KEY POINTS:
Whenever a New Zealand team heads to Australia, they board the plane armed with a strong dose of optimism.
There's invariably a feeling that this will be a tour when they will put one over the big boys.
Partly that's down to a natural relish at tackling our
nearest cricket neighbour, at wanting to prove we can mix it successfully with them, and partly because they have always been New Zealand's biggest, and favourite, challenge.
This Chappell Hadlee series, starting in Perth on Sunday, is no different.
New Zealand arrived in Australia loaded with players who have a positive intent and bucketloads of desire to capitalise on what South Africa have already done to their hosts, in both the tests and ODI series.
Yet so often, the task has proved beyond New Zealand teams, at times embarrassingly so.
What chance this time of reclaiming the trophy won so emphatically and spectacularly two years ago?
New Zealand hopes rest to a degree on what Australia come up with.
It is foolish to write the Aussies off as being in transition, even if it's true.
Their pool of talent is usually deep, particularly among the batsmen.
Right now, Australia are not a patch on what they were a couple of years ago, which is some way short of suggesting they're not much chop.
They have lost a collection of world class performers. No more Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and, as of a few weeks ago, Matthew Hayden to contend with.
Captain Ricky Ponting remains as the last man standing of a truly great era. Mike Hussey, out of sorts but still a top-class batsman, and Michael Clarke are there as the batting rocks around which a fresh top-six lineup is being built.
And the bowling is a moderate mix, especially with Stuart Clark just recovering from injury, and Brett Lee gone with a foot injury.
They have one genuine speedster in the erratic Shaun Tait, the steady leftarmer Nathan Bracken - who vies with New Zealand captain Dan Vettori for the world No 1 ODI bowling spot - and otherwise it's a group of players trying to prove themselves.
All of which should rightly give New Zealand cause for feeling prospects are bright.
But New Zealand have their own issues.
They were unable to bury the West Indies. The weather didn't help, but it's a sobering thought that had the rain arrived in the final ODI in Napier two overs earlier than it did, Chris Gayle's men would have been flying home with mile-wide smiles and the series won.
New Zealand have a question mark over Jesse Ryder, after he damaged a shoulder at practice this week. He's out for Perth's opener on Sunday; fingers are crossed he'll be ready for Melbourne next Friday night.
Still, Martin Guptill's first two ODIs, 122 not out and 43 against the Windies offered plenty of encouragement. He can open in Ryder's absence.
Ross Taylor's form will be critical. He needs to give more evidence to those who maintain he is New Zealand's long-term batting anchor in both forms of the game.
Peter Fulton's record against Australia is highly impressive. He averages 34.41 in his 44 ODIs; against the Aussies he's going at 47.14 in eight games, with fifties in his last four games against them.
Grant Elliott and Neil Broom in the middle of the innings won't frighten Australia.
Then there's the bowling.
Take away Vettori and Kyle Mills, a strong performer against the West Indies and among the world's best in the ODI format, and the rest are yet to totally convince.
Iain O'Brien is back for another tilt at the short game, and with Tim Southee will form the three-pronged fast-medium attack. Watch for young leftarmer Trent Boult to get a run at some point.
Coach Andy Moles is a big fan of the under 19 international, who does swing the ball and has made all the right moves so far.
The other newcomer is Brendon Diamanti, the Central Districts allrounder, in for Jacob Oram, at least for the early part of the trip. The clue to the selection of the 27-year-old from Blenheim is in the numbers.
In one-dayers, he averages 21.25 with the bat, at a strike rate of 106.02, and he's taken 65 wickets at 27.36 apiece, and with an economy rate of 4.54 runs per over - in other words, he gives the ball a belt and is a useful medium-pacer.
So New Zealand are right to take a confident mindset. They must back themselves and be at the top of their game to be in the contest. But Australia as easy beats? Never have been, never will be.
