Cricket World Cup: Five things to take from the Black Caps' loss to Australia

New Zealand lost to Australia at the Cricket World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Five talking points from the Black Caps' loss to Australia at the Cricket World Cup.

Too many dots

Chasing 244 for victory, time was on the Black Caps' side. And then it wasn't. Partly that's due to batting second on a worn surface. Partly it's because Australia have the World Cup's best bowling attack. But in using 172 dot balls – of their total 262 faced – the Black Caps hamstrung their chase. Rotating the strike in challenging situations must be a focus. Every shot does not have to be a boundary but shutting up shop only makes pressure mount.

Mitchell Starc the tormenter - again

Starc loves playing New Zealand. Remember the World Cup pool match at Eden Park, when New Zealand needed a Kane Williamson six, and Trent Boult to survive, to chase a mere 152? That day Starc took 6-28 from nine overs. We don't need to recall the Starc v McCullum World Cup final non-contest, but again at Lord's today Starc finished with 5-26, the best return by anyone at this tournament. Sure he cleaned up the tail but he also had Williamson and the out of sorts Tom Latham. Starc is world-class and enjoys superb support acts from Jason Behrendorff and Pat Cummins. But there is little doubt he enjoys turning up for New Zealand.

One wicket away?

Kane Williamson felt the Black Caps were one wicket away from properly breaking this game open. With Australia 92-5, he was right. Get Usman Khawaja or classy keeper Alex Carey, the only batsman who looked genuinely in on this pitch, and the Black Caps were almost into the tail. Then again, they only have themselves to blame. Martin Guptill pulled off a screamer to remove Steve Smith. But Guptill and Tom Latham gave Khawaja lives on 0 and 35 – and he went on to make 88 in a game-changing, 107-run stand with Carey. In hindsight, Williamson may also rue the decision not to bring back Trent Boult immediately in an effort to expose the tail early.

Batting issues

Can New Zealand resolve their batting concerns inside four days? Very unlikely. Runs still aren't coming from the top, while Latham's failures in the middle continue. Pressure, it seems, rests solely on the shoulders of Williamson and Ross Taylor to carry the Black Caps. It simply can't be that way every week. Given this was Henry Nicholls' first ODI since February, he probably deserves another crack opening with Guptill. Why the change wasn't made sooner, in order to give Nicholls more time to find form, is baffling. New Zealand's bowling continues to far outplay the batting. Limited net sessions between now and the final group match against England in Durham on Wednesday take on greater importance.

Will New Zealand win another game?

England could be in a right state next week, should they fall to India at Edgbaston on Sunday as form would suggest. Jonny Bairstow's 'blame everyone else' attitude hints at serious cracks as pressure infiltrates the England camp. In that light, New Zealand's match against England could be viewed as an even odds contest. But with a potential rematch against Australia, or India, only the most optimistic Black Caps fans could predict progress past the semifinals.