The Black Caps have gone a long way to retaining the Chappell-Hadlee trophy after beating Australia in the first One-Day International (ODI) at Eden Park by 159 runs.
Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill celebrate a catch during the first ODI against Australia. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Australia never looked like chasing down New Zealand's 307-run total after the hosts ripped through Australia's top order batsman, leaving the visitors six down for 41 runs within the first 10 overs.
The visitors ended their innings all out on 148 after surviving just 24 overs and two balls.
Trent Boult and Matt Henry did the damage for New Zealand, taking three wickets each.
Australian captain Steve Smith heads back to the dressing room. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Henry claimed the first two wickets, of Shaun Marsh and Steve Smith, before Boult picked up the crucial wicket of David Warner - although television replays showed Warner's lbw dismissal was high.
The Black Caps had to wait a while longer before Australia's seventh wicket fell, with Matthew Wade was removed in the 21st over off the bowling of Corey Anderson.
Wade's wicket brought the end of Australia's biggest partnership with James Faulkner; with the pair putting on 79 runs.
Faulkner followed shortly after Wade, lasting just another over before he was bowled by Adam Milne on 36.
Australia's final two wickets fell off the bowling of Mitchell Santner, handing the Black Caps a 1-0 lead in the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Series.
Black Caps set the pace
After being sent into bat by Steve Smith, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill took a few overs before they found their feet with the bat.
It took until the third over before a boundary was hit but McCullum backed it up with three more boundaries to hit 20 runs off Josh Hazlewood's second over.
In his last international match at Eden Park, McCullum went on to make an entertaining 44 runs off 29 balls before he was bowled out by a yorker from James Faulkner.
In a rare moment, McCullum's replacement, Kane Williamson made a duck for the first time in three years in ODIs.
Williamson's lapse was relatively inexpensive for New Zealand as Guptill went on to make 90 runs before a mix-up saw him run out at the non-strikers end.
Henry Nicholls was the next-best batsman for New Zealand, making 61 runs while Mitchell Santner saw out the New Zealand innings on 35.
Mitchell Marsh was the pick of Australia's bowlers, picking up two wickets for an economy of 5.00.
The second ODI is in Wellington on Saturday.
