Despite continuing to swing a wrecking ball through its summer opposition, Australian captain Ricky Ponting still expressed disappointment at coming within eight runs of what would have been an extraordinary defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

After Ponting and Matthew Hayden made contrasting centuries in a record breaking 5-343, the Australian bowlers were made to pay for some wayward stuff as Jacob Oram took it upon himself to do what no-one else has been able to in Australia's unbeaten summer.

Oram's 101 not out in 72 balls, and a 137-run stand in 14 overs with Brendon McCullum, left the Black Caps just two hits shy of their greatest ever one-day chase - and left Ponting admitting the unaccustomed pressure had found his bowlers wanting.

"Our bowlers, in the last 30 overs of that game, were put under some pretty intense pressure and we didn't cope as well as I would have liked," Ponting said.

"Our lengths towards the end were all wrong ... I am disappointed with the way we responded and reacted, and hopefully we will improve on that when the finals come around."

With a perfect summer season within reach, Australia's latest win was achieved on the back of the highest one-day international partnership at the WACA, Hayden and Ponting putting on 200 in 203 balls.

Australia's total was the highest ever one-day score at the ground and looked plenty until Oram's knock, which included six sixes, took the Kiwis within a whisker of a remarkable win.

Whereas Ponting's innings was flawless, Hayden's first one-day ton for nearly two years owed as much to New Zealand's profligacy as his own form.

The burly Queenslander was dropped on 0, 4 and 79, survived a confident appeal for a catch on 29, almost holed out at mid-off on 62 and edged past short third man on 91.

But after a lean summer in the shortened format, Hayden's joy at reaching three figures two balls later was obvious.

He said although his innings could be classed as fortunate, he was still highly satisfied.

"In some ways you could say it was a really lucky innings, but from the time I did get dropped that second time, it was a good performance after that," Hayden said.

The scorebook will show Hayden scored 117 in 111 balls - probably booking a World Cup spot in the process - but statistics could never illustrate how often the 35-year-old diced with danger, and how easily he could have left Perth without a run to his name.

Despite a man positioned for just the shot, Mark Gillespie induced Hayden into an uppish drive which picked out Vettori, who grassed the easiest of chances.

Ross Taylor then failed to get close enough to Hayden's skied pull to give the opener another life on four and Hamish Marshall became the third guilty party, allowing Hayden to reach his first one day ton in 17 innings.

The high points of the Kiwi reply were Oram's first one day ton and 66 for the returning Lou Vincent, who admirably replaced the retired Nathan Astle at the top of the order.

After making 86 against England in his last outing, Oram followed up with another career-best knock, blazing to all parts without resorting to sheer slogging.

His late pyrotechnics were matched by the spectacular lightning which accompanied a 35-minute rain delay, which came just as the Kiwis were mounting a final charge.

Having scored ten an over off the five overs before the rain, the Black Caps were left needing 88 off 48 after the resumption.

And despite Oram and McCullum giving it their best shot - taking particular toll on Glenn McGrath (1-72) - they fell just short, giving them heart ahead of Tuesday's showdown against England at same venue.

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