Black Caps coach Gary Stead has laid all the blame on his batsmen for the side's latest Twenty20 loss to Australia.
After the team's second comprehensive loss to the tourists in a row, Stead said his top order had played negatively and failed to adapt to the conditions at Sky Stadium.
Earlier, the Black Caps bowlers had seemed to put the side in a winning position after restricting Australia to a seemingly below-average score of 156, albeit on a pitch that looked tricky to handle.
However, whatever demons Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert, Kane Williamson and Devon Conway sensed during the first innings came out in force to haunt them when they put on their gloves; as caution appeared to overrule all other strategies until a rearguard 30 from 18 balls from Kyle Jamieson.
"It's that intent to hit boundaries, get on the front foot and even running between wickets," Stead identified.