NZ 253 46.3 ovs
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They may have won, but England left Trent Bridge with many questions left unanswered ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign. While a victory over New Zealand - on the face of it a comfortable victory - was welcome, it did little to answer some of the unsettling queries this series has thrown up.
Most pertinently, they must ask themselves whether the outrageous contribution of Jos Buttler, in particular, and Eoin Morgan, in the dying overs of England's innings, vindicated the sedate progress of England's top-order in building the foundations of the late assault. Or whether the pair's remarkable counter-attack simply masked the flaws in another worryingly passive batting performance. There is, no doubt, some truth in the former, but there may well be rather more in the latter.
There are other questions, too. With James Anderson and Graeme Swann rested from this game but all but certain to play in the Champions Trophy, England provided opportunities to the likes of James Tredwell and Ravi Bopara.
James Tredwell, in particular, was impressive which raises the conundrum of whether England might be best fielding two specialist spinners and which seamer would make way.
And while Ravi Bopara was far from fluent with the bat, he did help eek out 57 runs for the fifth wicket and bowl the most economical spell of all the seamers. Once again, on the eve of a major event, England's plans, their settled team and their role definition, are not quite so defined as they appeared a week ago.
Certainly England would be wrong to congratulate themselves too heartily on a dead-rubber victory over a New Zealand side who started the series ranked No. 8. For most of their innings, England batted with little intent or flourish and the New Zealand bowlers controlled them as a collie might some sheep. New Zealand still won the series 2-1.
Indeed, had it not been for the partnership between Buttler and Morgan - a ridiculous 62 runs from 22 legitimate deliveries - New Zealand would surely be celebrating only their second ODI whitewash (following the 3-0 victory in New Zealand in 1982-83) and England would be licking their wounds on their first home whitewash since Sri Lanka beat them 5-0 in 2006.
Buttler remains a raw talent. Later he missed a relatively straightforward stumping off the bowling of Joe Root - Kane Williamson, on 14, was the fortunate batsman - that might, another day, have proved crucial. There will be days, too, when his high-risk approach with the bat does not pay off.
But, when it does come off, it will be spectacular. Here, with an unbeaten 47 from just 16 balls, he delivered a most un-English display of hitting that made a nonsense of the prodding and poking from his colleagues that had preceded it. He turned this match on its head. Not just that, but he did it in a handful of overs. Very few players can do that. Even fewer of them are qualified to play for England.
While his team-mates, the admirable Morgan apart, struggled with their timing throughout, Buttler batted with the power and invention that underlined the talent that has seen him fast-tracked into this England side. Not every stroke came off the middle of the bat - Buttler enjoyed a couple of fortuitous edges that ran to the boundary - but his boldness was rewarded and helped England plunder 76 from the final four overs. It was testament to a special talent, certainly, but also the nerve and hardwork of a young man who may well drag this England team into the modern age of limited-overs batting.
Buttler signalled the attack by thrashing a length delivery - the third he had received from Kyle Mills - over midwicket for six before producing his trademark ramp shot to the next ball - a perfectly respectable delivery outside off stump - that brought four to mid on. The next delivery was clipped through midwicket for another four before Buttler shaped to ramp again but, seeing the ball well outside off stump, instead lifted it over short third man for another four. It meant Mills' over had cost 22 runs.
With two more sixes in the final over off Tim Southee, Buttler faced the final ball of the innings requiring five runs to set a new world record for the fastest ODI half-century. He could manage only two, however, so Sanath Jayasuriya's 17-ball record, set in Singapore against Pakistan in 1996, remains.
Morgan, with 49 from 40 balls, also impressed. Having taken 16 balls to score his first eight runs, he struck three sixes - two over long-on and one over long-off - to add the impetus that England so dearly required.
The ferocity of the counter attack - and its unconventional nature - appeared to unsettle New Zealand. Mitchell McClenaghan, who had been immaculate in claiming 3 for 23 from his first eight overs, conceded 20 from his final over, which included a succession of wides and no-balls.
Until the sixth-wicket paid came together, the England innings had struggled to move out of second gear. Ian Bell laid something of a platform with an innings of 82 off 96 balls, but failed to fully capitalise and none of his top-order colleagues could stay with him or accelerate as required.
McClenaghan, a scourge of England throughout the series, bustled in to trap Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott with straight deliveries, while his third spell ended Bell's innings when the batsman drove to mid off. Root, dropped on 10, could edge just one boundary in his 50-ball stay and Ravi Bopara, thrashing around like a drowning man, could not find it at all in his 38-ball stay as England made Williamson, the part-time offspinner, look like Muralitharan.
New Zealand started their reply well. Martin Guptill, with unbeaten centuries in his previous two games, looked in fluent form and they raced to 70 for 1 before the end of the 10th over. While Stuart Broad, bowling with impressive pace, had Luke Ronchi caught at mid-on after he was late on an attempted pull, the seamers were, at that stage, proving expensive.
The introduction of Tredwell made an immediate impact. He might have been unable to take a first-class wicket so far this season, but he produced a perfect off-break in his first over here to bowl Martin Guptill, pushing forward, through the gate.
Tredwell took some punishment later at the hands of the excellent Ross Taylor - who recorded a half-century in every game of this series - but eventually had his man caught on the midwicket fence (Steven Finn, realising he was going to topple over the boundary, throwing the ball to Tim Bresnan in the nick of time) and also had Brendon McCullum caught behind as he tried cut on too full for the stroke.
Root also struck in his first over, defeating Williamson's pull stroke with an off break, Colin Munro fell to his first ball, following one angled across him and, by the time Nathan McCullum was well caught by Broad running back at mid-off, the game was as good as won.
New Zealand could leave Trent Bridge secure in the knowledge that they know their side and their method, but this was an evening that belonged to Buttler.
25 overs New Zealand 123 for 6 (Taylor 19*, N McCullum 1*) need 165 more runs against England 287 for 6
England's bowlers have earned their side an excellent opportunity of securing a confidence-boosting victory ahead of the Champions Trophy.
While New Zealand have already clinched the series, England are keen to gain some momentum ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign that begins against Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday. After setting 288 to win, England reduced New Zealand to 123 for 6 at the halfway stage of their innings.
While England missed a couple of chances - Eoin Morgan was unable to cling on to a tough chance offered by Luke Ronchi off Stuart Broad when the batsman had five and Jos Buttler missed a relatively straightforward stumping off Joe Root when Kane Williamson had 14 - their bowlers kept creating chances.
The spinners were particularly impressive. James Tredwell, who has been unable to take a first-class wicket so far this season, produced a perfect off-break in his first over to bowl Martin Guptill through the gate, while Root also struck in his first over, defeating Williamson's pull stroke with another off break moments after the missed stumping.
Bearing in mind England's struggles to find an adequate bowling combination this series, it raised the possibility of including two specialist spinners, Graeme Swann and Tredwell, in their Champions Trophy side.
New Zealand had started well. While Ronchi, perhaps hurried by Broad's sharp pace, was caught at mid-on after being late on an attempted pull, New Zealand were on 70 for 1 in the 10th over before Tredwell's intervention.
But then Colin Munro, following one angled across him, was caught behind first ball before Brendon McCullum attempted to cut one too full for the stroke and edged to Buttler and James Franklin sliced to gully to leave New Zealand heavily reliant on Ross Taylor if they are to secure a rare whitewash.
England 287/6 50 overs last 5 overs 82 runs hammering from Buttler & Morgan
England 287 for 6 (Bell 82, Morgan 49, Buttler 47*, McClenaghan 3-54) v New Zealand
An outrageous late assault from Eoin Morgan and, in particular, Jos Buttler raised England's hopes of avoiding an ODI series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand.
Until the sixth-wicket pair came together, the England innings had struggled to move out of second gear. But, after coming together for the last ball of the 46th over with the score on a modest 210 for 5, Morgan and Buttler thrashed 77 runs from the remaining 25 legitimate deliveries to raise England's total to something around par.
Buttler, with an unbeaten 47 from just 16 balls, delivered a most un-English display of hitting that made a nonsense of the prodding and poking that preceded it. While his colleagues, the admirable Morgan apart, struggled with their timing throughout, Buttler batted with the power and invention that underlined the talent that has seen him fast-tracked into this England side. Not every stroke came off the middle of the bat - Buttler enjoyed a couple of fortuitous edges that ran to the boundary - but his boldness was rewarded.
Buttler signalled the attack by thrashing a length delivery from Kyle Mills, the third he received, over midwicket for six before producing his trademark ramp shot to the next ball - a perfectly respectable delivery outside off stump - that brought four to mid-on.
The next delivery was clipped through midwicket for another four before Buttler shaped to ramp again but, seeing the ball well outside off stump, instead lifted it over short third man for another four. It meant Mills' over cost 22 runs.
With two more sixes in the final over off Tim Southee, Buttler faced the final ball of the innings requiring five runs to set a new world record for the fastest ODI half-century. But he could manage only two, so Sanath Jayasuriya's 17-ball record, set in Singapore against Pakistan in 1996, remains.
Morgan, with 49 from 40 balls, also impressed. Having taken 16 balls to score his first eight runs, he struck three sixes - two over long-on and one over long-off - to add the impetus that England so dearly required.
The ferocity of the counterattack - and its unconventional nature - appeared to unsettle New Zealand. Mitchell McClenaghan, who had been immaculate in his 3 for 23 runs from his first eight overs, conceded 20 from his final over, which included a succession of wides and no-balls.
Until Buttler and Morgan's intervention, New Zealand had appeared well in control after another disciplined display of bowling and looked to have an outstanding opportunity to clinch an ODI series whitewash over England, which would be only their second - the first coming with a 3-0 result in 1982-83.
They must have fancied their chances of matching that record when they prevented England reaching 200 until the 45th over. England, who have already been sentenced to their first ODI series defeat at home since they were beaten by Australia 6-1 in 2009, are seeking to avoid their first home whitewash since Sri Lanka thrashed them 5-0 in 2006.
Progress was torturous in the opening overs. Alastair Cook, missing one angled into him, was leg before in the third over - and squandered England's only review - and, after six overs, England had managed only six runs.
While Ian Bell, who scored 82, and Jonathan Trott added 66 for the second wicket and Bell and Joe Root added 80 for the third, New Zealand always kept the run-rate in check and would have been quite content with England's total until Morgan and Buttler's hitting.
McClenaghan claimed the wickets of each of England's top three. After Cook, Trott was also lbw as he tried to turn a straight one through square leg, before Bell's steady innings ended when he drove to mid-off. Root, dropped on 10, could only find the boundary once in his 50 balls and Ravi Bopara, thrashing around like a drowning man, could not find it at all in his 38-ball stay as England made Kane Williamson, the part-time offspinner, appear like Muralitharan.
25 overs England 97 for 2 (Bell 43*, Root 16*) v New Zealand
Mitchell McClenaghan put New Zealand in charge at the halfway stage of the England innings at Trent Bridge. McClenaghan, the left-arm seamer, claimed the wickets of Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott to keep the England innings in check and maintain New Zealand's hopes of securing a 3-0 series whitewash. England's 97 for 2 at the halfway stage is their lowest 25-over score in the series.
The tourists are seeking to inflict the first home whitewash on England in an ODI series since Sri Lanka beat them 5-0 in 2006. New Zealand have whitewashed England in an ODI series only once before, in 1982-83.
England, inserted by New Zealand on a cloudy afternoon, lost their captain, Cook, in the third over of the innings and could manage only six runs from the first six overs. To compound matters, Cook squandered England's only review. While a stand of 66 in 15.4 overs for the second-wicket between the Warwickshire pair of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott put England back on track, the loss of Trott, leg before as he tried to turn a straight one through square leg, arrested their progress.
It could have been even worse for England. Joe Root was dropped, a tough diving chance to Martin Guptill at midwicket off the bowling of Nathan McCullum, when he had just 10.
Initially, at least, England were unable to make much progress against some accurate seam bowling. It was not until McClenaghan was taken off despite figures of 3-1-2-1 that they managed their first boundary, in the seventh over, with Bell driving just over cover.
Indeed, the introduction of Tim Southee into the attack released the pressure a little. Again Bell drove him through the covers, before flicking another delivery through midwicket. Trott, meanwhile, pulled Kyle Mills for four and greeted James Franklin's introduction into the attack by coming down the wicket and driving him back over his head for another four.
New Zealand made two changes to their side. Southee returned in place of Doug Bracewell, having been rested at the Ageas Bowl, and Grant Elliott, who has a tight calf, has been replaced by Colin Munro, the spare batsman in their Champions Trophy squad.
England had their whole squad fit and available but made four changes. Ravi Boapra, James Tredwell, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn all returned, with James Anderson and Graeme Swann rested and Chris Woakes and Jade Dernbach dropped.
Boyd Rankin, who was called up before the second ODI, will remain with the squad - the England management are keen to see how he bowls in training and fits in with the rest of the squad with a view to other challenges later this summer - while Dernbach was been made available for Surrey.
England 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 James Tredwell, 11 Steven Finn
New Zealand 1 Luke Ronchi (wkt), 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Colin Munro, 6 Brendon McCullum (capt), 7 James Franklin, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan
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