Cricket: Marcus Stoinis produced the finest ODI innings Eden Park has ever seen

Marcus Stoinis' unbeaten 146 stands as arguably the finest exhibition of ODI hitting on Eden Park. Photosport

Marcus Stoinis' sensational unbeaten 146 stands as arguably the finest exhibition of ODI hitting on Eden Park.

There have been other notable one-day performances, but for what Stoinis came within two hits of accomplishing, his takes some beating.

He got his runs off 117 balls - his last 96 from just 57 balls - and hit smart as he hauled Australia from 67 for six to 280, chasing New Zealand's 286 for nine.

Of his 11 sixes, seven were to the short straight boundaries. He's got the second highest ODI score by a No 7 or lower batsman. Only New Zealand's Lulke Ronchi's 170 at Dunedin against Sri Lanka in 2015 tops Stoinis.

Four New Zealand bowlers received heavy treatment.

Stoinis spread his largesse about - four sixes off Tim Southee, three from one Jimmy Neesham over, his first two came off consecutive Mitch Santner spinners, and Trent Boult's left armers disappeared twice too.

He had two escapes, dropped by Kane Williamson at deep mid off on 91 then a run out chance when the skipper missed the stumps with his underarm on 127.

"As an all-round game and playing for Australia ... I've had smoother innings than this, but in terms of this being a new pressure, all up I think it's got to be my best performance yet," Stoinis said last night.

And to receive a standing ovation as an Australian from a New Zealand crowd? That was special, Stoinis admitted.

"That's something you remember forever, and playing here, amazing experience."

So how do other notable hitting performances at Eden Park in an ODI compare?

West Indian opener Gordon Greenidge sizzled as he struck 104 off 100 balls, with nine fours and four sixes to ensure a win in 1987.

Mark Greatbatch's 63 against the West Indies at the 1992 World Cup was memorable, as was his 68 off 60 against South Africa in the same event. But one took 77 balls; the other 60, which aren't rapid by modern standards.

For their time, however, they remain firm in the memory.

At the World Cup semifinal in 2015, AB deVilliers and David Miller were chiefly responsible for South Africa clobbering their last 167 runs in a rain-trimmed innings in 101 balls.

But for single-handed slaughter, which came desperately close to pulling off what would have been one of the alltime great chases, Stoinis takes top spot.

A 27-year-old from Western Australia, now playing for Victoria, this was just Stoinis' second ODI and he's played one T20 international.

He had New Zealand on the run, and basically helpless to stop him.

In the end, the only avenue open to New Zealand seemed to be a run out. And so it proved, as Josh Hazlewood, who remarkably hadn't faced a ball while 54 were added for the last wicket, was sent back and beaten by Kane Williamson's smart work from short mid on.

It was a tough break for Australia, massive relief for New Zealand, but it's certainly lit the fuse for game two at Napier on Thursday. It's also left New Zealand just one win away from regaining the Chappell Hadlee trophy.