Australia cruise to series sweep

Australia have thus won the series 3-0.

The importance of context to worldwide matches was starkly underlined by an attendance of 20,591 for the match, little more than 18 months after Australia and New Zealand attracted more than 90,000 spectators for last year's World Cup final at the same venue.

Trent Boult's direct hit was the cause of Warner's dismissal on the last ball of the innings, denying the in-form opener a part in cricket's history.

With his seventh century in a year, Warner also came very close to breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record of nine centuries in a calender year, the most by any batsman.

Australia crushed the hapless Black Caps in the dead rubber, leading visiting captain Kane Williamson to describe Steve Smith's side as the best one-day team in the world in home conditions.

Nicholls could only get his fingertips to the hard chance.

Starc bowled Henry Nicholls and Colin Munro with unplayable yorkers and then trapped Mitchell Santner leg before wicket with reverse swing to finish with three for 34.

Their partnership of 105 proved pivotal as Australia finished strongly, Warner going to three figures in the 38th over with a clip off his pads that raced away fine to the fine-leg boundary.

That meant Victorian allrounder Glenn Maxwell again missed out on the XI.

"He made that adjustment, reined his game in, took the game deep and gave himself the opportunity to get an above-par score for his team".

Warner wore a black armband on Friday to honour his old coach Laurie Heil, who died on Thursday.

"I look at Davey's innings and it was exceptional, on a wicket that was tough to play free-flowing cricket", he said.

"It's a different form of the game (to Tests), but guys have been getting runs - and some big runs - so it's always nice to spend that kind of time in the middle". We did the basics right in the series and that's what matters. "We needed some improvement after South Africa and we certainly showed that here", said Smith.