New Zealand qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy after a nervy four-wicket victory over England at the Wanderers, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
After dismissing England for 146 in 43.1 overs, courtesy Grant Elliott's four for 31, New Zealand made heavy weather of the target in the middle overs before scrambling to 147 for six in 26.1 overs.
New Zealand's chase was set up by a quickfire 84-run opening stand off 75 deliveries between Brendon McCullum (48 from 39 deliveries) and Martin Guptill, who smashed 53 from 55 deliveries.
ENGLAND
New Zealand's decision to bowl first was vindicated early, as pacer Kyle Mills struck with the second delivery of the match. Andrew Strauss received a virtually unplayable ball that pitched on length and kicked off, taking the edge to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. (0-1, 0.2)
Joe Denly joined his opening partner in the dressing room a few overs later. The England opener (5) was beaten all ends up by a fast, incoming delivery that went through the gate and crashed into his stumps. (10-2, 3.5)
Owais Shah tried to hit his way out of trouble, but without success and fell for 3.
Shah shuffled across the stumps and attempted an outrageous shot on the leg side against Bond, but got an outside edge that was taken by McCullum. (13-3, 5.1)
After the first ten overs, England were struggling at 23 for three, with included just one boundary a six.
England could have found themselves in a much worse situation but for Daniel Vettori's generosity, who allowed Paul Collingwood to stay at the wicket after the third umpire had ruled him out.
In a bizarre incident, Collingwood (14 from 24 deliveries) was walking out of his crease as wicketkeeper McCullum threw down the stumps at the striker's end. The third umpire ruled Collingwood run-out, but Vettori decided to let him continue following the batsman's protests that he had left of the crease after hearing Daryl Harper call 'Over'.
The early cluster of wickets meant England were in damage control mode, and just 13 runs came in the Powerplay overs between the 11th and 15th over.
It was Collingwood, who broke the shackles, with a boundary and a straight six off James Franklin in the 16th over.
Eoin Morgan had a tough time getting used to the conditions, crawling to 9 from 40 deliveries, before Ian Butler ended his misery. Morgan tried to cut a short delivery through point, but was beaten by the extra bounce and edged it. McCullum fumbled with the take, but Ross Taylor, at first slip, did well to catch the ball as it ricocheted off McCullum's gloves. (50-4, 18.2)
Collingwood continued his free-flowing approach and carted Franklin high into the stands over long-on for his third six of the innings as England reached 59 for four after 20 overs.
The pitch was playing tricks, stopping at times or bouncing on the odd occasion, and medium pacer Grant Elliott, bowling straight and full, prospered with three wickets in back-to-back overs.
Elliott ended England's hopes by claiming the prized wicket of the in-form Collingwood for 40 from 58 deliveries. The right-hander tried to pull a short delivery from Elliott, but got it high on the bat and Taylor at midwicket completed a good catch, leaping high to his right, with his hands outstretched. (80-5, 24)
In his next over, he got the better of Luke Wright for six with an outswinging delivery that bounced a bit and took the edge to wicketkeeper McCullum. (90-6, 26)
Elliott's third victim came in his next over when he caught and bowled Stuart Broad for one as England slipped to 95 for seven. (95-7, 27.1)
New Zealand went in for the kill, bringing back their strike bowler Bond into the attack as England were fighting for survival at 104 for seven after 30 overs.
Graeme Swann played a reckless shot and gifted his wicket away. He was Elliott's fourth victim of the innings. Swann (11 from 20 deliveries) attempted to pull Elliott but could only top edge the ball and was caught by McCullum behind the stumps. (109-8, 31.2)
The pitch once again played a part in the downfall of an England batsman. Ravi Bopara, who made 30 from 51 deliveries, fell prey to a delivery that stayed low after pitching and trapped him leg before wicket. (117-9, 35)
Everything went perfect for New Zealand except the final wicket. The last pair -- Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson -- managed to frustrate New Zealand for 49 deliveries, adding 29 valuable runs in the process.
Sidebottom made a vital contribution of 20 (41 deliveries, three boundaries) before he was caught by Taylor off Daniel Vettori as England were bowled out for 146 in 43.1 overs.
Elliott was the pick of New Zealand's bowlers, claiming four for 31 in eight overs, while Bond finished with remarkable figures of three for 21 in ten overs.
Collingwood was England's top-scorer with 40 from 58 deliveries, the rest of the batsmen failing to get to grips with a pitch playing all sort of tricks.
New Zealand needed to score just 139 to make it to the semi-finals, ahead of Sri Lanka, on better run-rate.
NEW ZEALAND
England's opening bowlers got a fair amount of help from the track in the initial few overs but were unlucky not to strike early, as a couple of close leg before appeals were turned down.
McCullum looked to attack the pacers to disturb their rhythm before they got settled. He lofted Sidebottom over midwicket for a boundary. Guptill struggled to find his footing and had no idea how he hit the first couple of boundaries.
McCullum threatened to take the game away from England in the first few overs as he raced to 18 from 16 deliveries as New Zealand reached 34 after five.
He danced down the wicket to Sidebottom and launched a wide delivery over the point boundary for a huge six followed by a boundary a few balls later as New Zealand breezed past the 50-run mark in the eighth over.
He smashed his second six when he upper cut a wide delivery from James Anderson over the third man region to take New Zealand to a comfortable 66 for no loss after ten overs.
With England opting not to take the Bowling Powerplay, New Zealand decided to take their Batting Powerplay so that the openers could attack the new hard ball.
Stuart Broad suffered in his first over as both McCullum and Guptill him for a boundary each. The England pacer was then dispatched over the fine leg boundary for a six by McCullum, who seemed intent on finishing off the match quickly.
But his entertaining innings was cut short by Broad when he was caught in the covers trying to clear the off-side field. McCullum had given New Zealand the perfect start, smashing 48 from 39 deliveries, inclusive of four boundaries and three sixes, after adding 84 runs in 75 deliveries for the opening wicket with Guptill. (84-1, 12.3)
Guptill then took over the attacking reins from McCullum as he charged down the wicket and sent Collingwood straight down the ground for a six to bring up New Zealand's 100 in the 16th over.
Guptill brought up his half-century in style, off just 51 deliveries, when he slammed Broad over his head for a boundary in the 18th over. But he fell in very next over for 53 from 55 deliveries when he edged a slower delivery from Anderson and was caught in the slips. (113-2, 18.4)
Suddenly it seemed the floodgates had opened for England as wickets kept tumbling one after the other. Broad was instrumental in helping his team fightback as he claimed three quick wickets, as New Zealand lost five wickets for 27 runs in the space of eight overs.
Graeme Swann came up with a good catch, diving to his right, to send back Ross Taylor (1), who edged an out-swinger from Broad. (114-3, 19.1)
New Zealand's hero with the ball, Graeme Elliott, could not do much damage with the bat as he, like a few others before him, was undone by the out-swinger only to knick it to wicketkeeper Eoin Morgan for 3. (118-4, 21.4)
The procession of Kiwi batsmen from the middle to the pavilion continued as Grant Hopkins (2) lasted just six delivery before he gloved one to the keeper to become Broad's fourth victim of the innings.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, New Zealand somehow made sure of a berth in the semi-finals when the score crossed 139 in the 26th over.
However, England were not giving up without a fight. Sidebottom bagged his first wicket of the match when Neil Broom (17 from 36 deliveries) tried to guide one to third man but ended up edging it to the wicketkeeper. (140-6, 26.1)
Despite their bowlers' brilliant performance, England's small total meant New Zealand were ahead in the game after their fine start. Captain Daniel Vettori finished it off in some style when he pulled Broad through midwicket for a boundary in the 28th over.
Though unconvincing, New Zealand scored 147 for six in 27.1 overs and won by four wickets, with 137 deliveries to spare.
The victory also meant New Zealand qualified as the top team in Group B and will play in the second semi-final at this venue on Saturday, October 3.
England qualified as the second team from Group B and will play the first semi-final on Friday, while Sri Lanka head back home.
