Dashing innings from opener Meg Lanning and captain Jodie Fields enabled Australia to set New Zealand a testing target of 249 in the first Rose Bowl one-day international at the SCG on Wednesday.

After winning the toss, Australia were dismissed for 248 with 11 balls remaining.

Lanning (87 off 71 balls) and Fields (51 off 57) provided most of the substance during an innings in which the Southern Stars scored quickly but lost wickets at regular intervals.

Victorian Lanning smashed 13 fours and a six in a typically-enterprising innings before being run out in the 30th over.

She put on 44 in the first 6.1 overs with Leah Poulton (11 off 20).

Up until late in the innings, extras – which finished on 24 – were the second biggest contributor to Australia’s score.

Jess Cameron (6 off 13), Lisa Sthalekar (8 off 15), Alex Blackwell (5 off 21) and Sarah Coyte (18 off 38) all perished cheaply while Lanning continued to dominate from the other end.

The innings subsided to 7-157 in the 32nd over before Fields and Erin Osborne (34 off 38) added 80 off 83 balls.

Fields struck seven boundaries and Osborne weighed in with three fours and a six, before the last three wickets fell for 11 runs.

Fast-medium bowler Rachel Candy (4-35 off 9) was the most successful member of the New Zealand attack.

Left-arm medium bowlers Sian Ruck (2-37 off 9.1) and Morna Nielsen (2-39 off 10) were the other main wicket takers.