New Zealand v England – Story of the match

England bowed out of the Twenty20 Tri-Series on a winning note, edging New Zealand in Hamilton but falling well short of the margin required to reach the final in Auckland.

The tourists ended a four-game losing streak with a two-run victory at Seddon Park but it was a hollow triumph, passing without celebration as the hosts’ superior net run-rate carried them into next week’s showpiece against Australia.

There was an encouraging performances from fit-again captain Eoin Morgan, whose unbeaten 80 guided England to 194 for seven and another nerveless final over from the steely Tom Curran, but the series has exposed clear cracks in the team’s short-form side.

We win by 2️⃣ runs!

Not enough to see us through to the final but a great victory to finish off our series!

Scorecard: https://t.co/yWLBcE4h98 pic.twitter.com/UGyAJpj1cW

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 18, 2018

Tweet of the match

Since the 2015 World Cup England have focussed on exactly one format.

Nothing reflects that better than this Australia tour.#NZvENG

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) February 18, 2018

Stat of the day

Third 5️⃣0️⃣ in four games this Tri-Series – fantastic work @dmalan29!#NZvENG

Follow live: https://t.co/PMCV9Dd8Px pic.twitter.com/jGbBs1gU7Y

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 18, 2018

Dawid Malan’s 53 meant he has now scored four half-centuries in his first five T20 knocks. That is the same number of fifties as Joe Root (23 innings), Luke Wright (45 innings) and one more than team-mate Jason Roy (27 innings).

England end home comfort

Lovely grass banks filling up here at Seddon Park for our must-win Tri-Series game!

Final chance to qualify for the final ?#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/1fV2wGMGwS

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 18, 2018

New Zealand had won six of their previous seven T20 internationals at Seddon Park, making it their happiest short-form hunting ground. South Africa are the only other touring team to triumph at the venue, with an eight-wicket victory in 2012.

Magic Munro

Colin Munro is in #beastmode early at Seddon Park!He’s 28 off 9 balls & has four 6s to his name so far.BLACKCAPS 34-0 in the third over #TriSeries ??v?? pic.twitter.com/oMW63xUHm4

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 18, 2018

Colin Munro smashed England mercilessly in New Zealand’s powerplay overs, bringing up his half-century in the space of 18 deliveries. He is the only player in T20 history to have three fifties in under 20 balls. India’s Yuvraj Singh is his closest rival having done so once in 12 balls and twice in 20.