The West Indies had a closed door meeting after the match tonight and you have to feel for Holder, a pleasant man who must be sick of trying to find good in the amount of dross his team are producing, and have been for some time.
Yes, there are pockets of quality within the squad, but discovering pockets doesn't win you anything except snooker.
"To be perfectly honest we have to put our hands up for our own personal performances," Holder said.
"If you look at the manner most of our batsmen were dismissed we just need to spend more time up front getting accustomed to the wicket, then take it on later on – and we've definitely got to adjust our planning to the short-pitched bowling."
Both seven-wicket star Trent Boult and the sharp Lockie Ferguson put it up the West Indies at times yesterday and they didn't handle it comfortably.
There were strong innings from several New Zealand players, starting with Colin Munro and George Worker sharing another brisk 50-run stand.
Worker completed his second half century in as many innings, Ross Taylor made it to that mark for the 38th time and there was a bracing 130-run stand for the sixth wicket between Canterbury team mates Henry Nicholls and Todd Astle on their home ground.
Yet Holder felt the bowlers did a decent job. At halftime he felt the West Indies had a chance.
The might have had Chris Gayle been in the lineup. But the veteran opener was missing, which was no surprise as he hasn't been sighted since being dismissed at Whangarei in the opening ODI last Wednesday.
He didn't emerge from the dressing room to field that day and the mystery continues to surround the self-styled Mr World Universe boss.
"We're still monitoring it so we'll see how he pulls up," Holder said vaguely, without specifying what 'it' is.
"We took more of a precautionary step to give him some more time. At this stage of his career we want to give him his best chance of prolonging his career, but we've got to be smart when it comes to his health."
Which is the most forthcoming the West Indies have been since Gayle felt unwell in Whangarei.
There's no suggestion he's about to head home, and should be here for the T20 series which starts in Nelson on December 29.
But exactly what's ailing him no one is saying.
The West Indies have other fitness issues, with Ronsford Beaton picking up a side strain today and Kesrick Williams recovering from a hamstring niggle.
Rain is forecast for Christchurch on Boxing Day. At this rate that will be the West Indies best chance to avoid another defeat on this (so far) winless tour.
