KEY POINTS:
Aimee Mason was pushed up the New Zealand batting order only for this series against Australia, but it may end up a masterstroke.
The 24-year-old allrounder usually bats around No 6 or 7, but with regular opener Suzie Bates on tour with the Tall Ferns in Taiwan, Mason got the job.
Auckland batsman Ros Kember joins the national side for their trip to England later in the year so it may be a short-term measure.
But Mason put her hand up as an option at the top after hitting a fine maiden ODI century to steer the White Ferns to a fine 35-run win over the world champs in the second of their five-game Rose Bowl series in Darwin, turning the heat on the Aussies for game three tomorrow.
Mason, a lefthander and offspinner, also nabbed three for 15 from 10 overs on what she admitted is a spinners' paradise. Wins over Australia don't happen every week, but they are becoming more frequent.
New Zealand have won 22 of 85 ODIs against the Aussies since 1973, and two of their last five meetings.
"Every time we beat them it's something special, and it's happening more these days. The gulf that was there is closing up," Mason said last night.
Mason's 102 off 128 balls pushed New Zealand to 209 before they clipped Australia for 174, Mason and Sarah Tsukigawa both grabbing three wickets to lock the series up one-all.
Mason had to battle 30C heat and a difficult batting pitch to become just the third New Zealander to hit an ODI 100 against Australia, after Debbie Hockley and Rebecca Rolls. She's the 10th White Fern to hit a limited-overs 100.
"Before the game we'd talked about someone having to step up and make a real contribution, and with me opening, it gave me a good opportunity to spend a bit of time out there.
"It was a bit of a dream day for me. I don't know if I can do that every time I go out, but it was great to help the team out and to achieve something for them as well."
Mason, a teacher at Spotswood College in New Plymouth, said New Zealand played to about 65-70 per cent of their potential on Sunday. The bowlers conceded too many extras and the batting in the final overs needed sharpening.
But there's a distinct impression the Australians don't hold any terrors for a New Zealand team already in preparation mode for the 2009 World Cup in Australia.
"We've got pages and pages of notes on each player and what our plans are. None of their players are a surprise to us, but it's a matter of getting it right," she said.
The series ends with back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday.
