Whenever a New Zealand team heads to Australia, they board the plane armed with a strong dose of optimism.

There's invariably a feeling that this will be a tour when they will put one over the big boys.

Partly that's down to a natural relish at tackling our nearest cricket neighbour, at wanting to prove we can mix it successfully with them, and partly because they have always been New Zealand's biggest, and favourite, challenge.

This Chappell Hadlee series, starting in Perth on Sunday, is no different.

New Zealand arrived in Australia loaded with players who have a positive intent and bucketloads of desire to capitalise on what South Africa have already done to their hosts, in both the tests and ODI series.

Yet so often, the task has proved beyond New Zealand teams, at times embarrassingly so.

What chance this time of reclaiming the trophy won so emphatically and spectacularly two years ago?

New Zealand hopes rest to a degree on what Australia come up with.

It is foolish to write the Aussies off as being in transition, even if it's true.

Their pool of talent is usually deep, particularly among the batsmen.

Right now, Australia are not a patch on what they were a couple of years ago, which is some way short of suggesting they're not much chop.

They have lost a collection of world class performers. No more Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and, as of a few weeks ago, Matthew Hayden to contend with.

Captain Ricky Ponting remains as the last man standing of a truly great era. Mike Hussey, out of sorts but still a top-class batsman, and Michael Clarke are there as the batting rocks around which a fresh top-six lineup is being built.

And the bowling is a moderate mix, especially with Stuart Clark just recovering from injury, and Brett Lee gone with a foot injury.

They have one genuine speedster in the erratic Shaun Tait, the steady leftarmer Nathan Bracken - who vies with New Zealand captain Dan Vettori for the world No 1 ODI bowling spot - and otherwise it's a group of players trying to prove themselves.

All of which should rightly give New Zealand cause for feeling prospects are bright.