According to a former White Ferns player and New Zealand Cricket's high performance manager, a wide gap between our domestic and international game, lack of depth and a mental block are some of the reasons behind NZ's embarrassing loss to Australia.
On Wednesday, the White Ferns were crushed by 232 runs in the final Rose Bowl one-day international in their heaviest ever defeat.
"I think if that World Cup was still sitting at February next year it would definitely be panic stations," says ex-White Fern Frankie Mackay.
NZ Cricket's high performance manager Bryan Stronach admits the side needs to be better.
"We've got some good players coming through but yes, we do lack talent, particularly compared to those big nations," says Stronach.
"We don't even have an 'A' programme at all, so you go from dominating in domestic cricket, which is weaker than the Australian leagues anyway, and from there the jump is straight into international cricket," adds Mackay.
Some of Wednesday's errors, which saw the White Ferns swept 3-0 in the series, wouldn't even stand at a domestic level, suggesting a mental block in taking on the world's best.
"At times we fall within our shell," says Stronach. "It's a funny place when you get into that cauldron.'
With a world cup on home soil just over 12 months away, they're all worrying signs.
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