Keep the Chappell-Hadlee Series - Vettori

New Zealand view the Chappell-Hadlee Series as one of their most important contests and the captain Daniel Vettori hopes it remains on the calendar. Whenever the one-day tournament has been played over the past couple of years there has been speculation its days are numbered, but Vettori, who landed with the squad in Perth on Tuesday, said it was an important set of fixtures.

"I know within the team ... they view it as one of their most important series," Vettori told AAP. "We hope the Chappell-Hadlee is around as long as the Bledisloe Cup and builds up that sort of aura. If it did go we would be bitterly disappointed."

Vettori said the series was a chance for New Zealand to compete against the best. "We have not always had that," he said. "For New Zealand it is pretty important when we play Australia we play well. It is probably the series New Zealanders probably most get up for."

Australia were overwhelmed by the hosts when they met in February, losing 3-0 in a high-energy contest. New Zealand open their international commitments with a Twenty20 against Australia in Perth on Tuesday before starting the three ODIs in Adelaide on December 14.

New Zealand lost both the Test and limited-overs series on the tour of South Africa and Vettori was hoping to improve against Australia. "At the moment we have got another dose of one day cricket," he said, "so we will concentrate on that and not only stay third in the world, but exceed that ranking."