KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's hopes of ending their 11-year Rose Bowl drought against Australia were washed away yesterday but it couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of women's cricket coach Gary Stead.
Not a ball was bowled at the Basin Reserve in Wellington as rain forced an abandonment at 3pm.
It means holders Australia will retain the one-day trophy after the series finished locked at 2-2.
While Stead and his team were desperate to lift the silverware they last owned in 1998, he was heartened by the potential shown looking ahead to next month's World Cup in Australia.
That has always been the major goal, with this month's series against the tournament hosts regarded primarily as a buildup.
"I think we're at about 60-70 per cent of our capability at the moment. We're going to get better," he said.
"That excites me and I think our prospects at the World Cup are very good. If we can run into a bit of form and get a wee bit of a roll on, I'm sure we're going to be in with a chance."
The World Cup from March 7-22 features eight teams.
Australia have won it five times, England twice and New Zealand once, when they were hosts in 2000.
Before then, New Zealand and Australia square off once more in a Twenty20 match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, a curtain-raiser to the men's international.
That game also serves a long-term purpose for the White Ferns, who will contest the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.
"It's an opportunity to learn more about our team and how we play that game too," Stead said.
It can also halt the momentum of Australia, who dominated the third and fourth Rose Bowl games in Hamilton after New Zealand won the first two in Whangarei.
"There was no particular reason for the change," Stead said.
"We had mixed days with form and they put us under a bit more pressure in the last two games."
Australia had the superior individual batting and bowling statistics, with four of their players among the leading five in both categories.
Shelly Nitschke led the way for batsmen with 144 runs followed by the 136 of New Zealander Amy Satterthwaite, who topped the averages at 68.0.
Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar was the leading wicket-taker with seven, followed by six each to teammate Emma Sampson and New Zealand's Suzie Bates.
Australia won the previous two series 3-2 and Stead had felt they could reverse that pattern yesterday.
"Both teams wanted to get out there and play but probably us more so because now we don't get a chance to win the Rose Bowl.
"It would have been nice to get an outright winner."
- NZPA
