Matthew Hayden blasted a century as Australia steamrolled New Zealand by 106 runs in the second one-day international at Christchurch on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in their five-match series.
Hayden ended his prolonged form slump as the world champions racked up a formidable 314 for six after being given first use of a perfect batting strip.
Adam Gilchrist failed with the bat but took five catches to become the first wicketkeeper to reach 300 one-day international catches as New Zealand collapsed to 208 all out in the 41st over.
The only resistance came from Daniel Vettori who made a defiant 83 of 77 balls to equal South African Lance Klusener's record for the highest score ever made by a number eight in one-day history.
"I'm rapt with the way we played," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said. "All the batsmen stood up and the new-ball bowling was outstanding.
Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming said his team only had themselves to blame. "It was pretty comprehensive," he said.
"We didn't bowl as well as we could have on that wicket. We were hoping to keep them to 250 but they fed off our mistakes in the field and we missed quite a bit with the ball."
Hayden, dropped from the team earlier this month, was brutal in hitting 114 off 124 balls, including 12 boundaries and two sixes.
He shared a 99-run partnership with Ponting for the second wicket after Gilchrist went for a second-ball duck and a 133-run stand with Damien Martyn for the third.
Ponting struck six fours and a pair of sixes in his 53 off 57 balls while Martyn found the boundary five times for 58 off 70 deliveries.
Both were run out but the lower-order continued to smash the Kiwi bowlers with Michael Clarke belting 23 off 13 balls and Mike Hussey driving the final ball of the innings for six to finish 32 not out.
With the exception of left-arm spinner Vettori, who conceded 31 runs from 10 overs in a fine all-round performance, the New Zealand attack failed to make any impression on the world champions.
The worst offender was former All Black Jeff Wilson, playing his first one-day international in 12 years, who went for 57 off six overs although he took two catches and scored 22.
New Zealand's chances of winning were over almost as soon as their innings began. They lost Fleming in the first over then crashed to 73-6 by the 16th over, with Gilchrist claiming the first five catches.
Seven New Zealand batsmen made double figures but Vettori was the only player to go on. He reached his first one-day international half-century off 49 balls and collected 10 boundaries before being caught in the deep.
The third match will be played at Auckland on Saturday, with the final two games at Wellington and Napier next week.
Scorecard
Australia
A.Gilchrist c McCullum b Tuffey 0
M.Hayden c Wilson b Mills 114
R.Ponting run out 53
D.Martyn run out 58
A.Symonds c Wilson b Mills 13
M.Clarke c McCullum b Cairns 23
M.Hussey not out 32
B.Hogg not out 9
Extras (lb-1 w-6 nb-5) 12
Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 314
Did not bat: B.Lee, J.Gillespie, G.McGrath
Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-99 3-232 4-237 5-254 6-283
Bowling: Tuffey 8-1-72-1 (w-3 nb-3), Mills 10-0-62-2 (w-2 nb-2), Cairns 10-0-63-1, Vettori 10-0-31-0, Wilson 6-0-57-0 (w-1), Astle 6-0-28-0
New Zealand
S.Fleming c Gilchrist b Lee 1
N.Astle c Gilchrist b McGrath 3
M.Sinclair c Gilchrist b Lee 15
H.Marshall c Gilchrist b McGrath 16
C.McMillan c Gilchrist b Symonds 12
C.Cairns c Hayden b Symonds 22
B.McCullum c and b Symonds 20
D.Vettori c sub (Katich) b Gillespie 83
J.Wilson c Ponting b Gillespie 22
K.Mills run out 4
D.Tuffey not out 0
Extras (lb-3 w-4 nb-3) 10
Total (all out, 40.4 overs) 208
Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-12 3-28 4-49 5-72 6-73 7-135 8-197 9-208
Bowling: Lee 8-2-28-2 (nb-3 w-2), McGrath 7-0-42-2, Gillespie 9.4-1-45-2 (w-1), Symonds 6-0-41-3, Hogg 10-0-49-0 (w-1)
Result: Australia won by 106 runs to lead series 2-0
Man of the match: Matthew Hayden (Australia)
First match: Australia won by 10 runs
Third match: February 26 (d/n), Auckland
Fourth match: March 1, Wellington
Fifth match: March 4, Napier
