KIWIS SEAL THRILLER

Cricket
Kiwis seal thriller
Agencies, London

Eyes On The Ball: A Tim Southee bouncer lodges into Ravi Bopara's helmet during the England batsman's sparkling 58 in the fourth ODI against New Zealand at The Brit Oval in London yesterday. Photo: AFP
New Zealand clinched a dramatic last-ball victory to beat England by one wicket in the fourth one-day international at The Oval here Wednesday to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series.With two needed off the final ball, last man Mark Gillespie hit Luke Wright to extra-cover. But Graeme Swann's throw to the bowler's end wasn't backed up by several England fielders and this allowed New Zealand the winning second on the over-throw as they reached their target of 246.Kyle Mills was 25 not out off just 27 balls.The match was overshadowed by controversy when New Zealand, closing in on victory, saw their allrounder Grant Elliott run out after an accidental shoulder charge by Ryan Sidebottom, who had veered off a straight course in an attempt to gather the ball. With Elliott flat on the ground, Ian Bell threw to Kevin Pietersen at the bowler's end and Elliott was run out with New Zealand 220 for eight.Although England captain Paul Collingwood could have withdrawn the appeal and there is also provision within the laws for the umpires to call dead ball in the event of a serious injury, Elliott was ruled run out. but Collingwood chose not to and was met with the Kiwis shutting their dressing door on his face after the match was over.It was the second flashpoint of this series following last week's washout at Edgbaston, which saw the match finish one over short of a result being declared with New Zealand in sight of victory.Elliott's exit was followed by the run out of Tim Southee was run out and they needed 12 runs off the last 12 balls.But Mills hoisted Collingwood for six to leave New Zealand needing six off nine balls and that became three off the last over, bowled by Wright.Mills took a single off the first ball. Gillespie couldn't do anything with the next four before making decisive contact with the last.It had looked as if veteran all-rounder Scott Styris, dropped three times on his way to 69, was going to see New Zealand home.But when he the man-of-the-match was run out, going for a needless second, the game was back in the balance.That England, who suffered a top order collapse, made as many as 245 owed much to Owais Shah's 63. Together with Ravi Bopara (58) he put on 75 for the fifth wicket.Teenage pace bowler Southee was the pick of New Zealand's attack with three for 47 in 10 overs.Both innings followed a similar pattern with England declining to 101 for four and New Zealand slumping to 106 for four.But the experienced duo of Styris and fellow all-rounder Jacob Oram (38), playing his first match of the series following a hamstring injury, swung the match back the Black Caps' way with a stand of 67.New Zealand should have been 24 for three when Styris, on nought, was dropped by second slip Shah, at second slip off fast bowler James Anderson.