Blair Tickner and Zakary Foulkes made decisive contributions with bat and ball to secure a tense two-wicket win for New Zealand over England in Wellington on Saturday and a clean sweep of the three-match ODI series.

The two tailenders put on an unbroken stand of 30 for the ninth wicket to lift the home side to 226-8 in the 45th over after England had once again struggled with the bat to be dismissed for 222.

Seamers Tickner and Foulkes took six wickets between them after England collapsed to 44-5, the visitors’ top-order failing once again.

The dismal form of Test batsmen Ben Duckett and Joe Root will be of concern less than three weeks from the start of the Ashes Test series in Australia.

England’s top four made a total of 84 runs across the three matches, the fewest by any team in a comparable men’s ODI series or tournament.

England were dismissed for 223 in the opening match and 175 in the second.

Captain Harry Brook said his players never adjusted to the movement extracted by New Zealand’s pace bowlers in seam-friendly conditions.

“We didn’t quite get big enough scores to be able to defend them and give the bowlers the best chance to win us the game,” Brook said.

“New Zealand are the second-best team in the world for a reason. They’ve outplayed us in this series. We just haven’t been good enough.”

Tickner (4-64) claimed four wickets for the second successive game, while Foulkes (2-27) removed Jamie Smith and Root inside the first four overs.

Foulkes’ new-ball partner Jacob Duffy (3-56) then accounted for Duckett, Brook and Jacob Bethell.

Jamie Overton’s maiden ODI half-century was the foundation of an England recovery, with the all-rounder the last man out for 68 in the 41st over.

Brydon Carse also achieved a career-best score in the format, blasting four sixes on his way to 36.

New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra scored a bright 46 and Daryl Mitchell continued his fine form with 44, but a steady loss of wickets set up an exciting finish.

Overton and Sam Curran took two wickets each, while the home side lost two batsmen to the same unfortunate means of dismissal.

Devon Conway and Tom Latham were both run out, caught short of their crease at the bowler’s end following the deflection of straight drives from another batsman.

Foulkes was unbeaten on 14 and Tickner not out 18, with their late heroics extending New Zealand’s exceptional run of ODI results on home soil.

New Zealand have won 25 of 29 ODI matches on home turf since February 2019, with two losses and two no-results.

“The most pleasing thing is different guys stepping up at different times throughout every chase,” said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner. “But credit to the England bowlers, they never made it easy throughout all three games.”