After Alyssa Healy lost the toss on return from her knee injury, Kiwi quick Molly Penfold (4-42) restricted the star-studded Australian top order with career-best ODI figures in Wellington on Saturday.
But Sutherland (105 not out from 81 deliveries), who belted 110 in her last hit-out, was on hand to help Australia (7-291) recover and has now recorded as many international centuries as superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry (five).
"I'm part of a pretty good side and I've got a lot of pretty good players around me to learn from, I'd probably put it down to that," Sutherland said of her success to date.
Annabel Sutherland blasts a delivery to the on-side boundary in Wellington. (Marty Melville/AAP PHOTOS)
The White Ferns were unable to forge an enduring partnership in reply and struggled to keep pace with the DLS par as wet weather hovered on the radar around Basin Reserve.
The covers came on in the 31st over just before 5pm local time, and Australia's 14th consecutive ODI defeat of New Zealand was confirmed when play was called a little less than an hour later.
Quick Kim Garth (2-17) proved pick of the bowlers for Australia snaring both openers, while Darcie Brown (0-15) was economical in her first four overs returning from a hip injury. New Zealand finished at 5-122.
The win means Australia have retained the Rose Bowl with one game remaining, at the same venue on Monday, after rain washed out the series opener on Thursday.
Molly Penfold took 4-42, including the key wickets of Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney. (Marty Melville/AAP PHOTOS)
Earlier, allrounder Sutherland reached her half-century with a single to long on from Rosemary Mair to finish the 42nd over.
Penfold almost capped a brilliant afternoon with the ball by sending Sutherland packing but put down a caught-and-bowled chance in her final over when the Australian No.5 was on 67.
Sutherland clubbed red-hot Penfold down the leg side for two fours in the quick's final over, both dropping just short of fielders en route to the boundary, and continued to make the Kiwis pay with two sixes straight down the ground from the next Eden Carson over before belting Amelia Kerr for two consecutive fours in the one that followed.
She survived a run-out chance in the penultimate over to bring up her century with two runs from Mair off the next ball.
Sutherland continues in her sensational form 🔥— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) The ton has taken the Aussies to a formidable 291 #NZvAUSScores: https://t.co/knn2zab8hF pic.twitter.com/s5t7hbpMbfDecember 21, 2024
Penfold's drop wasn't the only missed chance for the hosts. The Kiwis could have clamped down harder on the visiting batting order had debutant Bella James not dropped three catches.
James put Phoebe Litchfield (25), Beth Mooney (14) and Tahlia McGrath (34) down, though none could truly make her pay by going on to post big scores.
"There were glimpses there where we were able to take some wickets, which is really important against this side," said NZ captain Sophie Devine.
"But not to be able to put the foot down fully probably killed us a little bit there in the end."
Opening batter Healy (34 from 32 deliveries) looked primed to kick on after making her return from the knee injury that sidelined her for more than a month.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy was dismissed for 34 on her return from injury. (Marty Melville/AAP PHOTOS)
But just as the Aussie was humming she miscalculated the short ball to become Penfold's first victim, pulling to Kerr at mid-wicket.
Perry (29) also made a start but couldn't resist having a go at Penfold's bouncer, edging to wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze.
James took a confidence-boosting catch to dismiss Mooney from Penfold's bowling, before the quick swung an absolute jaffa into McGrath's leg stump.
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