they were in losing by six wickets last night at Seddon Park.

Second to Australia in all facets of the third match of the Chappell-Hadlee series, players from both teams are off to the races today and hopefully a good collect on the Auckland Cup will be just the thing to help New Zealand rediscover that winning feeling.

After being bowled out for an underwhelming 245, the Black Caps were then given a batting lesson by Australia and need to regroup quickly if they are to square the five-match series at 2-all at Eden Park tomorrow.

The Aussies simply played each ball on its merits and when they got in, they stayed in. Brad Haddin (110) and Ricky Ponting showed what batting should have been like for New Zealand.

It took a brilliant runout by Gareth Hopkins to dismiss opener Shane Watson and by the time Ponting went for 69, after a partnership of 151 with Haddin, the game was as good as over. From the position of front-runners, after winning the opening game in Napier, the Black Caps have dropped off the pace and need to not only rethink their batting strategy but probably some of their lineup.

Under clear skies and in front of an expectant full house of 10,550, New Zealand's innings never really got under way.

Peter Ingram departed in the first over, caught behind off Ryan Harris, and the batsmen were in recovery mode thereafter.

Going around the wicket was all Doug Bollinger had to do to coax Brendon McCullum into chopping on after another useful start, Martin Guptill departed limply, top scorer Ross Taylor (with 62) fell fetching a Watson delivery, Scott Styris played a dim shot and Daniel Vettori ran himself out.

Mitchell Johnson (three for 41) was at the New Zealanders all the time, but the rest of Australia's attack were no better than workmanlike.

Without a score by which to determine the tempo of New Zealand's innings, the batsmen didn't seem to know whether to block, bash or work the ball around.

Taylor played nicely but failing to kick on was criminal, which leaves Hopkins as the only batsman to have enhanced his reputation. He might be hard on the eye, but the 33-year-old knows the areas in which he can score and his 45 off 51 was another intelligent innings.

The team appears to be in need of more players of his kind, overstocked as it is with big-shot merchants. There's nothing wrong with that method when everyone fires, but right now they're not and it might be time for busy little players such as the Northern Districts pair of BJ Watling and Kane Williamson – perhaps Watling for Ingram.

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