Taylor: Aussies fine without Ponting

In-form New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor insists Australia will still be competitive despite the absence of captain Ricky Ponting for the next two matches in the Chappell-Hadlee series.

The Black Caps are one-up in the five-match one-day series after a tense two-wicket win in Perth on Sunday and could claim their second Chappell-Hadlee series triumph in three years by winning in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney on Sunday.

Ponting is being rested due to ever-increasing demands of the international schedule but a decision to rest the 34-year-old along with vice-captain Adam Gilchrist in the inaugural Chappell-Hadlee series in 2006/07 backfired spectacularly when New Zealand secured a 3-0 whitewash on home turf.

Taylor, who anchored New Zealand's chase of 182 with new-found maturity in his innings of 64, admitted some surprise to Ponting's omission but is not expecting an easy ride as a result.

"I suppose we are happy. The Australian team will always be good but losing a world-class player like that they're going to lose a bit of experience," Taylor said.

"I'm sure their replacements aren't going to be as good but they're still going to be competitive.

New Zealand's Ross Taylor still believes in the primacy of the Chappell-Hadlee ODIs

"I wouldn't say they're vulnerable - obviously they haven't had the performances they would've liked but it is a lot different coming up against (David) Warner and (Shaun) Marsh than (Adam) Gilchrist and (Matthew) Hayden.

"Any Australian team is always going to be tough at home but the way the South Africans played gave us a lot of confidence, knowing that they can be beaten at home."

The decision to rest Ponting, Australia's best batsman during two of the first three Chappell-Hadlee campaigns, has brought the status of the Trophy - named after two of Australasia's finest cricketing families - into serious question.

It also suggests a wounded Australian side has their sights set beyond New Zealand and is instead intent on building towards a return trip to South Africa and the Ashes battle in England.

However, Taylor refutes those claims: "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.

"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."

Meanwhile, batsman Martin Guptill, who became the first New Zealander to score a century on his one-day debut against the West Indies last month, believes Australia will be feeling the pressure.

"I think they could be, but they can just turn around at any stage," he said.

"We know that and we've just got to trust our game and play to our strengths and hopefully we'll get a win."