The New Zealand women's basketball team face an uphill battle to qualify for next year's world championships after Australia won their Oceania Championships opener 66-50 in Auckland.
The world number two-ranked Opals were at full-strength against the under-strength and under-prepared Tall Ferns, who were in the game at half-time, when they only trailed by eight points.
So the New Zealand women will have to beat Australia in the return game in Canberra to qualify for next year's world championships in Spain.
