New Zealand's cricketers insist they don't care about the composition of the Australian side and say a Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series win will be sweet regardless of the team involved.
It is not the first time Australia have used the series as an opportunity for their leading players to put their feet up.
They rested Ponting and Adam Gilchrist from the 2006-07 edition which New Zealand won 3-0. Australia returned to full strength and won the subsequent World Cup.
Batsman Ross Taylor, who anchored a jittery run chase for 182 with a mature knock of 64 in Perth, said New Zealand were surprised at Ponting's absence but they were not taking it as a slight.
"It's not the first time Ricky Ponting's been rested and we've rested Daniel Vettori in the past, I wouldn't say they're taking it lightly," Taylor said.
"As long as we win, that's the main thing. We can only concentrate on our own performance and whoever comes out for them on the paddock."
New Zealand had their first training session at Melbourne's Junction Oval yesterday in pleasant temperatures after last week's 40C-plus heatwave.
Taylor thanked the South Africans for showing Australia were beatable in their backyard with a 4-1 one-day series win.
"I wouldn't say [Australia] were vulnerable but obviously they haven't had the performances they would have liked. It is a lot different coming up against Warner and Marsh than Gilchrist and Hayden.
"Any Australian team's always going to be tough at home, but the way the South Africans played gave us a lot of confidence."
Before Perth, New Zealand had lost the previous seven completed one-dayers against the world champions in Australia.
