In a series that saw them outplayed in every department, the Black Caps can at least take solace from the performances of their less experienced players, stand-in captain Tom Latham says.
As Australia last night wrapped up the three-match series with a 279 -run victory in Sydney, the Black Caps will come under the microscope in their batting, bowling and fielding, humiliated in their biggest Test series in recent memory.
The fact made all the more disheartening after arriving in enemy territory as the world's second ranked Test side.
Filling in for his first Test as Black Caps captain, Tom Latham fronted media at the SCG, speaking about the difficulties as a whole.
"Coming over to Australia it's always a challenge, it's an exciting challenge," Latham says.
"You're put under pressure against the best in the world, in their own conditions."
The stand-in skipper did look to the benefits of the series though, in particular the unearthing of wicketkeeper turned opening batsman Tom Blundell, who became the first New Zealander to score a Test hundred at the MCG.
Sydney debutant Glenn Phillips another reason to smile, arriving in Australia the night before being rushed into the Test side, scoring a half-century on debut.
"It is important that we try and take the positives from it.
"You look at guys like Tom Blundell, who came in for his first game, and certainly looked the part [with] the way he played at the MCG.
"And then Glenn, fresh off the plane the day before the game to play the way he did in that first innings."
The bowling group, led by Neil Wagner also came in for praise, the left-armer easily New Zealand's best player, taking 17 wickets at an average of just under 23.
"Obviously our bowlers [were a highlight].
"Something that we do pride ourselves on is the attitude and the effort. That's something that's never doubted in this group.
"The boys kept coming in spell after spell, when unfortunately it just wasn't meant to be for us."
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