In bowler-friendly conditions at the Sky Stadium, England's top order faltered for the third match in a row, slipping to 44 for five inside 11 overs after being sent in to bat. Craig Overton offered some resistance with a gritty 68 from 62 balls, guiding England to 222 all out and rescuing the innings from complete collapse.
Overton's all-round display continued with the ball as he claimed two wickets for 32 and produced a sharp run-out, reducing New Zealand to 196 for eight. However, the hosts held their nerve through Zak Foulkes and Blair Tickner, who guided the Black Caps home with 32 balls to spare, sealing a memorable clean sweep.
England's batting struggles were once again glaring. Jamie Smith fell early after edging Foulkes behind, while Joe Root was trapped lbw by late swing. Ben Duckett and Harry Brook both departed cheaply, leaving England's top four with just 84 combined runs across the three-match series, their lowest ever total in a three-game ODI contest.
Jacob Bethell, batting at five, managed 11 before edging to slip, while Jos Buttler (27) and Sam Curran (26) added 53 for the sixth wicket before both were bowled by Tickner. Overton's composure with the tail ensured England reached respectability, adding crucial partnerships with Brydon Carse (36), Jofra Archer, and Adil Rashid before being last man out.
In reply, New Zealand started brightly through Rachin Ravindra (46) and Devon Conway (34), but a mix-up saw Conway run out backing up, sparking a middle-order wobble. Curran (3 for 41) and Carse struck in quick succession, and Overton's sharp seam bowling tightened the screw.
Daryl Mitchell, who had already played two match-winning hands in the series, looked set to repeat his heroics before edging Curran behind for 44, leaving the match in the balance. But Foulkes (14 not out) and Tickner (18 not out) showed remarkable composure to steer the Black Caps to victory amid rising tension.
The result marked England's 12th defeat in their last 16 ODIs and left serious questions over their batting depth ahead of the Ashes series starting on 21 November in Australia. For New Zealand, it was a display of resilience and confidence, a fitting finish to a dominant home series.
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