KEY POINTS:
HOBART - Trying to keep England's confidence at rock bottom and tending to the troubled health of rising star Ross Taylor was New Zealand's big focus today after a losing tri-series cricket start.
The Black Caps back up at Bellerive Oval tomorrow for their first match against England in 2-1/2 years after Australia welcomed them to the jungle with a 105-run defeat yesterday.
Taylor's bludgeoning knock of 84 off 82 deliveries saved New Zealand's batting blushes before they lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs after conceding 289 for eight against the world champions.
There was notable concern after he required a runner when he cramped up badly after reaching his second 50-plus score in an eight-match career.
The other occasion was his memorable 128 not out against Sri Lanka in Napier last month when he was felled by leg cramps and taken to hospital to be put on an intravenous drip.
Captain Stephen Fleming didn't think Taylor was in doubt for the England match but something needed to be done.
"It's the same thing that happened in Napier and I guess we're a bit concerned as to why that happened," Fleming said.
"He's getting blood tests so we can find out whether he can prepare better or we can do things a bit differently with him."
The batting was again of more concern than the bowling despite Australia's big hitters threatening 300 before the 50th over when Shane Bond joined Danny Morrison as the only New Zealanders to take one-day international hat-tricks.
Rookie paceman Mark Gillespie, who snared captain Ricky Ponting in his two for 50, and spinner Jeetan Patel, who removed Adam Gilchrist for a hard-hit 61, both had their moments and Fleming was encouraged.
But it was another batting collapse either side of Taylor's heroics that hurt the most.
"There is some residue from that Sri Lankan series, there's got to be because we batted poorly. At least we got a base there where we could have pushed on but it wasn't to be," Fleming said.
"We'll get into this tournament in the sense that the wickets are better, the conditions are more batter-friendly, and work our way in."
Openers Brendon McCullum and Nathan Astle missed out and are due a big score, while Fleming stroked an encouraging 27 before hitting a soft catch to mid-off.
England arrive in Hobart on the back of a 0-5 Ashes hiding, an eight-wicket loss to Australia in Melbourne last Friday and the big loss of star batsman Kevin Pietersen with a broken rib.
But Fleming reiterated his wariness of Michael Vaughan's men as they seek relief from their Australian nightmare.
"We approach it with vigour as I'm sure England will. I'm sure England will be looking forward to our match very positively just to see some new faces and put things into play that they haven't been able to do against Australia.
"They'll want to prove to everyone else that they've been up against a good side, so if they can beat us it'll go some way to easing a bit of the pain."
The match already shapes as a must-win for New Zealand's confidence as they look to justify their world one-day ranking of fourth, to England's eighth.
Fleming said the coin toss on Tuesday would be crucial, with the same Bellerive pitch being used again after becoming slower and lower throughout yesterday.
The side batting first would likely have a marked advantage.
- NZPA
