KEY POINTS:
New Zealand are not the first team to be embarrassed at Lilac Hill, the venue for the one-dayer against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI - but they are almost certainly the team that least needed it.
After a brutal and unsuccessful trek to South Africa, New Zealand have turned their attentions to the defence of their Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
That will begin in Adelaide on Friday night, but not before a Twenty20 encounter in Perth on Tuesday.
While normally festive occasions themselves, the short-format match takes on extra meaning: Michael Clarke will lead Australia for the first time; and New Zealand are desperate for any sort of confidence boost ahead of the series.
Allrounder Jacob Oram said the Lilac Hill loss on Friday night was "all the more disappointing" because it came against an ordinary attack led by a seriously out-of-condition Jo Angel.
"Once Baz [Brendon McCullum] went out we fell away," he said from Perth yesterday.
Oram said the team would prefer to call upon their experiences in South Africa where, despite losing the series 1-2, they were competitive and probably should have reversed the score.
"We didn't let what happened in the tests there affect us too much," Oram said.
"Even though we got a hiding in the tests and it was embarrassing and extremely disappointing, we knew we were a good one-day side and I think we proved that despite the loss."
As a Central Districts stalwart, Oram took great pleasure in the impact late arrivals Jamie How and Mathew Sinclair have had on the squad, even admitting he didn't think Sinclair had it in him to play the late innings role he did so effectively.
"Jamie especially played particularly well," Oram said. "He's a confident guy at the moment and that's great for us."
Asked whether he thought Sinclair was suited for the No 7 job in one-day cricket, Oram was typically honest: "To be honest, no. But that's mainly because I've never seen him there. The other times I've seen him batting in the later overs he's normally been on 90-odd not out."
The big allrounder picked up a hamstring injury in the South Africa test series but says he is good to go now, and doesn't care who the Australians put out as indications are they will rotate their squad.
"If they want to do that that's fine," he said. "Whatever 11 players they choose will not only be fine and talented but also desperate to win."
In other team news, bowler Iain O'Brien has returned home, no doubt trying to leave behind the memory of a 52-run towelling off just four overs against the Chairman's XI.
O'Brien's return home was announced in a New Zealand Cricket release yesterday, in time to play for Wellington in their State Championship match against Central Districts starting in Napier tomorrow.
The right-arm seamer was involved in both the test losses in South Africa last month.
He has yet to take part in a one-day international.
