New Zealand have failed to captalise on bowler Trent Boult's early charge, as Australia snatched an unlikely victory in the Chappell-Hadlee one-day international series opener at Cairns.
The hosts recovered from 44/5 to claim the two-wicket win, thanks to a brilliant partnership between wicketkeeper Alex Carey and allrounder Cameron Green.
The Blackcaps made a superb start in their defence of a modest 232/9 in the first innings, after the Kiwis were sent in to bat.
New Zealand steadily accumulated runs in favourable bowling conditions and, at 179/3 in the 42nd over, appeared well positioned to blast their way to a competitive total of 260-plus.
A slew of late wickets stunted the Blackcaps' progress, losing their final six batsmen for just 53 runs to give the Australians a target they'd have been confident of chasing down.
But a destructive opening spell from Boult had the Blackcaps well placed to defend their total. The left-armer snared the key wickets of David Warner (20), Aaron Finch (5) and Steve Smith (1) to have the hosts reeling at 59/5 in the 17th over.
However, Carey (85) and Green (89 not out) took the game away from New Zealand with some impressive hitting, before a wide from Lockie Ferguson handed Australia an anticlimactic win with five overs to spare.
Devon Conway (46) was the pick of the Blackcaps batsmen, sharing an 82-run partnership with captain Kane Williamson (45) for the second wicket.
Glenn Maxwell took wickets at key moments for the Australians, finishing with figures of 4/52 from his 10 overs, while quick bowler Josh Hazlewood claimed three.
After losing the toss and being sent into bat, the visitors made a tentative start, as openers Martin Guptill and Conway tried to acclimatise to the tricky conditions.
Guptill was soon sent packing by a spectacular one-handed catch at backward point by Glenn Maxwell, bringing Williamson to the crease, where he knuckled down in a studious second-wicket stand with Conway.
The Australian bowling attack, spearheaded by in-form spinner Adam Zampa, ensured runs were hard to come by for the Kiwis, who appeared content to occupy the crease and lay their foundation.
In the 23rd over, Zampa brought Conway's innings of 46 off 68 balls to an end, catching the left-hander leg before wicket to take the NZ score to 91/2.
A bowling change immediately paid dividends for captain Aaron Finch, as Maxwell coaxed Williamson (45 off 71 balls) into a poorly timed sweep to be caught at midwicket.
That left the Blackcaps delicately poised at 127/3 with 20 overs remaining.
Daryl Mitchell seemed to be building to launch through the final stretch, before falling prey to a half-hearted chip to midwicket off Maxwell for 26.
Latham (43 off 57) followed the same over, falling into a trap set at short fine leg and leaving the New Zealanders at 186/5 with nine overs left.
Jimmy Neesham (15) briefly threatened, before holing out to deep square leg, following Michael Bracewell (8) to become Maxwell's fourth victim.
Josh Hazlewood had both Mitchell Santner (13) and Matt Henry (4) caught in the penultimate over, with Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson scrambling nine valuable runs from the 50th.
Blackcaps 232/9 (Conway 46, Williamson 45, Latham 43, Maxwell 4/52) Australia 233/8 (Green 89*, Carey 85, Boult 4/40)
Australia win by two wickets
