KEY POINTS:
HOBART - The sobering news for New Zealand last night was that they'll probably never have a better chance to beat Australia.
On a day when the world champions were weakened by the absence of crack bowlers Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, and hamstrung by a sluggish Bellerive Oval pitch, New Zealand still couldn't take advantage of the situation and lost their first tri-series match by 105 runs.
It was a frustrating experience for the New Zealanders, who first watched Shane Bond take a hat-trick, and then sat back as Ross Taylor launched another memorable innings, only to end up notching their 17th loss in 19 contests against Australia.
Chasing 290 to win after the hosts (with Cameron White and Andrew Symonds to the fore) smashed 104 runs off the last 10 overs of the innings, New Zealand set themselves up for a serious tilt before losing their way from the 30-over mark.
In many ways it was a bit like New Zealand's loss to Sri Lanka at Napier late last month, as Taylor led his side to one of their more impressive batting performances, but not quite far enough to bring home the bacon.
The exciting young talent blasted 84 off just 82 balls including 10 fours and three sixes, combining with partner Peter Fulton in a fourth-wicket stand that realised 81 in 11.4 overs, and had New Zealand well positioned for a final assault.
But when Taylor, who struggled with cramp just as he did while posting his maiden century at Napier, was expertly caught at the wicket off left-armer Mitchell Johnson, wickets tumbled quickly and New Zealand were bowled out with 11.3 overs remaining.
Craig McMillan was run out after apparently forgetting that the mid-on fieldsman - Michael Clarke - was left-handed, Fulton's support role came to an end when he was well caught by Symonds at extra-cover, and Daniel Vettori holed out to Matthew Hayden at deep mid-wicket.
From the relatively threatening position of 161 for three after 31 overs, New Zealand managed to lose their last seven wickets for just 23 runs in the space of 7.2 overs, a collapse that will almost certainly prompt coach John Bracewell to again reassess his batting order.
New Zealand didn't begin well either, losing Nathan Astle to a grass-top catch from Adam Gilchrist in the third over, and Brendon McCullum to a marginal lbw decision off debutant Tasmanian fast-bowler Ben Hilfenhaus at the end of the fourth.
It was McCullum's third leg before dismissal in five innings, and it's no overstatement to suggest he was unconvinced by the decision, given the delivery was threatening to go over the top of the stumps.
Earlier Australia had made a solid start after winning the toss, lashing 69 runs off the first 10 overs before losing Matthew Hayden in the 14th over and Adam Gilchrist - following a scintillating 61 off 58 balls - in the 17th.
Although New Zealand tightened the screws through the middle part of the innings, the Australians were able to power their way out of trouble in the last 10 overs as White smote 45 off 32 balls, and Symonds helped himself to 69 off 70.
Bracewell wouldn't have been overly happy with any of his front-line bowlers with the exception of Mark Gillespie, who again demonstrated his improving form at international level, taking two for 50 off his 10 overs.
Shane Bond was disappointing despite capturing New Zealand's second hat-trick in ODIs, Jeetan Patel conceded the most expensive spell of his career, Vettori gave up 18 runs off his last over, and James Franklin's contribution was curtailed by a migraine.
Fleming said afterwards that Bond's hat-trick was a great accomplishment, but acknowledged that his blue-chip fast-bowler had not quite shown the form he was hoping for.
"I think he'd say he was disappointed with the way he finished off, but obviously delighted to take a hat-trick - it's no mean feat. He wouldn't have been happy that we gave up so many runs at the end but a hat-trick's a hat-trick."
SCOREBOARD
Australia
A. Gilchrist lbw b Patel 61
M. Hayden c McCullum b Gillespie 27
R. Ponting c Fleming b Gillespie 10
M. Clarke c Astle b Bond 33
A. Symonds c McCullum b Bond 69
M. Hussey c sub (Marshall) b McMillan 20
C. White c McMillan b Bond 45
M. Johnson not out 2
N. Bracken b Bond 0
S. Clark not out 1
Extras (7lb, 6w, 8nb) 21
--Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 289
Fall: 1/83 (Hayden), 2/104 (Gilchrist), 3/117 (Ponting), 4/164 (Clarke), 5/196 (Hussey), 6/286 (White), 7/286 (Symonds), 8/286 (Bracken).
Bowling: J. Franklin 4-0-31-0 (2nb, 1w), S. Bond 10-0-61-4 (2nb, 4w), M. Gillespie 10-2-50-2 (2nb), J. Patel 10-0-64-1 (1nb), D. Vettori 10-1-48-0 (1nb, 1w), N. Astle 4-0-18-0, C. McMillan 2-0-10-1.
New Zealand
B. McCullum lbw b Hilfenhaus 5
N. Astle c Gilchrist b Bracken 0
S. Fleming c Hussey b Johnson 29
R. Taylor c Gilchrist b Johnson 84
P. Fulton c Symonds b Clark 37
C. McMillan run out 2
D. Vettori c Hayden b Clark 1
J. Franklin c Clarke b White 6
S. Bond b Symonds 2
M. Gillespie not out 4
J. Patel c Hilfenhaus b Symonds 4
Extras (3lb, 7w) 10
--Total (38.3 overs) 184
Fall: 1/5 (Astle), 2/7 (McCullum), 3/80 (Fleming), 4/161 (Taylor), 5/165 (McMillan), 6/166 (Fulton), 7/171 (Vettori), 8/175 (Bond), 9/175 (Franklin), 10/184 (Patel).
Bowling: N. Bracken 7-0-25-1, B. Hilfenhaus 7-1-26-1 (1w), M. Johnson 7-0-27-2 (2w), S. Clark 8-0-40-2, A. Symonds 6.3-0-41-2 (3w), C. White 3-0-22-1 (1w).
Result: Australia won by 105 runs.
