However they had just finished the home summer on a high note, having defeated India and New Zealand in the 1985–86 triangular one-day series.
Allan Border was confident the team would win the one day series and bring back the Trans-Tasman Trophy.
It consisted of:[2][3] On-tour selectors: Border, Bright, Marsh Wayne B. Phillips had been Australia's first choice wicketkeeper for two years.
Leg-spinner Bob Holland was overlooked for selection despite taking more first class wickets that summer than any other bowler.
Australian cricket supporters not yet blinded and deafened by the one-day razzamatazz cannot be blamed for thinking that the four selectors have let this country down in a time of crisis.
He had been asked by Fred Bennett, the head of the Australian Cricket Board, if he was interested in taking on the job full-time.
Steve Waugh later wrote that:I'm not sure who got the bigger shock during the first couple of training sessions on that tour: Simmo, due to the team's low intensity work ethic, or the players, who had never been exposed to his level of passion at practice.
[9] Allan Border scores a century in each innings, helping Australia recover from a collapse each time.
Martin Crowe was knocked out by a Bruce Reid bouncer and was taken to hospital for x-rays but returned to score a century.
We were a promising and emerging young side, we'd worked damned hard and we'd played good cricket most of the time.
At a press conference in Christchurch before the second game, Allan Border threatened to resign if his team did not improve: I've given up speaking to them.
Australia won by 3 wickets with 3 balls remaining, due mostly to a sixth-wicket partnership stand of 86 between Steve Waugh and Wayne Phillips.
He also said the team were fortunate to have Ray Bright as vice captain since his "attitude and application have been an inspiration to the whole touring party.