New Zealand's top-order imploded once again to be 4-133 after 25 overs of the fourth Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day international match against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday.
Three wickets fell in the space of 10 runs as off-spinner Nathan Hauritz claimed two wickets and medium-pacer James Hopes one.
Hauritz claimed the key wicket of Brendon McCullum who had been shaping as the dominant batsman for the side but on 61 he turned an easy chance to close mid-wicket for Cameron White to hold the catch.
After being asked to bat first, on a pitch which slowed up considerably during the innings, New Zealand was 4-133 after 25 overs. Scott Styris and Daniel Vettori face the task of managing the second half of New Zealand's innings.
Hauritz has 2-9 from his four overs while Hopes has 1-19 from four.
New Zealand got off to a flyer courtesy of the reunion of McCullum and Martin Guptill as the Peter Ingram experiment came to its end.
They looked like they were making up for lost time as they rattled both Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris, one of the bowlers they have had most problems with during the series, in a savage assault.
McCullum was the quieter of the pair initially, but in Harris' third over he charged down the wicket to hit a cover drive for four and then followed that with a hook for six.
Harris was replaced after three overs that went for 20 while the double change saw Bollinger replaced after 30 runs came off his three overs.
At one stage Bollinger committed the cardinal sin of conceding a no-ball, and then when bowling the free-hit ball, bowling a second no-ball.
Guptill looked more comfortable than he had at any time in the series but the introduction of Shane Watson worked for Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Guptill opened his over with an elegant cover drive for four followed by a lofted boundary through mid-wicket. But then next ball he drove a hard shot which was well held at close cover by Ponting.
Guptill had hit 30 from 22 balls while Watson ended his first four-over spell with 1-17.
The tenor of the game changed as Ross Taylor, promoted to No.3 took his time to settle in and while the 50 was posted off six overs, it was another 11 overs before 100 was passed, just after McCullum had reached his half-century.