New Zealand vs. Australia: Winners and Losers from 1st ODI

A lot of the talk before the series concerned Australia's lack of preparation for the conditions in New Zealand and, judging by their comprehensive 159-run defeat in Auckland, these criticisms weren't unfounded.

The Baggy Greens' lack of a warm-up game and chance to acclimatise to a ball expected to move more than they are used to, saw them fall to their second-heaviest one-day international defeat ever against their neighbours.

But who were the standout individual performers in this one-sided clash? And which players will be afraid of being on the sharp end of the selectors' axe ahead of round two in Wellington?

Let's take at look at the three winners and three losers from the opening ODI of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

Winner: Martin Guptill

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Performance: 90 off 76 balls

Martin Guptill's spectacular form shows no signs of abating with the big-hitting opener blasting the highest score of the match at a strike rate of 118.42.

The innings included 13 boundaries, five of which went all the way, and it was the 29-year-old's sixth 50-plus score in his last nine innings.

While in Test cricket Guptill averages a middle-of-the-road 30.45, his impressive ODI statistics—4,754 runs in 124 innings—make him currently the ninth-best performer in the world, according to the ICC's rankings.

Loser: Shaun Marsh

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Performance: 5 off 8 balls

With the clamour for the in-form Usman Khawaja to become an integral part of the Australian team, Shaun Marsh really needed an innings. He didn't get it.

The 32-year-old, who has had a bizarre summer being shunted around the Australian squad and batting order, lasted just eight balls of the Australian innings before edging Matt Henry to second slip and initiating a flurry of wickets.

Another innings like this in Wellington, assuming he gets the chance that is, and the knives will be being sharpened in the Aussie press.

Winner: Trent Boult

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Performance: 3/38 from seven overs

There was even more pressure than usual on Trent Boult's shoulders prior to this game with the absence of Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan, but the paceman delivered emphatically.

Bowling with his usual mix of skill and control, the left-armer removed the high calibre trio of David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh to finish with impressive figures of 3/38.

With the next two venues potentially offering even more assistance to the bowlers, expect Boult to be causing more mayhem among the Baggy Greens' top order.

Loser: Glenn Maxwell

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Performance: 0/30 from three overs and zero

Glenn Maxwell has publicly stated his hopes that the "Big Show" nickname, acquired when first breaking on to the international scene, disappears.

A few more performances like this and he could find himself being referred to as "Damp Squib."

The 27-year-old's game to forget saw him deliver three expensive and wicketless overs of spin before collecting a three-ball duck.

Winner: Matt Henry

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Performance: 3/41 from six overs

If Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan had been fit, there’s a decent chance that Matt Henry wouldn’t even have been in the New Zealand squad for these games.

But one man’s misfortune is another’s gain, and the 24-year-old fast bowler enhanced his blossoming reputation by sending three of the first four Australian batsmen, including Steven Smith, back to the hutch.

Henry now has 46 ODI wickets at an average of just over 22 from 23 appearances and looks set to play a major part of the Kiwis' future plans.

Loser: George Bailey

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Performance: 2 from 10 balls

A few weeks ago, George Bailey was putting India to the sword in Perth to score a marvelous century and lead his side to an emphatic victory.

Fast forward to the present and the former skipper has managed just 41 runs in his last four knocks, and this stuttering innings, which included being dropped by Corey Anderson, did him no favours.

At the age of 33, Bailey clearly needs to make a significant contribution in the next couple of games before his long-term role in the side becomes untenable.