Cricket fans arriving at Owen Delany Park in Taupo today were greeted by the latest in children's playground slide apparatus, an inflatable Titanic slipping beneath the waves.

Little did they think they would see their own cricketing ship hit a Zimbabwean iceberg and sink.

But that was the disaster that was tonight's record 70-run loss to Zimbabwe by the CLEAR Black Caps, their heaviest defeat at Zimbabwe's hands in 23 One-Day internationals.

This was hardly the showpiece of the New Zealand game for the 6000 strong crowd, especially as the assembled New Zealand team was selected with a view towards the 2003 World Cup.

New Zealand's cricket plan imploded, the victim of unfounded over-confidence, questionable haste in introducing new players and the most basic lack of discipline among players who, for whatever reason, looked ill-prepared for this opening game of the National Bank One-Day series.

The rush of personnel changes produced lamentable results as New Zealand conceded 300 runs yet again.

Chris Cairns and Scott Styris were rushed back from injury. Cairns bowled three overs for 24 runs and is now afflicted by another knee injury. Acute bursitis is the medical name but in laymen's terms it is the equivalent of housemaid's knee.

Styris conceded 60 off his 10 overs, including 20 off his last as Heath Streak hit two sixes and four twos. Regarded as one of New Zealand's 'at the death' bowlers he clearly has some work to do on that part of his game.

Scott Styris Photo Cricinfo

New boy Chris Martin bowled seven overs for 53 runs while even Chris Harris, who was deliberately targeted by the Zimbabweans, was dragged through the wringer with his five overs costing 41 runs.

If the bowling was bad news, the batting was little better.

New opener Mathew Sinclair was out for one. Roger Twose, Craig McMillan and Adam Parore took risks before they were required and offered catching chances which were eagerly accepted while Cairns was comprehensively beaten and bowled.

It was hardly compelling cricket, yet skipper Stephen Fleming, whose 64 was one of the few bright moments for New Zealand, thinks they can turn the performance around by Thursday for the second game in Wellington.

"We were totally outplayed. It was a very deserved win for Zimbabwe.

"We were very flat and didn't get into the game, we weren't allowed into the game," he said.

New Zealand's bowlers had bowled two lengths and two lines and the Zimbabweans had fed off the loose deliveries.

Having given away first use of the pitch, because it was felt Zimbabwe had not set scores well in the past, Fleming admitted, the decision had to be questioned.

"We review every game. Wellington is a different pitch, not as good as this one.

"It is pretty easy to turn around, there are only a couple of areas we need to get right and in a game you only need a couple of things to go for you to change things," he said.

To have 20 scored off the last over had not been acceptable, especially after Styris had been targeted as the player to do that job.

"We've got no option, we've got to blood new players. On a day like this there is no easy time and we were unable to apply any pressure," Fleming said.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak described the victory as "a good all-round performance."

"Our victories in the past have been a lot closer but this was the most convincing against New Zealand," he said.

What pleased him most about the side's batting effort was that after the accelerated start provided by Alistair Campbell and Trevor Madondo, their run rate was maintained by Stuart Carlisle and Andy Flower in their fine 154-run partnership, the best for all wickets by Zimbabwe against New Zealand.

"They didn't let the momentum die. They gave us wickets in hand to launch at the end," he said.

It was also valuable that there was a lot of room for improvement.

"We've got a lot of work to do before the next game. Brian Murphy bowled superbly tonight on a wicket that didn't offer much in terms of turn for him. But we have to work on our dot balls and create more pressure and not provide as many liberties as we did today," he said.

For Zimbabwe, after taking this first of three matches, there is also the desire to secure their first one-day series win away from home.

And at the rate they played today, they must be favoured to do that.

© CricInfo