Kane Williamson has lauded the batting performance of Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, acknowledging he took the game away from the Blackcaps.
New Zealand suffered their second straight loss at the Cricket World Cup on Sunday morning, comprehensively beaten by table-toppers Australia at Lord's.
The 86-run loss was painful for New Zealand, given they had Australia 92/5, with kingpins Aaron Finch, David Warner and Steve Smith all back in the hut.
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But a 107-run partnership between Carey (71) and Usman Khawaja (88) turned the momentum in Australia's favour, guiding the world champions to a score of 243/9, when at one point 200 looked a stretch.
Williamson cast a frustrated figure at the post-match press conference, rueing an opportunity missed, but he was full of praise for the left-handed Carey, who looked at ease from ball one on a difficult pitch to bat on.
"I think that partnership between Khawaja and Carey was superb," he said.
"I don't think anybody hit the ball well on that surface all day except for Carey, and they managed to put on 100, which certainly got them a very, very competitive total.
"I suppose we were one wicket away if you're looking at positives in terms of our bowling performance and trying to restrict them to a much lower total, but it wasn't to be."
Williamson's tactics were called into question by members of the commentary team during the latter part of Australia's innings. Some, including former Australian skipper Michael Clarke, felt Williamson held back Trent Boult, who had been superb in his opening spell.
Boult returned to the bowling crease in the final power play but by then, Australia had resurrected their innings.
Williamson, who bowled seven tidy overs on a spinning-friendly wicket, felt his slow-bowling options of himself, Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner were the way to go during the middle overs.
Instead, he preferred to praise the efforts of Carey and Khawaja for nullifying a key part of New Zealand's attack.
"The match-ups didn't really fall our way with both our spinners turning the ball into two left-hand batters.
"But credit to the way the Australian batters fought hard to get them to a very good score, really, on that surface.
"I suppose if we're being critical, we would have liked to have obviously taken that sixth wicket, which perhaps may have restricted them to below 200, and I'm sure it would have been a really tough battle.
"But once again, they outplayed us in all facets, and it wasn't to be from our perspective."
The Blackcaps now head to Durham to take on tournament hosts England next week, by which time New Zealand may find themselves qualified for the semi-finals.
An Indian victory over England on Monday morning is all New Zealand need to advance and fend off the likes of Pakistan and Bangladesh, who are piling the pressure on the Blackcaps and the Brits.
Failing that and Williamson's charges may have to beat the hosts in their final group game in Durham to secure a spot in the last four - with victory close to essential in their bid to arrest a slide in momentum.
Not that the captain is concerned with the lapse in form, previously unbeaten before missing out to Pakistan and Australia in their last two encounters.
"Once again, it is about moving on, and going to Durham and looking forward to a new surface and new opposition," he added.
"We as a side need to be really positive and play with that freedom, because when we do that, that is when we play our best cricket, and that's the sort of mindset we need to have.
"Maybe there's a dent in momentum. But then at the end of the day, it is coming back to the cricket that we want to play.
"Playing with those cricket smarts throughout this tournament has been perhaps the most important thing.
"Even perhaps more than something like the word 'freedom', which everybody wants to be able to achieve day-in, day-out."
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