The Black Caps crumbled to pieces in their run chase of 291 on their mission to claim a clean sweep in the One Day series against the visiting SriLankan side.
After two matches to begin the series in which everything went right, the Black Caps were on the wrong side of a hammering in the finale.
Sri Lanka ended their tour with a 140-run triumph at Eden Park on Saturday, feasting on small boundaries to rack up 290-8 before emphatically denying their opponents the same opportunity.
If New Zealand were forced to endure a match in which four of their first-choice top six combined for three runs, they would prefer it come in the dead rubber of a series already won rather than a tournament fixture.
And this wasn’t the final chance for time in the middle before the Champions Trophy starts; they still have at least another two fixtures for fine-tuning, taking on Pakistan and South Africa in a tri-series next month.
But it was an unfortunate conclusion to the home summer – Pakistan visit for eight limited-overs matches in autumn – and largely the opposite of a form-boosting farewell before a crack at silverware.
Mark Chapman (81 off 81) might be the only Black Cap keen to review the highlights while on the plane to Pakistan. Playing his 110th international during a career that started in the colours of Hong Kong, the 30-year-old stood alone with the bat and recorded his best score in New Zealand.
Chapman had previously shown Kiwi fans little of the ability that has seen him become a regular selection in limited-overs squads. Six of his best seven ODI scores had been compiled on foreign soil, along with 13 of his top 14 T20 international knocks.
The 30-year-old’s two ODI hundreds came in Dubai – while still representing Hong Kong – and Edinburgh, with the 62 he scored in the second match of this series his first chance to raise the bat in New Zealand.
A century seemed in sight before he became the last man out in a match with little else to celebrate for those wearing black in the Eden Park crowd.
As in the first game of the series, Matt Henry (4-55) prevented the tourists from ending their innings with a flourish, picking up a wicket in each of his final three overs.
Mitchell Santner (2-55) also enjoyed some success as the Black Caps sent down 22 overs of spin, opting to take pace off the ball given how quickly it could be dispatched over the shorter boundaries.
Michael Bracewell was included for his first action ahead of Jacob Duffy and took one wicket while curtailing the early scoring rate, warming up for what could be a similar role if the pitches offer spin in Pakistan and Dubai.
But Sri Lanka would have been satisfied with the way they constructed their innings, aided by extra lives for both Kusal Mendis (dropped on 15 by Daryl Mitchell) and Kamindu Mendis (dropped on 29 by Henry).
Satisfaction then turned into elation after seven overs with the ball.
Rachin Ravindra is bowled by Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport
Will Young was unable to further his case for selection once Devon Conway and Kane Williamson return to the team, chipping out tamely without scoring after following his series-opening 90 not out by making 16 in game two.
Rachin Ravindra, the Black Caps’ form batter, was undone by a beauty from Asitha Fernando, the seamer then dismissing Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips for ducks as New Zealand stumbled to 21-5.
That brought together two players who, depending on conditions, might be competing for the No 7 spot next month. And after Bracewell got off the mark with a whipped six before holing out with a similar shot, there was one clear winner in that contest.
Chapman found a happy medium between turning over the strike and playing his shots, though with partners providing little support he might have regretted not playing a few more. The left-hander cut cleanly and cashed in a few times straight, keeping a steady head when extravagance would have been forgiven.
The sum of those efforts was helping the Black Caps avoid record margins of defeat, but when Chapman did finally free his shoulders with No 11 Will O’Rourke at the opposite end, only one further boundary was collected before his stumps were disrupted.
The Alternative Commentary Collective is covering every home Black Caps test this summer. Listen to live commentary here.
Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.
