Cricket: Colin Munro believes only a few key tweaks required

New Zealand's Colin Munro carries the 2 pieces of his bat after it broke while playing Australia. Photo / AP

A few key tweaks are all the Black Caps need to challenge Australia in the second Chappell-Hadlee ODI in Canberra on Tuesday, Colin Munro believes.

Aggressive fielding, a few more partnerships with the bat and a little more discipline from the bowlers will be on the Kiwis' wishlist at Manuka Oval after they fell to a 68-run defeat on Sunday night at the SCG.

Munro featured with the bat, falling one run short of his half-century, as the New Zealanders were bowled out for 256 in the 45th over.

Only opener Martin Guptill did better, belting 114 off 102 balls.

Guptill's 92-run partnership with Jimmy Neesham was the Black Caps' best, as they struggled to match Australia's mammoth 8-324, set up by Steve Smith's ground ODI record 164.

"We've just got to keep being positive and taking the aggressive option in the field," Munro said.

"You've got to take very opportunity, especially when you're playing against Australia in Australia.

"They're tough opposition, so we have to be right on our game."

Munro says the Black Caps are confident they can turn around Sunday's sub-par performance.

"We've had a bit of a chat about where we can do better. If we can just make a few tweaks, we'll go a long way towards putting ourselves in a good position," he said. "Chasing a really big target, everything on the batting front has to go your way, and we just didn't have any significant partnerships."

Coming in at No.6, Munro played an aggressive innings, which included snapping his bat, as he threw everything at a Pat Cummins delivery early in the 42nd over.

"It was a different sort of knock than what I'm used to playing - hopefully, in the games to come, I can have a few extra batters around me at the end and have a bit of a hit."

- AAP