1st Test Day 1 Ind v Aus

Tea Australia 215 for 5 (Warner 59, Clarke 45*, Henriques 29*, Ashwin 5-51) v India

Australia's captain Michael Clarke was the beneficiary of a major reprieve in the minutes before tea as he and the debutant Moises Henriques attempted to regather the tourists' innings after R Ashwin struck telling blows on the first afternoon of the first Test in Chennai.

Clarke was given not out when Ashwin appealed vehemently for a bat-pad catch, but replays showed a clear inside edge. Seldom have India cursed the lack of DRS given their opposition to its vagaries, but they were left to gnash their teeth this time.

Batting first after Clarke showed rare glee at winning the toss on a parched surface devoid of grass, the visitors made a rapid start before stuttering twice, first when Ed Cowan's intemperate charge down the wicket was followed by the swift exit of a vulnerable Phillip Hughes, and again when Shane Watson, David Warner and Matthew Wade fell swiftly after lunch.

Clarke played with typical skill against India's array of slow bowlers, and Henriques did not look out of place at Test match level having been brought into the side as a middle-order batsman and change bowler. They will hope to go on from their starts in the evening.

Ashwin was clearly India's most accomplished performer, gaining spin, dip and bounce for his five wickets, but the rest tended to pitch too short and gave the Australians room to manoeuvre the ball around the Chidambaram Stadium. Ishant Sharma and the debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar already appear peripheral members of the attack.

The left-arm spinner, Pragyan Ojha, was among the four players left out of the final XI. Ojha's omission was something of a surprise given his strong returns against England in the recent Test series, while he was also an accomplished performer against Australia on their last Test visit to India in 2010.

Cowan and Warner made a cheery start, swatting the ball around with ease against Bhuvneshwar and Ishant. Warner was the scratchier of the two, having batted properly in the nets for only a few days before the match due to his rehab from a fractured thumb. Twice Ashwin beat Warner outside off stump, first drawing an edge that an incredulous Virender Sehwag contrived to spill at slip, then creating a difficult stumping chance that MS Dhoni failed to complete due to the bounce extracted.

Meanwhile Cowan looked serene, so much so that he advanced to loft Harbhajan down the ground for only the second six of his 14-Test career. If that stroke showed how good Cowan was feeling, his next aggressive measure was to smack of misplaced comfort. Trying to belt another six, he was beaten by Ashwin's greater drop and bounce, and failed to get back to his crease before Dhoni tipped the bails off. On the first morning of the series, it was hard to imagine a more wasteful exit.

Unlike Cowan, Hughes had failed to make a decent score in the warm-up, and his indecisiveness was evident in a stay that featured plenty of shuffling and ended with a horrid, half-hearted cut at Ashwin that dragged the ball onto leg stump. As so often happens in India.

Australia 316 for 7 (Clarke 103*, Henriques 68, Ashwin 6-88) v India

Not a single observer on the opening day of India's series against Australia was surprised by the sight of Michael Clarke conjuring his side's spinal innings. And not one of them would have been game to predict that Clarke's partner for a rousing stand of 151, after some major early stutters on a parched pitch, would be the debutant Moises Henriques.

Arriving at the wicket soon after lunch, his team floundering at 153 for 5, Henriques showed enormous composure and exemplary technique to construct a supporting innings in the company of his captain, fulfilling the potential first evident when he starred for Australia's Under-19 World Cup team when only 16 years old a decade ago. Clarke's century, which took him past Sir Donald Bradman on the nation's list of Test aggregates, was less of a surprise but no less an achievement, his pacing and poise only briefly interrupted at a critical moment shortly before tea.

India's outstanding bowler R Ashwin appealed vehemently for a bat-pad catch, and replays showed a fat inside edge. Seldom have India cursed the lack of DRS given their opposition to its vagaries, but they were left to gnash their teeth this time. A wicket then would have opened up Australia's tail to a ball that was reverse swinging and spinning. Instead Clarke and Henriques were not separated until the final half-hour, the allrounder missing a sweep at Ashwin before Ravindra Jadeja skidded one past Mitchell Starc.

Clarke had showed rare glee at winning the toss on a surface more clay court than cricket pitch, and the visitors made a rapid start before stuttering twice. First when Ed Cowan's intemperate charge down the wicket was followed by the swift exit of a vulnerable Phillip Hughes, and again when Shane Watson, David Warner and Matthew Wade fell swiftly after lunch.

Ashwin, India's most accomplished performer, gained spin, dip and bounce, but the rest tended to pitch too short and gave the Australians room to manoeuvre the ball around the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Ishant Sharma and the debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar appeared peripheral members of the attack; the omitted Pragyan Ojha can feel justly aggrieved.

Cowan and Warner made a cheery start, swatting the ball around with ease against Kumar and Ishant. Warner was the scratchier of the two, having batted properly in the nets for only a few days before the match due to his rehab from a fractured thumb. Twice Ashwin beat Warner outside off stump, first drawing an edge that an incredulous Virender Sehwag contrived to spill at slip, then creating a difficult stumping chance that MS Dhoni failed to complete due to the bounce extracted.

Meanwhile Cowan looked serene, so much so that he advanced to loft Harbhajan down the ground for only the second six of his 14-Test career. If that stroke showed how good Cowan was feeling, his next aggressive measure was to smack of misplaced comfort. Trying to belt another six, he was beaten by Ashwin's greater drop and bounce, and failed to get back to his crease before Dhoni tipped the bails off. On the first morning of the series, it was hard to imagine a more wasteful exit.

Unlike Cowan, Hughes had failed to make a decent score in the warm-up, and his indecisiveness was evident in a stay that featured plenty of shuffling and ended with a horrid, half-hearted cut at Ashwin that dragged the ball onto leg stump. Watson found the middle of the bat from his first ball, and with Warner had formed the foundation of a potentially handsome union by lunch.

However the interval disrupted their rhythm, and moments after resumption Watson was pinned lbw on the crease by a quicker, straighter delivery that skidded. Warner fell in similar fashion, fooled by Ashwin's change in trajectory and struck in front on the back foot when he might have leaned forward.

Wade fought to get himself established but on 12 was too imprecise with placement of bat and pad and was ruled lbw to an offbreak that pitched on middle and straightened. After their rapid start Australia were sinking fast.

Henriques walked to the middle in this dire scenario, but showed the good sense of a maturing cricketer, and the skills of one raised on Sydney's often slow and turning pitches. He helped Clarke in manning the pumps, then setting a steady course, and was not unduly troubled despite the pitch's tendency to offer the odd ball that jumped and fizzed or scuttled through low.

Ashwin was absent for most of this phase, inconvenienced by a jammed finger. His return to the crease should have brought an instant wicket in the shadows of the tea break, as Clarke squeezed off bat and pad to short leg. But the umpire Kumar Dharmasena was deaf to the appeals. Clarke's mastery of body language was apparent, too, holding the bat up and re-marking his guard as though nothing had happened.

Aware of how the afternoon began, Clarke and Henriques did not dally after tea, jumping on India's bowlers with intent. Their attack soon had Dhoni reverting to the timid captaincy and modest field placings he has become increasingly reliant upon in recent times, and the hosts' bowling and fielding lost much of their earlier vim.

Clarke appeared handicapped by a sore right shoulder at times, but was otherwise in control. Henriques, his confidence growing by the ball, did not look like getting out until he aimed a sweep at Ashwin in the 90th over of play, Marais Erasmus handing a line-ball verdict to the hosts. Starc's swift exit provided a reminder of what may have unfolded had the tail been exposed earlier, but Clarke was still there at the close, going to his hundred with a lofted drive. With Henriques' help, he had given Australia a chance.

3rd Test Day 1 SA v Pak

SA 104/2 25 overs Lunch

Lunchtime report: If Saeed Ajmal thought he didn't have much support in the Cape Town Test, he was backed up at traditionally fast-bowler friendly Centurion with a pace attack that had all of two Test caps coming into the game. The experienced Umar Gul missed out as he was down with fever and sore throat, Junaid Khan was still recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Cape Town match, which means for the third consecutive Test, Pakistan had a fast bowling debutant, this time teenager Ehsan Adil.

The raw attack struck two times early, sending back both the South Africa openers, before Hashim Amla extended the form that has made him the world's No. 1 Test batsman, scoring yet another half-century to lead the recovery. The dependable Jacques Kallis was missing due to a calf strain, but the promoted Faf du Plessis unleashed a series of eye-catching drives as South Africa motored along at more than four an over to reach 104 for 2 by lunch.

None of the bowlers proved a regular threat in the morning, as they all struggled to maintain a tight line and length, either pitching too full or bowling too wide. Rahat Ali's first over was taken for two fours by Alviro Petersen, bringing back memories of Rahat's ineffectual debut in Johannesburg, but he bounced back in his next over with an indipper that removed Petersen lbw for 10.

Adil's first over was better, as he had Graeme Smith nicking towards slips, where Misbah-ul-Haq was waiting for the chance only to see Younis Khan dive in front and pouch it. Adil wasn't too pacy, operating around 130kph, and after a tight couple of overs, South Africa started to take him apart, with du Plessis caning him for three fours in four deliveries. Rahat also leaked boundaries, and in the final seven overs before the break, South Africa plundered 35 runs, leaving Pakistan again looking to Ajmal to produce a bit of magic.

Tea South Africa 201 for 5 (de Villiers 40*, Peterson 2*, Rahat 3-57) v Pakistan

Before the start of the Test Pakistan received the unpleasant news that two of their main bowlers won't be available - Umar Gul out due to a sore throat and Junaid Khan still recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Newlands Test - leaving their pace attack with a total of only two caps coming into the match. South Africa also had an injury-related jolt as Jacques Kallis was forced out with a calf problem he picked up during an optional training session.

Two sessions into the game, it is Pakistan who are dealing with the losses better than South Africa. Though the visitors' raw attack wasn't consistently threatening and offered plenty of freebies, they managed to strike regularly to dismiss half the South Africa side by tea. Till about half an hour to the end of the second session, the hosts were ahead as Hashim Amla extended the form that made him the world's No. 1 Test batsman to serve up a stylish 92. Towards the end of the session, though, Rahat Ali struck twice, first removing Amla and then Dean Elgar to lift Pakistan.

Rahat had also provided the early breakthrough after Graeme Smith won his third toss in a row and chose to bat on a sunny day in Centurion. Rahat began with a wayward over, in which he was caned for a couple of boundaries by Alviro Petersen, bringing back memories of his ineffective Test debut earlier this month in Johannesburg. He made amends in his second over, though, as an incutter had Petersen lbw for 10.

Ehsan Adil, the third fast bowler to debut for Pakistan this series, had an even better start as he struck on the third ball of his Test career, getting Smith to nick a catch to a diving Younis Khan at second slip.

South Africa were 38 for 2, and with Kallis missing, they were a batsman light. Amla, however, led the recovery with an innings filled with the whiplash drives and the high-risk strokes that he makes seem routine. He was involved in a couple of substantial partnerships, first with Faf du Plessis and later with AB de Villiers to keep South Africa motoring along at four an over.

The pressure Pakistan had applied through the early wickets quickly dissipated as their bowlers sprayed the ball around, regularly overpitching or providing too much width. There were plenty of boundaries and towards the end of the session, du Plessis took Rahat for three fours in four deliveries as South Africa took 35 runs off the final seven overs before lunch.

Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan's hero in the Newlands Test, was unable to keep the runs down initially, but he exerted more control after lunch. With only two runs coming off the first three overs after the break, du Plessis decided to try throw Adil off his length by skipping down the track but he could only nick the shortish ball through to the keeper.

Still, there was no let-up in the scoring as Amla and de Villiers provided a treat of shots. De Villiers was felled by a beamer from Mohammad Irfan, but that didn't prevent him from playing his usual inventive strokes, including reverse-sweeps and late dabs past slips. He also regularly picked up singles, and with Amla capitalising on the many overpitched, hit-me deliveries on offer, South Africa coasted towards 200.

Amla showed how confident he was by skipping down the track and launching Ajmal over mid-on for four to move to 80. There was a lull in his scoring after that and he survived a loud appeal for caught-behind even after Pakistan used the DRS. Soon after, though, he attempted a drive away from his body - usually not advisable, but Amla plays it perfectly often - and feathered to the keeper. Dean Elgar didn't last long, becoming Rahat's third wicket for 1 and South Africa were 196 for 5, with their bowling allrounder Robin Peterson in the middle.

South Africa 334 for 6 (de Villiers 98*, Amla 92, Rahat 3-95) v Pakistan

Peterson had been pivotal to turning the Newlands Test South Africa's way with a combative 84, and he again showed his value with the bat, playing sensibly to forge a 52-run stand with de Villiers. What wasn't sensible was his running between the wickets, and despite a loud call of 'No,' from de Villiers he didn't turn back from an attempted single till it was too late and was beaten by a direct hit from Mohammad Irfan.

If Pakistan were looking to wrap the innings up quickly after that, they came up against Vernon Philander, who has hassled them repeatedly with the ball this series, and now frustrated them with the bat. There were no desperate-tailender swings, as he worked his way to an unbeaten 45, highlighted by a couple of imperious pulls for four.

Towards the end of the day, there was plenty of interest around whether de Villiers could complete his century before stumps. He needed nine off the final over, and though he played a breathtaking upper cut for four, de Villiers ended unbeaten on 98.

It wasn't all one-way traffic, but yet again South Africa managed to find a way to emerge on top, as they have so often in recent years.

2nd ODI: NZ v Eng

New Zealand side: 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt & wk), 6 Grant Elliott, 7 James Franklin, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Tim Southee

England meanwhile are unchanged: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn

England won by 8 wickets

NZ 269/2 

Eng 270/2 

England 270 for 2 (Root 79*, Cook 78, Trott 65*) beat New Zealand 269 (Taylor 100, McCullum 74, Anderson 5-34) by eight wickets

England marched to a business-like eight-wicket win in Napier, completing their second-highest successful run chase against New Zealand in the process, to square the series at 1-1 after an unruly burst from Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum had threatened Alastair Cook's masterplan. Cook and Jonathan Trott made solid half-centuries, while Joe Root twinkled with impudent brilliance in top-scoring with an unbeaten 79 but it was James Anderson's 5 for 34 that set up victory on an excellent batting surface.

Having asked his bowlers to keep New Zealand to a manageable total, Cook was rewarded with early wickets and a modest run rate, only for Taylor's seventh ODI hundred to provide a rallying standard and McCullum to launch a familiar riposte. The fifth-wicket partnership was outside England's parameters of acceptability but after McCullum holed out off Stuart Broad for 74 the last six wickets fell for 26 runs, as they regained control of the scenario.

The combined aggression of McCullum and Taylor with the bat, putting on 100 in 52 balls, had brought New Zealand back into the match but they both put down straightforward chances off Root. The first, a skier to McCullum, came when Root, on 25, top-edged an attempted pull at Tim Southee towards short fine leg and although the wicketkeeper made his ground, he misjudged the trajectory and failed to get his gloves under the ball. The next delivery, Root ramped the ball for a flat four through the same part of the ground and the fuse had been lit: 12 balls later, he had reached his fifty, accelerating past senior team-mate Trott with a cheeky "Meep! Meep!", like a Yorkshire roadrunner.

His innings blended grace and power, with hefty cuts and pulls offset by lissome flicks and cultured drives. Such was the quality, it's doubtful the man whose place in the side he currently occupies, Kevin Pietersen, could have finished more stylishly, as Root and Trott combined for a decisive 121-run stand to continue the trend of reverses that has seen the teams swap victories over five limited-overs contests on the tour so far. His third half-century also made Root the first player to start their ODI career with six successive scores of 30 or more.

Not only did he upstage the contributions of his own team-mates, in what was an improved all-round display, Root also overshadowed Taylor's first significant score since coming back into the New Zealand team. After a slow start, in which New Zealand were 21 for 2 after the opening Powerplay and only reached their 100 in the 30th over, McCullum whirled about the crease with all the violence of a Quentin Tarantino shootout scene while Taylor, more the Gary Cooper type, calmly knocked it around at the other end.

Discussions about Taylor's form had begun to overshadow the positive of his return, so this was an important innings for the New Zealand No. 4, even if it came in defeat. In his four previous innings, he had made 45 runs but here he progressed to his first international half-century since scoring 142 and 74 in his last match as captain, the Colombo Test in November. His ousting may still smart on a personal level but the detente can only be good for McCullum, Taylor's replacement, who will head to Auckland seeking a victory that would give him back-to-back ODI series wins at the start of his tenure.

After a level-headed, recovery stand of 72 with Kane Williamson, Taylor began to add some impetus, slugging Broad over deep midwicket for the first six and then sweeping Graeme Swann hard in front of square. He was joined in the middle by McCullum five balls into the batting Powerplay, after Grant Elliott had top-edged Steven Finn to deep square leg, and the pair were soon exchanging fist bumps in the middle. Should they reach the level of the brotherly bum-tap anytime soon, then all will be considered well within New Zealand cricket.

McCullum's fifty came from 26 balls - and that included just a single from his first seven - as Swann, Chris Woakes and then Broad were each targeted in succession. Swann's final over disappeared for 17 and included a six so dismissive that McCullum managed to crash the ball over extra-cover even as he slipped and lost his footing; Woakes and Broad then went for 21 and 20 respectively. England had been criticised for bowling too short at McCullum in the series so far but he tore up their plans to go full, as Broad was twice thumped down the ground in searching for the yorker.

Such was the volte face in scoring rates, that while the two opening bowlers, Finn and Anderson, went at less than three-and-a-half an over, the other three all conceded above six. The last time these two teams met at Napier, they split 680 runs precisely down the middle, with Luke Wright keeping New Zealand to six off the final over to force a tie. Paul Collingwood, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Owais Shah and Wright all bowled that day, exactly five years ago, but Anderson was the most expensive, with 1 for 86.

How things have changed. Anderson, fresh from passing Ian Botham as England's leading wicket-taker in international cricket, had talked of bowling until he was 40 before the match. You suspect even as an Oldsmobile he would cruise in smoothly and more experienced drivers than BJ Watling have nicked to first slip pushing at Anderson's length ball, which just veered away enough to take the edge in the seventh over. Hamish Rutherford, on debut, also fell early to Anderson, as the new-ball pair denied the batsmen width.

Finn was trotting in off a shorter run-up in an attempt to cure his knock-knee problem but showed no lack of pace and perhaps a touch more control - though he still managed to clip the stumps at the non-striker's end later in the innings. McCullum cracked the delivery for four and Cook received short shrift when asking Rod Tucker if it should not have been called dead-ball.

When the first bowling change came, Anderson had figures of 6-2-11-2. Finn had also conceded 11 from his six-over spell and New Zealand had to attempt to force the pace against Woakes, Broad and Swann. Thanks to McCullum and Taylor, they attained respectability but were bowled out with seven balls unused and, ultimately, England's Root made it rout.

Day 4 SA v Pak

Pakistan 157/8 (lead 169 with 2 wickets remaining) Lunch

Misbah succumbing to sweep

Lunch report: A cracking match in Cape Town continued to be a great advertisement for Test cricket as it served up another yo-yoing session on the fourth morning. Azhar Ali enhanced his outstanding third innings record, with his fifth successive fifty-plus score in it, and in the company of Misbah-ul-Haq initially, and then Asad Shafiq seemed to be gradually pushing Pakistan towards supremacy in the first hour and a half. As always with Pakistan cricket, the unpredictable happened and four wickets went down for five runs, making South Africa front-runners and further embellishing Vernon Philander's astonishing Newlands record.

Misbah and Ali began the day with a cautious approach similar to what they followed on the third evening, adding only 14 off the first eight overs. South Africa were hampered by the absence of Morne Morkel, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, but with Robin Peterson holding up one end, they continued to be accurate, though not unplayable. Misbah fell trying to sweep Peterson out of the rough, top-edging a catch towards short fine leg, and was visibly frustrated at that unforced error as he trudged off the field.

Vernon Philander ripped through Pakistan before Lunch

Shafiq has bolstered his reputation on this tour, with a 56 in Johannesburg and a innings-reviving century three days ago. He was more adventurous than either Misbah or Ali, attacking Peterson when he bowled too full or too short. Though Steyn had upped his pace and Philander was his nagging self around off, with Ali moving beyond 60 and Shafiq confidently slapping Philander over the man at point for four, Pakistan were effectively on 159 for 4.

That was a position of great strength, especially given that South Africa would have to face the befuddling spin of Saeed Ajmal on the fifth day, but the match turned in the matter of minutes. Shafiq defended a Philander delivery, and couldn't react quickly enough to either kick the ball away or deflect it with his bat as it bounced towards the off stump.

If that was unfortunate, the next dismissal was unforgivable as Sarfraz Ahmed advertised his lack of batting ability by inexplicably not getting either pad or bat behind a Peterson delivery that spun, not too alarmlingly, from the rough to crash into the top of middle stump. Philander then added two typical dismissals, getting Ali to edge to the keeper before Umar Gul completed a pair by nicking to a wide third slip. It was a team hat-trick, and Pakistan were suddenly down to 152 for 8.

Man of the Match  Robin Peterson

Pakistan 169 (lead 181) After lunch, Peterson bowled Ajmal round his legs before Steyn rounded off the innings on 169 to leave South Africa facing a target of 182.

SA 66/2 (target 182) SA need 116 more runs to win - Tea 

Alviro Petersen could have fallen to Mohammad Irfan twice - surviving a close lbw call in the first over and reprieved in the third as the replays showed Irfan had just overstepped - but he couldn't capitalise, trapped lbw by Gul in the fourth.

If that strike buoyed Pakistan, they were then up against two batsmen who are masters in the final innings, Graeme Smith and Amla. Smith used his tried-and-tested method of working almost everything to the leg side, and Amla unleashed several of his fierce off-drives to push South Africa along.

If Pakistan were to have any chance of defending the total, it would need another herculean effort from their first-innings hero, Ajmal. He looked to use the rough, especially against the left-hander, and but both batsmen were relatively untroubled in a 53-run stand until Smith, for the second time in the match, missed a sweep to be lbw. That breakthrough gave Pakistan some hope going into the final session, though South Africa remain favourites to complete this game by stumps.

SA 182/6 (won by 4 wickets) Ajmal used every trick he had, subtly varying the length, getting the ball to spin either way, and got it to hurry off the pitch and even dismissed three of South Africa's big batsmen - Smith, Amla and Jacques Kallis - but lacked enough support from the other end.

Kallis hit some regal drives in a 21, AB de Villiers was his usual busy self and Amla top scored with 58 to make sure Pakistan never had more than an outside chance of victory. There was time for Ajmal to complete a richly deserved ten-for when he had Faf du Plessis lbw before South Africa reached the finish line with four wickets to spare.

1st ODI NZ v Eng

Kiwis win toss put England in

New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt & wk), 6 Grant Elliott, 7 James Franklin, 8 Andrew Ellis, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan

England: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn

New Zealand 259 for 7 (Williamson 74, B McCullum 69*) beat England 258 (Trott 68, Bell 64, Root 56, McClenaghan 4-56) by three wickets

Martin Guptill, batting on one leg after a hamstring injury, helped his captain Brendon McCullum seal a tight chase in the opening ODI in Hamilton as New Zealand squeezed home by three wickets with seven balls to spare. McCullum, who pushed himself down to No.6, played a wonderfully paced innings but kept losing partners to leave England with their noses in front until the final stages when Guptill contributed the telling boundaries to help limit his running.

There were three crucial mini passages of play in the final 12 overs after England had seemingly taken control at 155 for 5. James Anderson, who sent down eight world-class overs, was taken for 17 in his ninth when he started dropping short at McCullum to kickstart him. Then Guptill picked up 10 runs off his first two deliveries back at the crease - including a ramp over third man for six - which was followed by the decisive over, when Chris Woakes was taken for 13 off his last, with Guptill taking two further boundaries. Such was the adrenalin he sprinted off for runs in the seconds it took for the pain to register.

That left 13 needed off 12 balls and New Zealand only required five more deliveries with McCullum clearing the midwicket boundary off Broad - all England's bowlers bowled too short to him - before the limping Guptill hit the winning runs. New Zealanders talk of the 'Kiwi Spirit' and you will not see a better example as to what it actually means.

Guptill had retired hurt in sixth over after pulling up on completing a tight single to mid-off. He tried to carry on - without a runner as per the new regulations - but soon signalled he would have to leave the field. It was announced he would bat if required and with Kyle Mills - a capable lower-order player - still to come he shuffled back out to the middle for what may, depending on the seriousness of the injury, be his last contribution of the series.

McCullum's decision to hold himself back at the fall of Ross Taylor's wicket reignited the debate about where he should bat. There was already disquiet about him being as low as No. 5, but he is keen to be able to exploit the batting Powerplay and final 10 overs much in the way England try to use Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler. With a steely glint in his eye, and a never-say-die focus, he showed his judgement to be spot on. However, England will need a debrief over their tactics.

25 overs New Zealand 99 for 2 (Williamson 52*, Elliott 15*) need 160 more runs to beat England 258

Kane Williamson was shaping as the vital element in New Zealand's chase in the first ODI by holding together a jittery top order that suffered the loss of Martin Guptill to a hamstring injury. James Anderson took an early wicket before Williamson and Ross Taylor started the recovery only for Taylor to fall to Chris Woakes after playing himself in.

The innings was off to a lively start when Anderson, in his first competitive bowl since the Nagpur Test, produced a lovely inswinger to dismantle BJ Watling's stumps. Not only was it a classy piece of bowling, a trademark of Anderson, but it was also a record-breaking wicket as it took him to 529 international scalps, the most by an England bowler ahead of Ian Botham.

Anderson's wickets are a more even spread between Tests and ODIs than Botham, but he will also have the chance to pass 300 Test victims as he needs 12 during the forthcoming series to achieve that.

New Zealand's problem, leaving aside Anderson's superb skill, was when Guptill pulled up lame with a hamstring strain after going for a quick single to mid-off. He tried to bat on, but an over later signalled to the dressing that he couldn't continue although a NZC spokesman said he would bat again later if required.

The chase could easily have been permanently destabilised by the loss of a key batsman to injury, however Williamson and Taylor set about creating a more secure footing. Williamson, especially strong off the back foot, dominated the scoring as Taylor struggled to get flowing.

Steven Finn had spells from both ends and produced a couple of unplayable deliveries although he also drifted onto the pads. Broad was lively, as he was during the Twenty20s, and found Williamson's top edge with a well-directed bouncer.

A key part of this series for England is finding out whether Woakes can fill the fourth-seamer role, so his spell was a telling period. He offered some width to Taylor who gained his first boundary with a sweet square cut and that got him going as he added further boundaries off Graeme Swann.

Then, however, Woakes made a significant mark when he slid a bouncer onto Taylor who went for the hook with the top edge sailing down to long leg. Surprisingly, Grant Elliott came in at No. 5 ahead of Brendon McCullum, who seemingly held himself back in the hope of making an impact later.

England 258 (Trott 68, Bell 64, Root 56, McClenaghan 4-56) v New Zealand

The first innings of this one-day series was a little like going back in time, as a careful start led to middle-order accumulation in an attempt to provide a base for a late charge. Two thirds of that plan worked for England, with half-centuries from Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root, but they faded badly when the middle-order power failed to show as Mitchell McClenaghan took four wickets before suffering a side injury.

England could not hold themselves together in the finish. Eoin Morgan fell to an excellent catch, Jos Buttler shone briefly - with two sixes - before finding cover and Root, a few moments later, lost his leg stump to leave the closing overs in the hands of the bowling allrounders. McClenaghan and Kyle Mills were excellent as the final 9.3 overs read 68 for 7.

England's top four were all having their first knocks of the tour. Bell and Alastair Cook arrived last week after not being part of the Twenty20 squad, Trott has been rested since the end of the India Test series and Root did not play the warm-ups on this trip and wasn't needed with the bat in Wellington two days ago. The lay-offs affected some more than others. Not much can be deduced from Cook's brief stay, Bell looked in decent touch, Trott struggled early before finding some rhythm and Root was the most impressive of the lot.

It was the latest stage in Root's seamless transition to the top level. Arriving shortly before the midway mark, after Bell edged behind for 64, he was busy and alert from his first delivery which he sent fine of short third-man. There was one moment of fortune. On 32 he was given out caught behind off Mills, as he dropped his hands to a short ball, and immediately called for a review that led to the decision being overturned when the TV umpire decided there was conclusive evidence it had come off his sleeve. Opinions from the ground were split. Still, it was a highly mature innings.

While Trott batted in his own bubble, Root worked the gaps and made sure he pushed the fielders. Those attributes made up for the slight lack of power in his game - he also produced the scoop past the keeper - as he went to 50 from 57 balls. Perhaps crucially, though, no one converted into three figures.

Despite what happened in the Twenty20, when England's T20 captain Stuart Broad admitted to making the wrong decision, Brendon McCullum decided to bowl first in Hamilton. McClenaghan struck in his second over, squeezing one past Cook's inside edge which then came off the pad, and it was a Test-style reconnaissance that followed.

Bell was the most fluent by far, driving nicely down the ground especially with the lofted six off Andrew Ellis that took him to 50 from 67 balls, and was starting to make New Zealand pay for dropping him on 26 when he top-edged a sweep off Nathan McCullum and was put down by BJ Watling running in from deep midwicket. It continued the theme of poor New Zealand catching from the Twenty20s, but they improved during the innings. Bell could also have been run out, on 23, if Ross Taylor had not fumbled at midwicket.

Trott, who had not batted since the Nagpur Test against India, had a more frustrating time at the crease. His first delivery, clipped wide of mid-on for four, was deceptive - after that the middle of the bat proved elusive. When he did time a shot it often found the fielders and after one such stroke he could be heard exclaiming his annoyance.

He was also involved in some interesting running incidents. There was nearly a mix-up with Bell that appeared to come from a lack of calling and then, when stood at the non-striker's end, Trott was taken out by Nathan McCullum when the bowler dived across to field off his own delivery and knocked the batsman down in a manner an All Black would be proud off. No fault at all, though, was attached to the bowler.

Trott had the dubious distinctions of being struck on the helmet by a Franklin bouncer before, 61 balls after his first boundary, he collected his second four which sparked a marked increase in tempo. His last 38 runs came off 30 deliveries with an expanded range of strokes. Despite having two set batsmen, the batting Powerplay was not dynamic and Trott fell in that five-over period as he backed away to open up the off side.

Morgan was meant to start of the onslaught, but it was a brief stay that was ended by a cracking catch at backward point from Martin Guptill who dived to his left to take a well-struck cut low to the ground. It was the beginning of a period that brought New Zealand firmly back into contention.

Day 3 SA v Pak

SA 248/7 trailing by 90 runs with 3 wickets left - Lunch

De Villiers leading South African comeback up to lunch

Lunchtime report: AB de Villiers led South Africa's resistance on the third morning in Cape Town before Robin Peterson and Vernon Philander followed his lead as the home side ate into the deficit in front of a large Saturday crowd at Newlands.

The outstanding Saeed Ajmal added Dean Elgar's wicket to make it six out of six and briefly raised visions of him joining the elite club of Jim Laker and Anil Kumble as the only bowlers to take all ten wickets in an innings.

Thoughts of that spectacular feat came to an end when the seven-footer Mohammad Irfan struck with the new ball to dismiss de Villiers to get his first Test wicket. He then showed there even in the intense battle of Test cricket there is space for levity, as the towering fast bowler raised his arms in celebration after his team-mates huddled around him, forcing them to jump to high-five him.

De Villiers had survived another intense examination from Ajmal in the morning in an innings that married classical drives and cuts with chutzpah, as shown by an inventive dink over the slips for four when the ball was banged in short. He reached his half-century off a rare poor ball down the leg side from Ajmal, and if he was beginning to feel comfortable in the middle, Ajmal followed up a ripping delivery similar to the one that accounted for Faf du Plessis. He got the edge again but the keeper couldn't hold on to the catch.

There had been a drop earlier as well, when de Villiers slapped Umar Gul towards Azhar Ali at gully. Gul's figures may not look good, but he has bowled with pace and spirit, and was unlucky as two catches put down off his bowling and an inside-edge from Philander went past the stumps and the keeper.

Pakistan could have taken total control of the match once de Villiers was dismissed but Peterson, who was a disappointment with the ball, again showed how much his batting has improved. He swept Ajmal when the ball was on the pads, cut powerfully when width was provided, and generally began to look more and more settled in the middle as he scored what could prove a vital unbeaten 40 to bring the deficit below 100.

SA 326 (trailing by 12 runs on 1st innings)

Robin Peterson gets Proteas close to Pak

A fascinating Test in Cape Town provided its third day of unexpected twists as the man who was the weak link for South Africa on the first day made amends with his first Test half-century in almost a decade to even up the match. Robin Peterson hadn't been able to stem the runs when Pakistan were batting, but on the third day it was Pakistan who couldn't stop the runs when Peterson was batting. With AB de Villiers also scoring a half-century, South Africa showed their resilience as what could have been a game-deciding lead for Pakistan was trimmed to just 12.

De Villiers had survived another intense examination from the outstanding Saeed Ajmal in the morning in an innings that married classical drives and cuts with chutzpah, as shown by an inventive dink over the slips for four when the ball was banged in short. He reached his half-century off a rare poor ball down the leg side from Ajmal, and if he was beginning to feel comfortable in the middle, Ajmal followed up with a ripping delivery similar to the one that accounted for Faf du Plessis. He got the edge again but the keeper couldn't hold on to the catch.

Ajmal had begun the day by adding Dean Elgar's wicket to make it six out of six and briefly raised visions of him joining the elite club of Jim Laker and Anil Kumble as the only bowlers to take all ten wickets in an innings. Thoughts of that spectacular feat came to an end when the seven-footer Mohammad Irfan struck with the new ball to dismiss de Villiers for his first Test wicket. He then showed that even in the intense battle of Test cricket there is space for levity, as the towering fast bowler raised his arms in celebration after his team-mates huddled around him, forcing them to jump to high-five him.

Pakistan could have taken total control of the match once de Villiers was dismissed but Peterson again showed how much his batting has improved. He swept Ajmal when the ball was on the pads, cut powerfully when width was provided, and generally began to look more and more settled in the middle as with the help of Vernon Philander, he brought the deficit below 100 before lunch.

Peterson had just begun though, and opened out after lunch with a series of drives as 77 runs came off 13 overs. Besides the scorching drives, there was even a switch-hit off Ajmal as Peterson made his first Test half-century in nearly a decade. As the score went past 300, Peterson set his sights on a maiden hundred, going for his shots even as he lost his partners. The crowd was loving it, and when last man Morne Morkel solidly defended a few deliveries, the fans welcomed it with rousing cheers. Peterson finally perished on 84 as he looked to clear long-on, though he had already done enough to hurt Pakistan by then.

Pak 25/2 (lead by 37 with 8 wickets remaining) Tea

Tea report: The turnaround continued when South Africa had the ball in hand as, yet again, they removed both openers cheaply. Pakistan's opening stands this series now read 0, 10, 7 and 9. Steyn struck in his first over, with an indipper that had Mohammad Hafeez lbw. Philander joined in with a wicket in his first over, sending back Nasir Jamshed lbw for a duck. Though South Africa's quicks kept asking questions around the off stump, Younis Khan and Azhar Ali negotiated the new ball till tea.

Pak 100/3 (lead by 112 with 7 wickets remaining) Stumps

Stumps report: A pumped-up Steyn then delivered the quickest spell of the match, regularly threatening to hit the 150kph mark, and it culminated with him getting Younis to chop on to the stumps.

If the second session was full of runs, the third was the opposite. Ali began with a boundary past square leg that took him to 23 off 23 balls, but he then went into a shell, especially against Peterson playing out maiden after maiden against him. He couldn't work the singles, at one stage had managed only five runs off 53 deliveries against him, and just survived a confident lbw appeal.

At the other end, Misbah wasn't in any hurry either, and the pair went through 34 scoreless deliveries early on in their partnership. Misbah was patient as ever, except when he pulled off three of those out-of-the-blue straight sixes he loves to hit.

Many times, the strategy to just block out everything against a high-quality attack doesn't work as the lack of runs means the pressure isn't lifted and when there is a breakthrough, the batting side hasn't made much progress. It worked for Pakistan on the day though as it sucked the momentum out from a rampant South Africa attack, and steadily increased the lead above 100, setting up an intriguing fourth day.

Day 2 SA v Pak

Pakistan 338 116.2 ovs

Lunchtime report: Vernon Philander's love affair with Newlands continued as he bagged another five-for - his ninth in 15 Tests - and a quick close to the Pakistan innings seemed imminent when he took three wickets in his first three overs. Tanvir Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal, however, resisted and put on 64 runs to frustrate the home side and also lift Pakistan to their highest total in South Africa.

Philander began the day with the perfect delivery to centurion Asad Shafiq, nipping away just a touch to force a nick to the keeper. In his next over, he had the wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed edging through to the slip cordon where Alviro Petersen pulled off a blinder, diving to his right to pluck a low one-handed chance. In Philander's third over, he trapped Umar Gul lbw with a delivery that snaked in.

With the ball swerving around, regularly beating the bat and most of the runs being scored through streaky edges past the slips or the leg stump, South Africa were looking forward to an early end to the innings. Early on, there was little sign that Tanvir and Ajmal would prove so hard to dislodge. With the pitch easing up though, they began to look more and more solid. Ahmed punched Morne Morkel past long-on for four, and Ajmal smacked Dale Steyn over midwicket for a boundary.

With ten minutes to go to lunch, Jacques Kallis got yet another delivery to sneak past the outside edge, and he roared in frustration as the stand had grown to 64. His mood didn't improve when his next ball zipped past Ajmal's inside edge. The smiles were back for South Africa in the next over, though, as Ahmed launched Robin Peterson only to be caught at mid-off, and soon after debutant Mohammad Irfan, who looked like a proper No. 11, was bowled attempting a big slog.

SA 65/2 (SA trail by 273 with 8 1st innings wickets remaining)

Tea report: The Cape Town pitch was expected to make Saeed Ajmal a central figure towards the end of the Test but he made an impact as early as the second day, first with the bat in a combative 64-run ninth wicket stand with Tanvir Ahmed and then by removing both South Africa openers just as they seemed to have settled in.

Before Ajmal came to the middle, the headliner was Vernon Philander, whose love affair with Newlands continued as he bagged another five-for - his ninth in 15 Tests. A quick close to the Pakistan innings seemed imminent when he took three wickets in his first three overs on the second day before Tanvir and Ajmal lifted Pakistan to their highest total in South Africa.

Philander began the day with the perfect delivery to centurion Asad Shafiq, nipping away just a touch to force a nick to the keeper. In his next over, he had the wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed edging to the slip cordon where Alviro Petersen pulled off a blinder, diving to his right to pluck a low one-handed chance. In Philander's third over, he trapped Umar Gul lbw with a delivery that snaked in.

With the ball swerving around, regularly beating the bat and most of the runs being scored through streaky edges past the slips or the leg stump, South Africa were looking forward to an early end to the innings. There was little sign that Tanvir and Ajmal would prove so hard to dislodge. With the pitch easing up, though, they began to look increasingly solid. Ahmed punched Morne Morkel past long-on for four, and Ajmal smacked Dale Steyn over midwicket for a boundary.

With ten minutes to go to lunch, Jacques Kallis got yet another delivery to sneak past the outside edge, and he roared in frustration as the stand had grown to 64. His mood didn't improve when his next ball zipped past Ajmal's inside edge. The smiles were back for South Africa in the next over, though, as Ahmed launched Robin Peterson only to be caught at mid-off, and debutant Mohammad Irfan, who looked like a proper No. 11, was bowled attempting a big slog soon after.

While Tanvir did an excellent job with the bat, he was less impressive while bowling. Given the new ball ahead of the pacy seven-footer Irfan, Tanvir couldn't get it to move much and delivered at a gentle 120kph.

Gul was more probing at the other end, bowling with the wind on his back, working up a good pace. He nearly had Graeme Smith dismissed for a duck when the opener prodded towards second slip, where the usually safe Younis Khan grassed a sitter. South Africa's openers then made steady, if not flamboyant, progress on a surface where the new ball had proved potent.

Irfan was the quickest bowler in the Test, regularly hitting the 90mph-mark, and though he didn't produce any genuine chances, it wasn't easy going for the batsmen either.

Ajmal was the bowler who got the wickets for Pakistan, after being brought on as early as the 12th over. In his second over, he made the breakthrough, getting Smith lbw on review. Smith had looked to sweep and the umpire had turned down the appeal but Ajmal was extremely confident, repeatedly and emphatically telling his team-mates to review the decision. He had more success soon after as Alviro Petersen, who had seemingly got his eye in after nearly an hour-and-a-half in the middle, nicked to short leg where Azhar Ali pulled off a smart, low catch.

South Africa then sprang a surprise by promoting Faf du Plessis ahead of the prolific pair of Kallis and AB de Villiers. Du Plessis and Hashim Amla took South Africa through to tea, and will have plenty more to do in the final session as the their team finally have a battle on their hands in their home summer.

SA 139/5 (60 ovs, trail by 199 runs with 5 1st innings wickets left)

Stumps report: The Cape Town pitch was expected to make Saeed Ajmal a central figure towards the end of the Test but he made an impact as early as the second day, first with the bat in a combative 64-run ninth-wicket stand and then, far more damagingly, with a mesmerising display of spin bowling that left South Africa stuttering for the first time in their home summer.

Though this was not a tailor-made turner for Ajmal, and it had been widely predicted to be a great day for batting, he got the ball to rear up and to fizz off the track in an unbroken 25-over spell that could well end up as his greatest performance. The mighty South African batting was nonplussed, and an hour before stumps there was even the outside chance of them being forced to follow-on. And this wasn't even one of those old South African teams who were frazzled by the sight of the turning ball, having several acknowledged masters of spin bowling.

The typical bowler may glare at the batsman after sending down an unplayable delivery or hurl a verbal volley at him, but Saeed Ajmal does neither. He flashes a wide grin at the batsman, that suggests amazement that the batsman survived and that more trickery will follow.

Though Pakistan having three specialist quick bowlers, they turned to Ajmal as early as the 12th over, he bowled unchanged from midway through the second session to stumps. Tanvir Ahmed, given the new ball, had been a disappointment, bowling only around 120kph and not troubling the batsmen much, though he put in an improved second spell. 

The other two fast bowlers, Umar Gul and debutant Mohammad Irfan, were both regularly around 140kph, but the closest either of them came to a wicket was when Gul had Graeme Smith jabbing a simple catch to second slip for a duck, only for the usually reliable Younis Khan to grass the ball.

It was left to Ajmal to do the damage, and he duly delivered a masterclass of spin bowling. Just when the openers were looking settled, Ajmal struck in his second over, getting Smith lbw on the sweep. The umpire turned down the appeal but Ajmal emphatically and repeatedly asked his team-mates to go for the review, which resulted in Smith being sent on his way. He had more success soon after as Alviro Petersen nicked to short leg where Azhar Ali pulled off a smart, low catch.

His battle with Hashim Amla, the world's top-ranked batsman, was engrossing, with Amla repeatedly using the reverse-sweep and also frequently shuffling across the stumps to try counter Ajmal. Though Amla seemed to have got on top of Ajmal when he picked off a couple of leg-side boundaries in successive overs, Ajmal emerged the winner as he rapped Amla on the back foot to get him lbw, again after using the DRS.

The DRS has already been one of the most controversial innovations in cricket, diving opinion on many levels, and there was one more talking point when South Africa's most experienced batsman, Jacques Kallis, was adjudged lbw on referral. He was originally given out caught at short leg, and he immediately referred the decision, and the replays suggested there was no edge. The umpires then checked whether it was an lbw, and the predicted path said that it was just shaving legstump, and that it would stick with the "umpire's call", though the umpire hadn't ruled on whether the ball would hit the stumps. The rules state that when the mode of dismissal changes, the batsman should originally be considered to be not out, which means Kallis should have remained in the middle, but he was given out lbw after much confusion.

That Kallis wicket had South Africa in deep trouble. Soon after, Ajmal produced what was perhaps the ball of the day, as he got one to zip from round the wicket past a befuddled Faf du Plessis, who could only edge it to the slips, where Younis safely pouched it to consign South Africa to 109 for 5.

Several of South Africa's batsmen didn't help themselves by taking a guard on or outside off stump, and virtually cut off the off-side as a scoring area against Ajmal, adding to the pressure caused by the relentless probing by the spinner.

AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar had some scares but survived the final hour to take South Africa past the follow-on mark to complete one of those rare days when the home side have been outplayed.

It was all so different in the morning when Vernon Philander's love affair with Newlands continued as he bagged another five-for - his ninth in 15 Tests. A quick close to the Pakistan innings seemed imminent when he took three wickets in his first three overs on the second day before Tanvir and Ajmal lifted Pakistan to their highest total in South Africa with a 64-run partnership.

With the ball swerving around, regularly beating the bat and most of the runs being scored through streaky edges past the slips or the leg stump, South Africa were looking forward to an early end to the innings. There was little sign that Tanvir and Ajmal would prove so hard to dislodge. With the pitch easing up, though, they began to look increasingly solid. Ahmed punched Morne Morkel past long-on for four, and Ajmal raised his front foot as he smacked Dale Steyn over midwicket for a boundary, a shot he'll treasure as much as any of his wickets today.

It wasn't till just before lunch that the pair were separated, after which it was all about Ajmal and his bewitching brand of spin bowling.

3rd T20 NZ v Eng

NZ 139/8 (20 ovs) 

Eng 143/0 12.4 ovs Lumb 53* (Highest t20 score) Hales 80* Eng win series 2-1

It was probably that England sealed victory against New Zealand with an enormous six over mid-wicket: they had dominated this game throughout and the margin of victory - 10-wickets with 44 deliveries to spare - does not mislead. This was slaughter. The result secured a 2-1 series victory for England.

Michael Lumb and Alex Hales rushed England to victory with the team's highest-ever opening stand in T20s, but this was a result that also owed plenty to an excellent performance in the field.

England bowled with pace and discipline and fielded with consistent skill to limit New Zealand to total that always looked inadequate on another good T20 surface. It is only the second time that England have won a T20 by 10 wickets; they also beat West Indies by 10-wickets at The Oval in 2011.

Lumb and Hales will take the plaudits and probably rightly so. By the latter stages of their run chase they were treating the bowling with a disdain rarely seen at this level. With victory in sight, Hales thumped Mitchell McClenaghan for 22 in four deliveries - three sixes and a four - driving anything pitched-up over long-on and pulling anything short over midwicket.

It must have seemed a long time for McClenaghan since he started his spell with a maiden. Lumb and Hales' stand was the second highest for any wicket England have achieved in this format, following the partnership of 159 between Hales and Ravi Bopara against West Indies at Trent Bridge in 2012.

In truth, New Zealand had not set a competitive total with the bat. Limited to 139 by an excellent performance in the field from England, they were never able to find any fluency and were always chasing the game.

It was no surprise that England elected to bowl after winning the toss, despite Stuart Broad admitting he was wrong in the previous match. All four previous T20s at this ground had seen the side batting second winning the game and, with dew expected as the game wore on, it was anticipated that gripping the ball could become difficult for bowlers later in the match. Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, admitted that he would have batted first, too, though ultimately the match was over before the dew became relevant.

That New Zealand were able to set any sort of total was largely due to Martin Guptill. The opener, while far from fluent for most of the innings, batted into the 19th over and contributed 59 runs to give his side some sort of target to defend. But he could not hit a boundary until the eighth over of the innings and did not manage another until the 18th as New Zealand struggled to get going against a purposeful performance from England's bowlers.

Broad and Steven Finn were particularly impressive. Both bowled with pace and found enough assistance in the pitch to allow them to stick to their natural length. Broad bounced back from his mauling in Hamilton with a frugal spell. He was thrashed for 53 in his four overs in the previous game, including 22 in his final over, but here conceded just 15. Each of his three wickets came with sharp, well-directed short deliveries which may bode well for a man seeking to prove his fitness ahead of an ODI and Test series.

But England's spinners also claimed the key wickets. Joe Root, called into the side in place of Samit Patel, provided another demonstration of the calm head that has seen him step-up to international cricket with apparent ease in his encounter with Ross Taylor. Taylor had just slog-swept Root for six over midwicket but the bowler, keeping his head, tossed the next ball up a little slower and little further outside off stump and drew the batsman into the shot once more. This time Taylor was unable to connect so cleanly and top-edged the ball to deep midwicket where Jonny Bairstow, as reliable a catcher as England have, held on safely.

James Tredwell accounted for Brendon McCullum who had won the game for New Zealand in Hamilton with an innings of 74 in 38 balls, but might have been a victim of the larger boundary in Wellington. Certainly the slow-sweep he played would have travelled for six in Hamilton but here it again found its way to the sure hands of Bairstow at deep midwicket.

James Franklin thrashed three boundaries, including two in a row off Jade Dernbach in the last over, to keep New Zealand's head just above water but, with Finn and Broad conceding just 33 between them in their eight overs, England could feel very satisfied with the first half of their evening's work.

If New Zealand were to have any chance of defending such a modest total they had to take their chances. But Hales was dropped on 6 by Taylor - a desperately difficult chance - jumping at slip in an attempt to cling on to a top-edge off Ian Butler, and then again on 11 as Brendon McCullum, running round from behind the stumps to square leg, insisted on trying to claim a top-edge off McClenaghan that might have been best left to a closer fielder.

Lumb should have been run out on 46, too, Nathan McCullum failing to remove the bails despite standing right by the stumps, but by then it was too late anyway. England were all but home.

While Hales' late assault was eye-catching, Lumb had looked assured throughout. It was Lumb who kick-started the England chase by hitting McClenaghan for successive sixes in the fourth over - the first a drive and the second, when the bowler pulled his length back, a pull - and his fluency allowed Hales the chance to find his form. A wayward over from Butler, the fifth of the innings, cost New Zealand 23 - and helped Hales pick-up three leg-side boundaries and begin to settle. Neither he or Lumb looked back.

NZ innings: England require 140 if they are to win the deciding T20 against New Zealand at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. England produced a disciplined display with the ball and held some testing chances in the field to limit New Zealand to a total that may prove a dozen or so runs below par. The outfield is slow, however, and the boundaries longer than in the two previous games, so the target may not be quite as modest as it appears.

It was no surprise that England elected to bowl after winning the toss. All four previous T20s at this ground have seen the side batting second winning the game and, with dew expected as the game wears on, gripping the ball could become difficult for bowlers later in the match. Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, admitted that he would have batted first, too.

That New Zealand were able to set any sort of competitive total was largely due to Martin Guptill. The opener, while far from fluent for most of the innings, batted into the 19th over and contributed 59 runs to give his side some sort of total to defend. But he could not hit a boundary until the eighth over of the innings and did not manage another until the 18th as New Zealand struggled to get going.

There was just a little help in the pitch for the England bowlers in the opening overs, too. Steven Finn and Stuart Broad, both bowling with decent pace, restricted New Zealand to just 20 runs off the first five overs and conceded only two boundaries. Broad also made an early breakthrough with a well-directed bouncer that saw Hamish Rutherford, attempting to pull, beaten for pace and gloving the ball to short fine-leg.

Broad bounced back from his mauling at Hamilton with a frugal spell. He was thrashed for 53 in his four overs in the previous game, including 22 in his final over, but here conceded just 15. Each of his three wickets came with sharp, well-directed short deliveries which may bode well for a man seeking to prove his fitness.

But perhaps it was England's spinners who claimed the key wickets. Joe Root, called into the side in place of Samit Patel, provided another demonstration of the calm head that has seen him step-up to international cricket with apparent ease, in his encounter with Ross Taylor. Taylor had just slog-swept Root for six over midwicket but the bowler, keeping his head, tossed the next ball up a little slower and little further outside off stump and drew the batsman into the shot once more. This time Taylor was unable to connect cleanly and top-edged the ball to deep midwicket where Jonny Bairstow, as reliable a catcher as England have, made no mistake.

James Tredwell accounted for the dangerous Brendon McCullum. Brendon had won the game for New Zealand in Hamilton with an innings of 74 in 38 balls but might have been a victim of the larger boundary in Wellington. Certainly the slow-sweep he played would have traveled for six at Hamilton but here it again found its way to the sure hands of Bairstow at deep midwicket.

James Franklin thrashed three boundaries, including two in a row off Jade Dernbach in the last over, to keep New Zealand's head just above water but, with Finn and Broad conceding just 33 between them in their eight overs, England could feel well satisfied with the first half of their evening's work.