Steve Smith leads the way with career-best 164

New Zealand will be hoping to turn around their fortunes as their record against the Australians can be called dismal at best. After a wayward display from New Zealand in the middle and latter overs, Southee’s experience would be a welcome tonic.

It was his throat-high catch at slip that got a big breakthrough to dismiss skipper Kane Williamson for just nine.

New Zealand players stretch during a New Zealand training session at Sydney Cricket Ground. For New Zealand, Jimmy Neesham showed glimpses of being a good all-rounder in the future with more and more exposure to global cricket.

Their opponents on the day, New Zealand had no answers to Steve Smith with the ball with all of their bowlers going for runs on a pitch that did not assist their seam bowlers.

Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham, both allrounders, could be included to provide New Zealand with six bowling options.

No matter that it was played in the 48th over with his job, steering the hosts from 4-92 in the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand to beyond 300, very much done.

THE old Australia versus New Zealand rivalry is set to fire up once again.

Steve Smith posted the highest score in a limited-overs global at the Sydney Cricket Ground and then took a stunning catch to help Australia to a 68-run win Sunday in the series-opener against New Zealand. “There was plenty of chat afterwards about that”, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said.

Such is the wealth of one-day cricket talent at Australia’s disposal, Head’s run in the one-day team, including the past 12 consecutive matches, has kept the likes of Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner sidelined.

Miller says the upcoming fixture is a chance for Canberra fans to make a statement to Cricket Australia after low crowd numbers at Bellerive Oval for the Hobart Test.

Smith would have expected himself to bat to the close, such is his insatiable desire to contribute to a successful Australian team.

“The body feels great…”

“I think someone said that I’d hit it, from point, I reckon I heard someone say that I’d hit it, and I think they ran with that”.

“I feel really strong and fit, and feel like I have to worry about bowling well rather than getting through a game”.

Glenn Maxwell has been advised to pick his words more carefully during the Chappell-Hadlee series.

However the Black Caps will hardly resemble the squad which lost the 2015 World Cup final to the Australians, following the retirements of Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Grant Elliott, Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills.

Steve Smith and Travis Head then initiated the rescue and rebuild operation.

“To replace those [players] is a challenge…” “I’m sure he will continue to improve the more he plays”.