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Match reports

Nothing between them

Toss: New Zealand

15-Apr-1998
Toss: New Zealand.

Gough, needing two, missed Allott's last ball of the match. The batsmen scrambled a bye, so this seesawing contest finished all square - a fair result, which kept the series alive. New Zealand made another encouraging start, with Young to the fore, only to be frustrated by some disciplined bowling. Caddick's second spell, 5-2-10-2, put England back on track and then White, with career-best figures, scythed through the lower order. England, too, were quickly out of the blocks but were reduced to a crawl by Harris. Making the ball wobble alarmingly at a slow-medium pace, he took three key wickets in 32 deliveries and conceded just 20 in his ten overs. Thorpe, though, stayed calm and White gave intelligent support to set up a nerve-tingling final over. England began it slight favourites at 230 for six. Although White was run out, four from Croft reduced the target to two from two. Then Allott, in his first one-day international, bowled Croft to set up the climax.