Australia have posted an intimidating 378 run total for the Black Caps to chase down in their second one day cricket international in Canberra.
Opening batsman David Warner top-scored with 119 off 115 balls.
Australian batsman David Warner. Photo: Photosport
The Australian captain Steve Smith scored 72 to help the home side along, after surviving a caught behind decision on review in the 34th over while on 51.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who is playing in his 100th ODI, earlier won the toss and elected to bowl first after play was delayed by five minutes due to drizzle, which had been falling for much of the day.
But it quickly proved to be a poor decision, with the hosts racing away to 67 for none after the first 12 overs with Warner and Adam Finch at the helm.
Spinner Mitchell Santner was the first of the Black Caps bowlers to strike, bowling out Finch in the 13th over for 19.
But it did little to stem the Australian assault.
Warner and Smith put on a partnership of 145 before Kane Williamson caught Warner out with an impressive low catch off the bowling of Colin de Grandhomme.
Smith followed him to the sheds just three overs later when he miss-hit a Tim Southee ball straight to Mitchell Santner in deep point.
Black Caps bowler Tim Southee. Photo: Photosport
Those two wickets allowed New Zealand to stem the flow of runs for several overs, before Travis Head became comfortable at the crease and found the boundary on a number of occasions to bring up his half century off just 29 balls
But a poor shot from Head just seven runs later off Southee's bowling caused an easy catch for Colin Munro, sending him back to the sheds.
Mitchell Marsh scored an unbeaten 76 off 40 balls to extend the Australian total and all but put the match out of New Zealand's reach.
- RNZ
