Big hitting from Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips has lifted the Blackcaps to a six-wicket Twenty20 victory over England to salvage a draw in their four-match series at Nottingham.
Set 176 to win, the NZ batters were always ahead of the required rate, with Seifert hitting 48 runs off 32 balls and Phillips gathering 42 off 25, including three sixes.
After failing to compete in two opening defeats to the home side by seven wickets and 95 runs, New Zealand bounced back to take the final two matches in convincing fashion, as they prepare for next month's World Cup one-day tournament in India.
"We were far from our best in those first two and the last two performances were more what we were about," said NZ captain Tom Southee. "The first two games, we were rotten in all three areas and the last two games, we just played the way we know this team can play."
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow had England off to a strong start, with 73 runs off 41 balls, as they reached 92/1 halfway through their 20 overs. When Bairstow departed at 105, caught by Daryl Mitchell off Mitch Santner's bowling, they were still well placed, but could build another significant partnership.
Santner struck the crucial blow with the ball, dismissing Dawid Malan ad Moeen Ali in the 16th over to limit the final target.
Opening batters Seifert and Finn Allen immediately went on the attack, with the latter stroking three quick boundaries, before his departure in the second over. Seifert and Daryl Mitchell fored a 53-run partnership for the second wicket, before the allrounder ran himself out attempting a second run.
Seifert fell soon after, but Phillips and Mark Chapman put on 58 runs to carry the Blackcaps within sight of victory. Chapman scored an unbeaten 40 runs off 25 balls and when Phillips exited, Rachin Ravindra added 17 runs off nine balls, including the winning four with 16 balls remaining.
"Credit to the lads," reflected Santner, who was named Player of the Match. "We obviously came out pretty strong with the ball.
"We hung on in there and were able to take poles through the middle, which was pretty key. [Bairstow] is pretty tough to stop when he's going, but we knew the power play was the best time to bat."
The two teams will now face off in a four-match one-day series, beginning Friday (NZ time) at Cardiff.
England 175/8 (Bairstow 73, Malan 26, Livingstone 26; Santner 3/30) New Zealand 179/4 (Seifert 48, Philips 42, Chapman 40; Ahmed 2/27)
NZ win by six wickets, series drawn 2-2
