The Australian’s world No.1 ODI ranking will go on the line during the three-game Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, with South Africa to take top spot if there is a Black Caps whitewash.

The Australians are in danger of sliding down the rankings following their first ever bilateral 5-0 series whitewash loss, to the Proteas in South Africa.

The New Zealanders, who sit at No.3 on the ICC 50-over rankings, make no secret that they consider a series win over the Aussies as one of the pinnacles of international cricket.

While a chance to move closer to No.1 on the one-day rankings, having ascended to the top of the Twenty20 rankings, would be in the back of the Kiwis’ minds, Hesson says beating the Australians would be good enough for him.

“I think probably at the moment we want to hang onto the Chappell-Hadlee,” Hesson said.

“We won it the last couple of times. It’s really important for us. Australia are our big brothers and to win a bilateral series against them is important for us.

“If the by-product of that is an increase in rankings, then great. But we tend to look at rankings at the back-end of the season and see how you’ve gone rather than as a motivation.”

The Kiwis retained the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with a win in the pool stage of the 2015 World Cup and a 2-1 victory on home soil in February.

While the Black Caps squad has their tails up following a 2-0 Test series win over Pakistan, the Australians are facing tough questions after their humbling home Test series loss to South Africa.

Hesson declined to stick the boot into the under-fire Aussies, saying he expected the country’s Test troubles to have no bearing on the one-day side.

“I think their one-day side is a heck of a lot more settled than their Test side,” Hesson said.

“Their one-day side has been incredibly consistent.

“Bar the South African series they’ve been good for a number of years. They’re currently No.1 in the world so I don’t think the unsettled nature of the Test side will lead into the one-day side.”

Glenn Maxwell has been recalled into Australia’s one-day cricket squad, and says he’s adopted a more measured approach to his cricket and promised not to throw his wicket away.

An explosive batsman long touted as an aspiring Test regular, he has in the past been accused of not valuing his wicket.

But the big-hitting allrounder says he’s now more patient with the bat after receiving a wake up call in the form of his axing for Australia’s one-day tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Nonetheless, inevitably the showman, he took a swipe at Australian teammate and Victorian captain Matthew Wade over the decision to make the explosive allrounder bat below him at state level.

Twice this Sheffield Shield season, Maxwell has come in below the Victorian and Australian wicketkeeper in the Bushrangers’ batting order, against NSW and Queensland last month.

After being dropped for the Victorian’s first Shield game of the summer, it was a bitter pill to swallow for Maxwell, especially considering his aspirations to break back into the Test arena.

“That’s probably a little bit painful at times,” Maxwell said.

“I think probably batting below the wicketkeeper is also a bit painful as well. I think the wicketkeeper should be batting at seven unless you’re trying to squeeze an extra bowler into your line-up.”

Asked why he thought Wade was coming in ahead of him, Maxwell replied: “I think when you’re captain, you choose the batting order.”

Maxwell was linked with a shift to NSW before the season, however was reportedly blocked.

He averaged 56 with the bat in Shield in 2015-16 but was overlooked for a Test recall against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval.

“I’ve been just trying to bat wherever I can and try to make as many runs as I can,” Maxwell said.

“I got 100 from No.8 for Victoria so there is always opportunities to get runs wherever you are in the order. But the way the Vics have been going, you’re generally coming in trying to set a total up or try to win the game with not many runs to get.”

-AAP