“If you are going to do anything against a team like New Zealand, you need a little luck and we didn't get any,” was the sombre reflection of Ryan Watson, the Scotland captain, after seeing his side thrashed by a team celebrating the final month of their tour.

The bare facts show that Scotland were bowled out for 101, which the Black Caps then knocked off in only 88 balls, but they hardly start to tell the story of the match and just how important it was to win the toss after overnight rain had left the ground wet and morning mist meant the ball was swinging around.

Just when it looked as though Qasim Sheikh, Navdeep Poonia and Colin Smith might rescue their team, down came the rain in a steady drizzle and it became impossible to predict the bounce of the ball. Scotland were not good enough to cope, and the only comfort Watson could draw was that all his batsmen got out to good bowling rather than stupid shots.

Then, when New Zealand came in to bat, the rain stopped, the sun came out and the wicket reverted to the comparatively tame strip on which the Black Caps had scored 402 against Ireland two days earlier. Scotland managed to remove both openers but had no answer to the brutal power of Ross Taylor whose chanceless 61 in 41 balls allowed his side to cruise to the meagre target.

The win gives New Zealand some sort of Triple Crown, having defeated England, Ireland and Scotland in the course of the week, and at least Scotland managed to keep themselves out of the record books - it was not even their lowest total against the Kiwis, having been skittled out for 53 in 1937.

Both captains agreed it was a valuable lesson too, the young Scotland side getting first-hand experience of the level of cricket they need to aspire to if they are to make any impact in future internationals, while Daniel Vettori felt it was important to help to develop the ruthless streak in his Kiwi side that is needed to take them to the top of the world rankings.

Scotland

G M Hamilton b Gillespie 6

R R Watson b Gillespie 0

M Q Sheikh b Elliott 18

N S Poonia c McCullum b Oram 15

C J O Smith c McCullum b Oram 11

N F I McCallum lbw b Oram 2

R D I Berrington lbw b Elliott 7

J A R Blain lbw b Vettori 6

G A R Rogers c McCullum b Elliott 0

G A R Goudie not out 17

J D RNel lbw b Vettori 4

Extras lb 11, w 4, 15

Total (33.2 overs) 101

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-12, 3-34, 4-54, 5-66, 6-68, 7-75, 8-75, 9-87.

Bowling: Gillespie 6-1-13-2; Southee 4-0-12-0; Oram 6-2-13-3; Mason 5-1-18-0; Elliott 6-0-14-3; Vettori 6.2-2-20-2.

New Zealand

P G Fulton lbw b Blain 4

B B McCullum c Goudie b Nel 22

L R P Taylor not out 61

S B P Styris not out 14

Extras lb 1, 1

Total (2 wkts, 14.4 overs) 102

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-54.

Did not bat: D R Flynn, J D P Oram, G D Elliott, D L Vettori, T GSouthee, M J Mason, M R Gillespie.

Bowling: Blain 5-0-40-1; Nel 6-0-34-1; Goudie 3.4-0-27-0.

Umpires: P K Baldwin and S J Davis.