The final ODI between the Blackcaps and Australia perfectly reflected how these two teams matched up. For a while there, the staples of any Blackcaps cricket team had the kiwis firing but when it came to skill, sheer talent and execution, they were forced into the shade by the Aussies.

Clear plans were in action with the ball and it just felt like a more intense fielding effort from the kiwi lads. Michael Clarke kept harping on about the need to bowl Australia out or at least try to instead of sliding into a defensive mode and it took until the last game for this to become visible for the Blackcaps. It was exciting but this could have very easily been done in the two games prior, ya know - games that mattered.

I wrote this last week to show some disparity between the two teams. The desire, enthusiasm and attacking intent were all absent for much of the series and that is a worry, however there is no real need for doom and gloom. This series was just a reminder that unless the Blackcaps are at full strength and in the swing of ODI cricket, a full strength Aussie side should always beat them.

Throw in Corey Anderson, Ross Taylor, an attacking spin option like Ish Sodhi along with a powerful wicket-keeper/batsman and things might get funky.

Conveniently, a major point of interest for me is BJ Watling's spot. Watling scored 31 runs in three innings, often coming in late in the innings when he was required to give it a whack and if Watling's 31 runs consisted of innings in which he hit 15 off 4 balls, or something similar, it wouldn't be all that bad. Watling instead had a strike-rate of 64.58, which is almost half of Mathew Wade's 126sr.

This comes just as Auckland's wicket-keeper/batsman, 19-year-old Glenn Phillips hit his second half-centruy in two Super Smash T20 games. Watling didn't exactly demand future selection in the ODI format and even if he did, unless he's opening the innings, it's hard to see where Watling fits into this ODI team.

Just as it's hard to see where Tom Latham fits in as he had fairly similar stats to Watling; 34 runs from three innings' with a 62.96sr. There are a bunch of reshuffling options available here - same with the wicket-keepers (Phillips, Tim Seifert, Tom Blundell, Dane Cleaver) - although sticking with Latham to find his niche in limited-overs cricket should be the best option. Latham doesn't need to whack it around, but if he's not going to blazed boundaries like Martin Guptill, he needs to bat at least 10 overs (more like 15-20 over more often than not) and support Guppy, while also laying a foundation for Kane Williamson.

Keep in mind that if Taylor and Anderson slot into this ODI team at some stage, Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme will probably be the most likely to make way.

Jimmy Neesham was a huge positive in my books, especially as he was moved up the order to fill Taylor's boots. Neesham batted a bit like Joseph Parker boxed against Andy Ruiz Jr because we know Neesham can hit boundaries and the sound the ball makes coming off his bat is brutal, however against Australia, Neesham showed all-round class in hitting boundaries and working the ball around the field. Neesham is a batsman at this point in time, who can bowl the odd over and do a job if need be and I see Neesham settling down at No.5 (Anderson at No.6).

No-balls and a general welcoming to ODI cricket - trans-Tasman ODI cricket in Australia might I add - will taint the debut of Lockie Ferguson and fair enough. That shouldn't result in Ferguson being thrown to the rubbish bin after two games, especially not when Tim Southee took 2 wickets at 54avg/5.40rpo and Matt Henry took 2 wickets at 82.50avg/8.25rpo. While Australia's three-pronged seam attack finished as the top-three wicket-takers for the series, all with averages under 21, two of Aotearoa's best seamers were horrible.

Trent Boult was our best bowler with 6 wickets which had him tied with Mitchell Starc's 6 wickets, the difference being that Starc took his 6 wickets at 20.50avg while Boult finished with an average of 30. Perhaps that's our biggest concern at the moment as the good vibes that float around Boult and Southee, continue to be tested with Boult averaging 30 and Southee averaging 54.

Keep it moving though as this series was squeezed in as New Zealand Cricket tries to cosy on up to Cricket Australia and there'll be a diet of cricket to help you forget what's gone on here. If you are still a bit downbuzz about the Blackcaps or don't know what to make of where they sit at the moment, just ask yourself if you'd take any of the Blackcaps in this series over an Australian.

I'm only taking Guppy. Jimmy Neesham is worthy as well.