England completed their comeback against New Zealand by taking the third one-day international and with it the series 2-1.
Outstanding seam bowling from Steven Finn and Jimmy Anderson meant that New Zealand were never able to settle as they slumped to 185 all out, Brendon McCullum (79) the only player to offer resistance.
England made short work of the chase although they did lose wickets without any batsman really making a big score.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello again everyone and thanks for joining us for this series decider from Auckland.
It's sure to be a cracker with the series currently tied at 1-1. New Zealand were very good in the first match while England won at a canter on Wednesday. With both sides knowing that they are just one win away from victory, I think this one should be much closer.
The toss is just about to take place, so news from that and the teams on its way...
Alastair Cook has won the toss once again and he has chosen again to bowl. He also confirms that the England side is unchanged, unsurprisingly.
As promised, the team news...
NEW ZEALAND: 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum *, 6 Grant Elliott, 7 James Franklin, 8 Andrew Ellis, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Tim Southee
ENGLAND: 1 Alastair Cook *, 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn
So that's just one change in total, and it's for New Zealand. Andrew Ellis comes in for Trent Boult and will bat slightly higher than the man he is replacing. England are unchanged, as mentioned.
It was a good toss to win. The pitch looks slow and flat and the boundaries are again very small, which will both be key factors when chasing a target as England will be.
Just under 15 minutes away from play. You'd have to fancy England, who have the stronger side on paper, but McCullum will be licking his lips about the small boundaries and he has the potential to make any target very high indeed.
In case you have missed it, the MCC has ruled that from October this year if a bowler knocks the bails off during his run up (as Steven Finn enjoys so much) it will be called a no-ball instead of a dead ball. It's fair, in truth, now the batsman will have an advantage instead of potentially missing out on runs.
For a reminder of what happened on Wednesday, take a look at our report here. Joe Root looked very impressive indeed and it really showed the strength of this England batting lineup that Eoin Morgan was in the pavilion for the entire innings.
The players are just emerging on to the field now, so we're just about ready to get underway. Let's hope for a belter.
Hamish Rutherford and BJ Watling are the batsmen. Jimmy Anderson the bowler. Let's go!
Anderson starts with some away swing to Watling, but the umpire deems too much and it's given as a wide. He persists with the slightly short, outside off length but a slightly more full one is defended for a single to get Watling off the mark. Just two from the opening over.
WICKET! Watling (1) c Swann b Finn
It's Finn from the other end and his first delivery is an absolute beaut. Full enough to tempt Watling but some movement off the seam zips it away from the right-hander. His next one nips in and catches a thick inside edge, but well clear of the stumps. Another one flashes past the edge before Watling finally makes contact, guiding it straight to Swann at second slip. What a start from Finn.
Kane Williamson the new man in. He's off the mark right away with a glance off his pads and Rutherford defends his first delivery of the day.
Very aggressive field settings now; four slips in for both bowlers. Williamson edges through slips and Trott fields it on the third man boundary, just one run. Excellent stop from Ian Bell at cover point stops Rutherford getting a run from a drive.
There's a real spring in Finn's run up now as he puts down two good length bouncers that Williamson gets well under. The batsman squeezes one through a gap between square leg and midwicket for a single then another great stop saves what looked a certain four. Just two in total and it's a great start from England.
Anderson continues with the first of the two balls and gets one right past Rutherford's outside edge by coming around the wicket to the left-hander. He gets off strike with a single glanced to deep midwicket. Williamson gets the first boundary of the innings off the first overpitched ball, placing it well down the ground.
More good pace on an excellent line from Finn and Rutherford is being pinned to his crease by the tall seamer. A maiden for Finn who has been brilliant to this point.
WICKET! Williamson (7) c Buttler b Anderson
Anderson delivers a pearler that pitches in line and swings away from Williamson, who dabbled at it and got the nick behind to Jos Buttler. Wonderful start for the visitors. Ross Taylor, centurion in Napier, comes to the crease.
Another appeal goes up for an edge down leg side, but it was clearly off Taylor's pads and as such is a wicket-maiden for Anderson.
WICKET! Rutherford (2) c Buttler b Finn
Finn gets another! Rutherford, who had struggled, goes at a bouncing one outside off stump and gets a touch to Buttler behind. New Zealand are in big trouble as Grant Elliott comes in to bat.
Runs are still really hard to come by for New Zealand as Finn is fizzing balls down the other end. That's the second wicket-maiden running and these two front line bowlers are putting on a display.
Unsurprisingly there's still no bowling change as Anderson continues. Taylor stays stuck to his crease with the Burnley Express's relentless accuracy until an absolutely fantastic hook shot is guided down and to the square leg boundary for four.
A really short one from Finn is given as a wide; it bounced very, very high indeed. Elliott gets a single pushing a straight one to the leg side and they swap ends again with a leg bye. Finn is so delighted with his work so far that he practices his football skills at the end of the over; not bad at that either, it seems.
Cook's first bowling change sees Chris Woakes come in for Anderson. He rips one right through Taylor and follows it up with one that's even closer to finding the edge. Woakes lets one slip slightly leg side and Taylor relieves the pressure on him with a single. Elliott finishes the over with a single of his own, so just two from an excellent first over by Woakes.
Finn is also given a rest, with Stuart Broad coming in for him. Elliott swings at a slightly wide one but misses entirely, the ball going under his bat. He gets on to the next one, however, and guides it through deep backward point for four.
The pace is picking up slightly now for New Zealand as Taylor works two runs to the off side. As I say that, Taylor can't find any more gaps and it's just two again from Woakes's over.
Taylor gets his second four through the same area as before; a superb drive slightly to the on side. Bell once more fields superbly at cover to save runs from a firm drive. An edge to third man for a single ends the over with six from it. The hosts getting a bit of joy from Broad early on.
Good running from the batsmen as Taylor demands two from a clip off his pads. Just three from the over and just 35 from the opening 15. These two have steadied the ship a bit, can they now push on to score some runs?
It's time for some spin as Graeme Swann comes in for Broad. Taylor works an early single before Elliott plops one over the infield and they run three. Cook is forced into a chase to save a four after a late cut by Taylor. Time for drinks.
Woakes continues after the break and his second delivery is a very short bouncer that is called wide. A fine cut from Elliott is cut off at third man for two. Taylor pulls away at the last minute due to some movement and the ball hits the stumps. Decent again from Woakes, four more from his over.
Swann continues and both batsmen work singles with touches off their pads. Elliott gets another with a nudge to mid-on and Taylor follows suit. Good discipline from Swann so far, even though the pitch isn't offering him much.
Woakes has another go; Taylor tries to gut him but some excellent fielding stops the run. Woakes surprises Elliott with a bouncer and the batsman misses with the hook. An excellent run gets Taylor down the other end for New Zealand's 50. Top, top fielding from Morgan at point saves a certain four. A final single from Elliott finishes the over; a good one from Woakes.
Good, tight bowling from Swann continues to make scoring tricky for New Zealand. However, Elliott strikes a four through extra cover to bring up six from it.
Broad comes back into the attack, replacing Woakes. He opts for a slightly fuller length in this over and it does him well, with just a single for each batsman from the over.
Elliott goes down for the slog sweep but misses; it was outside the line though so no danger of being trapped LBW. He gets a single to bring Taylor back on strike. One run for Taylor brings up the 50 partnership.
WICKET! Elliott (24) run out (Finn)
Oh dear what a horrible mix up. Taylor clips to behind square leg and Elliott always wants to run a second. Taylor, however, has other ideas, sends him back and the rest is history. Elliott looks furious, but here comes McCullum.
Another semi mix up as Taylor wants to run but McCullum says no. No further damage to the scorers but it looks a sorry state for the hosts at the moment.
The introduction of McCullum brings Finn back into the attack. McCullum goes at one slightly outside of off stump, a bit full, but misses completely; it also avoids the outside edge. Another excellent over from Finn.
WICKET! Taylor (28) c Buttler b Broad
Taylor has to walk, but he cannot believe it. There's a noise as he swings at the ball, the umpire gives it and New Zealand review. Hot spot suggests maybe a slight smudge right at the bottom of the bat; there's a noise from somewhere but not enough to overturn the decision and third umpire Rod Tucker upholds the decision.
Finn steams in at pace to McCullum, who surprisingly is stuck on his crease at the moment. We've got a look at snicko now, which confirms the tiniest of edges on it. It's Finn's third maiden and New Zealand are really struggling. England will want to wrap up the tail here.
Broad continues and the new batsman Franklin gets his first run off the final ball with a glance to leg. McCullum has only one from 15 to now and New Zealand have had more than half their overs.
Finn's spell is brief as Swann returns to the attack. A single for each batsman from it, well bowled from Swann.
McCullum times an on drive really well, but Cook does very well on the boundary to save a couple of runs. Franklin glances a medium-short one to the leg side for a single.
Swann continues with his spin. Well, slow right-arm really, as the pitch isn't offering much. Nonetheless boundaries are still very hard to come by and just four singles come from it. With 20 overs left, can New Zealand get a competitive total?
More good fielding, this time from Anderson, stops Franklin's drive going to the rope. There's almost another mix-up, but McCullum is safe after being sent back by Franklin. Five runs from Broad's over.
McCullum advances to Swann but can only get a single with a prod to mid-on. He goes again and this time gets a lot on it, smashing it over Swann's head for a big six that looked even bigger with these boundaries. Nine from the over, which is much better from the hosts. They surely can't get up near 300 now, though.
Woakes is back in to the attack. He follows up a bouncer to Franklin that is called wide with a pearler that nips past the outside edge. A single to leg means just three from the over. There are 17 of them left for New Zealand and they're yet to reach 100.
WICKET! Franklin (13) c&b Swann
Franklin drives through cover and gets three for his troubles. McCullum rotates the strike and Franlin will wish he hadn't as he prods the ball back to Swann, who gets his 100th ODI wicket with a good diving catch off his own bowling. Nathan McCullum joins his brother at the crease.
Ironic cheers from the home crowd as N McCullum is off the mark straight away to bring up the 100.
Anderson, plus a slip, comes back into the attack. He delivers a slightly fuller, wider one right in B McCullum territory, who thrashes it through extra cover for four.
WICKET! N McCullum (4) c Cook b Finn
Despite his wicket, Swann is replaced with Finn coming back in. Nice placement behind square leg and good running gets N McCullum a couple but he completely misses the next one stepping to his right and it's nearly taken out the stumps! However, not to worry for Finn as a couple of balls later McCullum waggles at a wider one and Cook takes the catch well down low.
The new batsman Ellis gets off the mark with a single but that's yet another cracking Finn over.
Good line and length from Anderson. Both batsmen take a single and Ellis adds another four with a good shot through covers.
McCullum comes forward to Finn, but his hard cut is stopped by Morgan for just one. Ellis nicks a single of his own to get his captain back on strike and he takes full advantage with a superb hook shot for four. He goes again, this time in the air, and gets another four. Then six! Finn tries a fuller one and that is sent back over his head and over the rope. Seventeen coming off a very expensive over.
The batsmen run a couple of leg byes, before McCullum takes a single. Almost a second run out as Ellis wants two but is sent back by his captain, making it home just in time. Anderson bowls two wides in the over and McCullum latches on to another one going down leg side to hit four.
WICKET! Ellis (9) c Woakes b Broad
Broad is back into the attack. McCullum has to settle for a single off the first ball, putting Ellis on strike. He goes after a bouncing one, putting it up in the air for Woakes to take a good catch at fine leg. Kyle Mills in now. They crossed so McCullum will face.
McCullum takes a single and Mills sends him back, getting himself off the mark with a nudge to the off side. Brilliant powerplay over from Broad.
WICKET! Mills (2) lbw b Woakes
FIFTY FOR MCCULLUM: Woakes comes back into the attack and Mills again gets off strike with an off-side single. McCullum has to settle for a single, but it does bring up his 50; another great innings from him. However he is running out of partners as Mills is done plumb in front by Woakes. Last man Southee is in.
Big six from McCullum as he rocks back and hooks high over his head to the leg side boundary, before he has to settle for a single. Southee wants a go, and he hits a four through midwicket to end the over.
Woakes pitches one too short and McCullum will cut those to the boundary for four every single time. A good slower ball from Woakes but McCullum hits the next one back over his head for another six.
WICKET! McCullum (79) c Anderson b Swann
NEW ZEALAND 185 ALL OUT: McCullum is keeping New Zealand in a game that they really shouldn't be in. A mammoth six goes over midwicket from Swann's next over and he punches another one very hard down the ground for four. He goes again over midwicket but this time Anderson is there just inside the boundary to take a fantastic catch.
That's well below par from New Zealand, but McCullum has at least given them something to hold on to. I'm off for a break in the innings gap. Join me again in around half an hour.
Hello and welcome back. England will soon be embarking on their chase. Remember, they need 186 to win following what looks a below-par offering from New Zealand.
For a reminder of how McCullum saved New Zealand's innings, take a look at our report here.
The mascots are lined up, ready for the players to reemerge for the England innings.
You can't really look beyond England here, but still they need to get the 186 runs. Cook and Bell are out there; Mills to bowl.
Interestingly, Watling is keeping wicket instead of McCullum for this one. Cook gets off the mark immediately with a clip to long leg. Bell has to wait a few balls but he too gets off the mark with a similar shot slightly more square. One more single from Cook ends the first over of the chase.
Southee gets the ball at the other end, and starts his spell with a wide. He does another one a few of balls later, before Cook pushes neatly to the off side for a couple of runs. Decent start for England, there's no need to rush yet.
Mills continues. Bell gets the first four of the innings, but it didn't go quite where he intended, an edge goes to the boundary via square leg. The next one is intended, however, as Bell just flicks over midwicket and all the way for six!
Lovely timing from Cook, who pushes through extra cover, but it's just a single. Bell has started superbly, this time clipping over square leg for a cracking four.
Cook plays patiently for a few balls before a textbook pull shot races to the square leg boundary for four. Mills goes wide down leg side and then Cook plays another lovely shot, this time driving through point and cover on the stretch. He finishes the over with a well-timed two to leg. England are in no mood to hand around.
Bell wants back in on the action, driving brilliantly almost dead straight down the ground for four. Bell drives again, this time collecting two to mid-off. Now 146 needed to win, they're closing them down pretty quickly.
WICKET! Bell (24) c Rutherford b Ellis
Not great from Bell. Ellis comes in for New Zealand and he is rewarded almost immediately as Bell hooks one into the air and it goes down the throat of Rutherford at deep backward square. Trott is in.
Trott and Cook each get a single and it's not looking quite so cosy now for England. Still, it would take a monumental effort from the Blackcaps to win from here.
Cook forced to defend a few balls but then latches on to a slightly short one to cut to the third man boundary for a good four. Those are the only runs from the over.
The wicket has just slowed the pace down a little. Ellis keeping it tight so far and just the one run comes from his latest over. That was a good bowling change from McCullum to introduce Ellis early.
Now McCullum introduces his brother, Nathan. Trott gets pinned into his crease for most of the over, but takes a single to the off side off the last ball to bring up England's 50. It's slow at the moment. They're still well on course, though.
Superb shot from Trott, who leans into a cover drive in textbook fashion. The batsmen then exchange singles, before Trott tucks away to the leg side for a couple. Eight from Ellis's over and the visitors are back on track.
McCullum continues with his spin. England's tactic to him appears to be to run as many singles as possible. Four come from the over.
Williamson now comes in for Ellis, so it's spin form both ends. Trott gets down first ball to reverse-sweep to third man for four. He then cuts square, but the slow outfield allows Southee to get there and stop the four.
Still England are looking to work singles from McCullum. They manage three from his next over, the final one a good piece of running with a clip to midwicket from Trott.
It was just one over for Williamson as Franklin returns to bowl over the wicket to Cook. England's skipper takes a single to the off side and Trott clips one too close to his leg stump fine for four runs. He just helped it on its way and that delivery ruined a decent over from Franklin.
A lovely cut from Cook that he played very late indeed. It raced to the third man boundary. Seven runs come from another good over for England. Less than 100 needed now for the win.
Franklin bowling well more often than not, but is prone to the odd loose one. Cook goes after such a ball and this time gets an edge and it races to the boundary for four.
Cook gets another edge, this time nudging one very fine, but it's well fielded at the boundary for just two. Four from the over, which is all that's needed. These two are batting smartly and should see off the runs themselves.
Franklin continues and is again tidy, with just two runs coming from the over. England now require 87 from 31 overs. This one is getting like that last half of a game of Monopoly; everyone knows who is going to win, but it still has to get to the end.
Trott flicks off his pads past the fielder at midwicket to get England past the 100 mark. McCullum tosses up a wide one and Trott is on to it in a flash; it did keep low and it was well dispatched to the cover fence.
Mills returns to the attack to replace Franklin. The progress from England is slower in that over, with just three singles coming from it. They now require 77.
WICKET! Trott (38) c Watling b Southee
That was very unlike Trott. He stuck his bat out at a Southee delivery just outside the line and the faintest of edges carries to Watling. A good bowling change from McCullum.
Joe Root is the new man in. He gets off the mark with a pull to the leg side.
The run-rate has dropped to a snail's pace now. Mills continues to bowl straight and fairly full, but there's little urgency for England to quickly knock off these runs.
WICKET! Cook (46) c Watling b Southee
Very similar dismissal to Trott's and he is caught behind by Watling four short of his 50. In comes Morgan.
Nervy start from Morgan, who edges his first ball. It's safe, though, and he picks up a couple of runs.
Lovely four from Root to start Mills's next over. It was short and wide, yes, but still dispatched with class to the boundary. Those are the only runs from the over and England's required runs falls below 70 to 66.
Defensive stuff from Morgan from Southee's next over. At least, that is intil the bowler offers a wide half-volley that is gratefully thumped through the covers for four. He goes again, driving across the line of the ball, hitting it up and over backward point for a lovely four.
Good movement between the wickets from England and they pick up four singles from the over.
Morgan rocks back to McCullum and absolutely belts a six back over his head; the batsman didn't even move. Poor fielding on the leg side brings him another four and he gives Root a go by taking a quick single. Root takes one to leave England requiring 42.
Ellis continues and England remain keen to work singles. That is until Morgan attempts another six, but it falls a couple of feet short of the mid-on rope and it's four instead.
Root is unable to work any runs from Southee's over, and in fact that is the first maiden of the England innings.
Morgan gets an early single with a cut, giving Root another chance to play himself into the match. He tries his favoured overhead clip shot but misses the ball entirely, before pulling for a single. That's drinks.
Southee continues after the short break and appeals, rather ambitiously, for LB when it was going clearly down leg side. Morgan hammers a four right back past the stumps, it was at the boundary in seconds. With the last ball of the over Morgan hits an absolutely massive six, just clipping it over deep midwicket with ease. Just 19 left to get now.
WICKET! Morgan (39) c Mills b Ellis
Just as it looked as though Morgan was about to wrap the innings up Mills pulls of a peach of a catch. Morgan strikes the hook really well indeed and it looks destined for a six but Mills uses every inch of his massive frame to take a twisting catch with both hands right on the rope. Superb.
Buttler picks up three with a good shot to the midwicket area to get him off the mark.
WICKET! Buttler (3) c Watling b Southee
They just can't finish this off. Buttler goes for the big hook, but succeeds only in planting it up in the air. Watling makes up a lot of ground to run towards the ball and take the catch with a dive. Woakes now in.
Good final over from Southee and he ends with 3-48. England still need 14. Not long ago they were racing to the total, but now they're stuttering.
Good running from the batsmen gets Root a fairly straightforward two with a clip off his pads. He then gets a single, giving Woakes a chance to get off the mark and he does a couple of balls later. Root pulls for another single to keep the strike for the next over.
Root nicks a single and sees out the rest of the over with just one from it. Are they trying to use the full 50 overs?
Franklin comes back into the attack and off the first ball Root rocks back to guide a half-volley through extra cover. A crazy run at this stage and Root would have been gone from a McCullum direct hit. Woakes gets two and England need just one.
ENGLAND WIN BY FIVE WICKETS!
Root hits the winning run with a pull to leg. England win by five wickets and really it was an entirely comfortable day.
That's all from me. Thanks for joining us and be sure to stay with us over the coming days for the India vs. Australia Test as well as the three England Tests against New Zealand next month. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
