LONDON, June 26: New Zealand recorded a dramatic last-ball one-wicket victory against England in the fourth One-day International at The Oval here on Wednesday to take an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the five-match series (also partly reported in Thursday’s edition).

With two needed off the final ball, last man Mark Gillespie hit Luke Wright to extra-cover.

But Graeme Swann’s fierce throw to the bowler’s end wasn’t backed up by several England fielders – had he lobbed it in, Gillespie might have been run out by a distance – 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 threatened to be overshadowed by controversy when New Zealand, closing in on victory, saw Grant Elliott run out after what appeared an accidental shoulder charge by England quick bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who’d veered off a straight course in an attempt to gather the ball again.

With Elliott flat out, Ian Bell threw to Kevin Pietersen at the bowler’s end and Elliott was dismissed with New Zealand 220 for eight in the 44th over.

Elliott’s exit was followed by the run out of Tim Southee and New Zealand needed 12 runs off the last 12 balls. Mills hoisted Collingwood for six to make the target six off nine and that became three off the last over.

Mills took a single off the first ball. Gillespie couldn’t do anything with the next four before making decisive contact with the last.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

I. Bell c McCullum b Southee 46

L. Wright c Taylor b Mills 18

K. Pietersen c Southee b Gillespie 0

R. Bopara c Oram b Gillespie 58

P. Collingwood b Southee 14

O. Shah run out 63

T. Ambrose c Flynn b Oram 6

G. Swann c How b Mills 3

S. Broad c How b Southee 5

R. Sidebottom not out 8

J. Anderson run out 11

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-6, NB-3) 13

TOTAL (all out, 49.4 overs) 245

FALL OF WKTS: 1-41, 2-44, 3-81, 4-101, 5-176, 6-203, 7-219, 8-221, 9-228.

BOWLING: Mills 10-1-44-2 (1nb, 1w); Gillespie 9.4-2-58-2 (2nb, 2w); Southee 10-1-47-3 (1w); Oram 10-0-46-1; Vettori 8-0-34-0 (1w); Elliott 2-0-12-0 (1w).

NEW ZEALAND

J. How c and b Swann 37

B. McCullum c Swann b Sidebottom 1

R. Taylor c Broad b Sidebottom 6

S. Styris run out 69

D. Flynn c Bell b Swann 12

J. Oram c sub b Anderson 38

G. Elliott run out 24

D. Vettori c Bopara b Collingwood 6

K. Mills not out 25

T. Southee run out 6

M. Gillespie not out 4

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-11) 18

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 246

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-24, 3-83, 4-106, 5-173, 6-178, 7-189, 8-220, 9-230.

BOWLING: Sidebottom 10-0-55-2 (1w); Anderson 10-0-39-1 (2w); Broad 10-0-39-0 (2w); Wright 2-0-8-0; Swann 10-1-49-2 (5w); Collingwood 7-0-40-1 (1w); Bopara 1-0-9-0.

UMPIRES: Steve Davis (Australia) and Mark Benson (England).

TV UMPIRE: Richard Kettleborough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: Javagal Srinath (India).—AFP