Australia's batsmen went on a late innings plunder, after David Warner and captain Steve Smith had laid the ideal platform with their 145-run second wicket stand, man of the match Warner completing his sixth ODI century this year, and first against New Zealand.
Slice it any way you like but the latter stages were ugly for New Zealand: 176 came off the last 15; 89 off the last six, which read: 45th over 20 runs (Trent Boult), 46th 10 (Tim Southee), 47th 13 (Matt Henry), 48th 14 (Colin de Grandhomme), 49th 11 (Boult) and then an awful 21 off the 50th bowled by Henry.
The team had a dressing down from coach Mike Hesson and Williamson after the match, Neesham said.
"Hess and Kane came out and made it pretty clear they weren't all that happy with the performance and that's fair enough," Neesham said.
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"We know that's not the sort of performance we want to be putting out on the park."
That said, Neesham, who took a heavy blow on his forearm from fast bowler Mitchell Starc, was one of the few successes last night, getting 74 off 83 balls batting at No 4, in place of the absent Ross Taylor.
Neesham was at a loss to explain the poor fielding and bowling performances in the first two games.
"Obviously we put the same amount of work in most weeks training up to games and cricket's one of those sports sometimes the harder you try the worse you do on the park," he said.
"I know the lads were pretty fizzed up for this series. Possibly (there were) a bit of nerves playing in front of a decent crowd as SCG (in the 68-run loss on Sunday).
"We haven't been up to our standards in the field but that's something we're looking to rectify before the next game."
Neesham is optimistic of playing in Melbourne after his blow on the right forearm last night. He's confident there is no break but will it assessed in Melbourne today.
The series ends at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
