The writing was pretty much on the wall by the end of the sixteenth over in new Zealand's innings, when they were in pursuit of Australia's mammoth 314 in the day-night one-day international at Christchurch.

Put into bat, Australia raked up the almost implausible total, thanks largely to Matthew Hayden. Hayden, who faced criticism for the slump in form during the VB Series in Australia and later was forced to make way for Michael Clarke, sent a strong warning to his Trans-Tasman rivals before the Test matches, by taking Australia to a 2-0 lead in the six-match series.

Although Australia lost their first wicket early, Hayden found company in skipper Ricky Ponting and later in Damien Martyn to charge New Zealand into submission. While the Australian innings was all about Hayden's plundering of twelve boundaries and a couple of mighty blows for six while notching a fine 114 runs off just 124 balls, Ponting was no less belligerent, stomping away six hits to the fence and a couple beyond, to score a brisk half-century and share a partnership just one short of hundred. Martyn did his usual bit, knocking the ball around for a fine fifty-eight himself in a 133-run partnership with Hayden. Cameo innings by Michael Hussey with thirty-two and Michael Clarke for twenty-three pushed the total beyond 300.

Chasing a gargantuan total against a quality pace attack was never going to be easy. New Zealand were never in with a sniff of a chance as Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee struck early twice to leave the hosts rocking at four down for just forty-nine as early as the twelfth over. Gilchrist failed to leave his mark with the bat, but he was the man of the moment, pouching five catches in quick succession to become the first wicketkeeper to take 300 one-day international catches. McGrath bore the brunt of some scintillating stroke-play that came far too rarely for the home team's comfort, as well as the fans who targeted him in mostly friendly repartee.

The introduction of Andrew Symonds into the attack bore rich dividends as the final nails were hammered in the coffin. Symonds struck twice in the space of three balls in the sixteenth over to remove the two dangerous batsmen, Craig McMillan and Chris Cairns.

While the challenge was all but over, Daniel Vettori put up a valiant rearguard action, but from New Zealand's perspective, it was all curtains as far as Christchurch was concerned. While Vettori's eighty-three off a mere seventy-three balls matches Klusener's best for a batsman at number eight, it only delayed the inevitable as Jason Gillespie snared two more to have New Zealand down and out for 206 in only forty-one overs.

The New Zealand camp will have gone from despair to desolation after their second consecutive loss in the series. The first match at Wellington was a tighter affair with Australia winning narrowly by eleven runs, and it was more New Zealand making a mess of a reasonable ask. While that loss will hurt, this one will rankle for the insipid performance of the hosts, who are reputed for fiercer battles against their neighbours and fierce rivals.