Pace bowler Glenn McGrath thinks Australia have
time to turn around their form slump before beginning their World Cup
defence next month in the Caribbean. 
The world champions suffered a 3-0 whitewash against New
Zealand, the rout completed by a one-wicket win for the Kiwis in Hamilton
on Tuesday in which the hosts achieved the second highest run chase in one
day history.
It was Australia`s fifth consecutive ODI defeat, and sixth
in seven matches, after folding 2-0 to England in the tri-series finals
on home soil and falling even further with their dismal showing in the Chappell
Hadlee Trophy against New Zealand.
Australia have warm-up games against Zimbabwe and England
in the week before they kick off their World Cup campaign against Scotland in
St Kitts on March 14.
But the experienced McGrath, who was rested as New Zealand
reached their target of 347 with three balls to spare at Seddon Park, said Australia
had the ability to regroup.
"It wasn`t the best tour for us over there in New Zealand
but we would rather get that out of the way now a few weeks before the first
(World Cup) game so we can work out what we need to do differently and turn
it around," McGrath told reporters on the team`s return to Sydney on Wednesday.
For stand-in skipper Mike Hussey it completed a wretched
series, and took his record at the helm of the world champions to four defeats
out of four.
"Its pretty difficult and I feel pretty demoralised really
I`ll probably take a little while to get over it," Hussey said after New
Zealand recovered from 41 for four and 116 for five to reach their unlikely
victory target.
"That`s cricket. New Zealand again, another fantastic
run chase, and under pressure we just couldn`t nail our yorkers or put the ball
where we wanted it to go," Hussey added.
"It`s disappointing, but it shows us that we still have
some work to do before the World Cup."
To add injury to insult, opener Matthew Hayden, who in defeat
smashed the eighth highest ever one-day score with a cavalier 181 not out, joined
Australia`s growing list of injured players.
With Andrew Symonds (arm) and Brett Lee (ankle)
in doubt for the start of the tournament, Hayden had the big toe on his right
foot broken by a delivery from Mark Gillespie and is awaiting the result of
an X-ray in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Skipper Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist
were rested for the new Zealand series.
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