However, the last two wickets added 78 between Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood, the latter who made an unbeaten 23 at No. 11, as they gave themselves a few more to work with than appeared likely at 117 for 8.
David Warner played out a maiden from Boult to begin the match, then Finch faced up to Henry. The first ball he defended on the back foot then he tried to get forward to a delivery that wasn't really there for a drive, the bat twisted horribly in his hands, there was no timing at all and the catch looped to Kane Williamson at mid-off.
It was Finch's fifth duck in ODIs for the year, setting new record for an Australia batter, with a return to form looking as far away as it ever has. He has 26 runs in five innings against Zimbabwe and New Zealand, leaving him with 169 runs at 13 this year.
In Henry's next over Warner fell in similar fashion, also driving a catch to mid-off, as Australia's top order again found themselves under pressure. At the other end, Boult was finding movement without the assistance of the evening conditions this time and it did not take long for him to leave a mark.
Both of Boult's early wickets also raised further questions about Australia's use of the DRS. Marnus Labuschagne was struck on the knee roll with the subsequent review showing three reds and in Boult's next over Marcus Stoinis was caught dead in front but also opted to review - seemingly prompted by Smith - with the ball smashing the middle of middle stump. And while much of the focus has been on Finch's form, it continued a lean time for Stoinis who averages 17 since the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Subsequent progress was slow against tight bowling as Smith and Glenn Maxwell tried to engineering the type of stand Carey and Green had managed on Tuesday. Maxwell cleared the leg-side boundary once off Santner and Smith went to fifty from 83 balls. James Neesham did an excellent job of keeping the lid on the scoring with his first eight overs costing 23 and Australia's 100 came up in the 31st over, their slowest since 2014.
Hopes of a strong final 20 overs took a severe hit in the 33rd over when Maxwell picked out deep midwicket against Boult and further evaporated when Smith, who had just flicked Southee over the leg side for six, skied one in the air to mid-on with more than 13 overs to go. Between those dismissals, the recalled Sean Abbott, in his first outing of the season, had been sharply held at cover off a firmly-struck drive to give Henry his third.
Boult claimed his fourth wicket with his final delivery, giving him eight for the series, but New Zealand will be disappointed Australia almost got as far as 200.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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