It was the perfect start to the four-match series, and will give New Zealand coach Janine Southby countless defensive headaches ahead of Wednesday's clash in Launceston.

Bassett nailed a perfect 47 goals from 47 shots to three-quarter time in front of 15,161 delirious fans before coach Lisa Alexander mercifully removed her star scorer for the final stanza with the game well in the bag. It was the biggest winning margin over New Zealand in more than two years and Australia's equal highest ever score against the Silver Ferns.

It wasn't just Bassett causing Southby's team headaches. Goal attack Gretel Tippett played her role superbly in the first half, relentlessly pushing into the mid-court to free up the space around Bassett in the goal circle which allowed her to mostly shoot from within half a metre of the goal.

Kim Ravaillion was busy at centre, while Madi Robinson probed constantly with ball in hand, and Gabi Simpson proved her typical immovable self at wing defence.

But it was Bassett's height and reach that proved to be too much for Silver Ferns defenders Katrina Grant and Jane Watson, who could only watch on in awe when the ball was fired into their goal circle as the 28-year-old Australian vice-captain relentlessly racked up her goal tally.

"I'm glad I came off at three-quarter time to preserve the 100 per cent," Bassett joked after the game.

"Being a holding shooter, they're [the mid-court] the ones that have to work their guts out to bring the ball down to me in the circle.

"Madi Robinson in particular got doubled on every single centre pass and Ravi [Ravaillion] working hard in not only attack and defence made my life a whole lot easier.

"They give me the ball under the post and I shouldn't be missing from there."

Bassett's removal at three-quarter time left her six goals short of her personal-best haul of 53 in last month's Quad Series final win, also over New Zealand.

Just how Southby and her New Zealand side formulates a plan to stop Bassett and co remains to be seen, and the wildcard of Tippett only adds a further element of danger to the Australian attack.

Silver Ferns captain Grant, who spent most of the day watching on helplessly at goal defence as Bassett kept running up the score, said the key to stemming the Diamonds' attack was in mid-court.

"We weren't on our game tonight either and they were getting that ball right through," Grant said.

"At the moment there seems to be no substitute for height and Jane and I gave a lot away in height.

"Gretel came on and they started well and we didn't adjust quick enough."

Starting Tippett and Bassett together proved a masterstroke from the Australian coach and allowed the home side to run up an early 9-1 lead.

Tippett was benched at half-time in favour of Nat Medhurst, before Bassett was put on ice for the last quarter giving Caitlin Thwaites a chance in the goal circle. She didn't disappoint, landing 13 from 14 in the final quarter.

"C Bass has high standards, she was able to change and adapt with Gretel and then with Nat, and that's not easy to do on an international court with that level of pressure," Alexander said.

"She's been putting some extra work in her defensive work.

"It's our centre court that should be congratulated too because they have made adjustments that they need to make and were really available particularly when C Bass was on the move, making sure that the passes and the connections are really sharp between them.

"I think Ravi and Madi did a great job in that first half."