We look back at the thrilling fourth ODI between New Zealand and England at Napier in 2008, which ended in a tie
England can expect another titanic tussle when they take on New Zealand in the first of five one-day internationals, on Sunday on Sky Sports Cricket.
The teams – separated by just one point in the rankings – have lit up 50-over cricket with some spectacular contests in recent years.
For thrilling finishes, the last-over drama served up in Napier in 2013 takes some beating.
Click on the video above to relive how Paul Collingwood’s side staged a dramatic comeback – then read on to find out what some of the key players said and what happened next…
New Zealand vs England
February 28, 2018, 12:30am
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SERIES SNAPSHOT…
England arrived in Napier needing to win to prevent New Zealand clinching the series – the tourists on the back foot after opening defeats at Wellington and Hamilton before rallying in Auckland.
A decade after the teams fought out a tie at the same ground, when Darren Gough couldn’t force England across the line with the bat, the sides served up another classic…
A FURIOUS FINALE…
With the shadows lengthening, New Zealand needed just seven runs off the final over to secure victory. During a lengthy chat with James Anderson, whose previous over had cost 10, Collingwood handed the ball to a somewhat surprised Luke Wright – who up to that point hadn’t bowled.
Jamie How, on 135 off 113 balls, could only prise a single to long on from the opening, full and straight delivery but Daniel Vettori swiftly gave back the strike with an under-edge to Stuart Broad at fine leg. The decisive boundary still eluded How as he clubbed Wright to wide long-on – Anderson’s rocket throw limiting the damage to two.
With three needed off as many balls, How ran despite picking out Kevin Pietersen at midwicket; the batsman had given up all hope but Pietersen’s shy fizzed past the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Two from two required. Vettori clubbed a full toss straight to mid-off from where dead-eye Anderson threw down the stumps to run out How (139) and leave New Zealand needing two off one ball.
Still on strike, Vettori squirted the final ball out of the match to short point where Collingwood charges in but can’t hit the stumps with an underarm throw – the England skipper briefly aghast at allowing Kyle Mills to make his ground.
WHAT THEY SAID…
WRIGHT: “I thought Colly was taking the mickey when he told me to warm-up but it was great to get a moment like that.”
COLLINGWOOD: “We were dead and buried going into the last six overs but our character was great, we got our yorkers right, the plans were right and we put them under pressure.”
VETTORI: “There’s a little despair in the dressing room. It’s a game we should have comfortably won from the position we got ourselves in.”
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
England needed to win the fifth and final ODI at Christchurch to square the series, having lost the opening two matches by a distance. Instead, they were dispatched by Brendon McCullum’s mighty willow.
Set just 247 to win, New Zealand cantered to a 34-run victory on Duckworth-Lewis courtesy of McCullum’s 77 off 43 balls, which included three sixes in a row off James Anderson.
The Black Caps would go on and emulate their 3-1 series scoreline that summer on their tour of England, despite being squashed by 114 runs in the opener as Kevin Pietersen hit 110no.
Watch England take on New Zealand in the first of five one-day internationals live on Sky Sports Cricket this Sunday from 12.30am.
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