'We're struggling without our stars' - Hodge

Australia's decision to rest two of their champion players had made winning in New Zealand a huge task, according to Brad Hodge. Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist could both have played in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy but were given a break after a demanding summer of Test and one-day cricket.

Hodge said the absence of the captain and vice-captain, combined with the loss of Andrew Symonds to a serious arm injury, had hurt Australia's on-field efforts. "If you take probably three of the best one-day cricketers of all time out of that side, you're going to struggle," Hodge told AAP.

"Minus Gilchrist, Ponting and Symonds they're pretty hard guys to fill their shoes. They'd make any world side in modern day cricket, so with them out it's awfully difficult to fill their shoes, and the guys who've just come in, finding your feet and finding the right mix, it's not as simple as it seems."

Hodge has made the transition look easier than some other players, with his unbeaten 97 at Auckland on Sunday ensuring Australia had a good chance of winning the second match of the series. But the bowlers could not defend 336 and Hodge was uncertain what could be done to turn things around in the last game at Hamilton on Tuesday.

"For answers, I'm not really sure, it's just a matter of trying to get the basics right from day to day," Hodge said. "This is a good thing for us, we'll regroup and regather."