Adam Parore: Sorry to say it ... but Marshall mucked up

It sounds tough, but Hamish Marshall cost New Zealand victory in the opening one-day international against Australia.

I know he batted superbly in a difficult situation, and without his 76 New Zealand would not have got close. But when you get to a stage of needing 32 off four overs with four wickets standing and your key batsman on 76 you should win with several balls to spare.

If the situation had been reversed and Australia had pulled their way back into the match the way Marshall, Craig McMillan and Brendon McCullum did for New Zealand, they would have gone on to win it 10 times out of 10.

Often the player who has done well is the one who ultimately bears the greatest responsibility for defeat. That's just how it is.

And I fear that might have been New Zealand's best chance to beat the Australians in this series. The bowlers generally did well, and 237 simply had to be reached by New Zealand.

If there was any rust among the Australians, many of whom have to come to terms with our pitches, it would have been at Wellington.

I wouldn't be surprised if Marshall put his hand up in the dressing room on Saturday night and said "sorry guys". I know it's not a nice feeling because I had to do it now and again.

He's clearly a batsman who relishes the tough situation, and I suspect he doesn't get bogged down with the external pressures involved in chasing a difficult target. He doesn't think about all the various ifs and buts, he just gets on with it.

And he has the talent to hit the ground running. He was off and away at a run a ball from the start. He should have carried New Zealand home.

He played an awful shot. The golden rule in that situation is that if someone has to chance his arm, if fancy strokes are to be attempted, it's the new man who puts his head on the block, not the established batsman.

Overall, I think New Zealand will be hurting. Certainly they will feel a 10-run losing margin more than they would if they'd been rolled for 150.

But they will know they have the capability of matching Australia, providing they play smart cricket.

Should they change the team for the second ODI at Christchurch tomorrow? The only alteration I'd consider would be bringing Jeff Wilson in for Daryl Tuffey, mainly to keep Tuffey fresh and avoid any risk of aggravating his injury woes before the test series.

They can't shorten the batting, so Mathew Sinclair, the most at-risk batsman, should stay another day.

And finally to Brent "Billy" Bowden. It never ceases to amaze me how often cricket bites you on the you-know-what when you think you've got it covered.

There was Bowden a week ago claiming he'd had a brilliant series between Australia and Pakistan in the wake of claims of favouritism for Australian players by Pakistan's coach Bob Woolmer.

And here he was making two real clangers in Australia's favour.

I complained for years that when we went to Australia we'd be sawn off by their umpires in a blink of an eye, then we would come home and our officials - determined not to be seen to be favouring us - nailed us as well. We copped it both ways.

The Australians have always had umpires they liked better than others because they knew how to pull their strings. Right now, I reckon they're playing Billy like a piano.

* Adam Parore is a former New Zealand test and one-day player.