Replying to England’s 196 all out in the rain-reduced 42-over match, Nevin and Astle rode their luck to share a 99-wicket opening stand to set the hosts well on their way to victory.
Astle top scored with an unbeaten 67 while Nevin hit a masterful 55 before being caught by Paul Collingwood off Andy Flintoff.
New Zealand had looked set for a crushing win after the opening pair set a blistering pace. But Darren Gough struck back in his second spell for England, picking up four wickets in two overs.
Craig McMillan (15), Chris Cairns (8), Lou Vincent (0) and Chris Harris (0) all failed to read Gough’s deliveries as New Zealand lost the four batsmen for the addition of only eight runs.
The innings was, however, rescued by the astute Astle and big-hitting Andre Adams with a 54-run partnership.
Earlier, England suffered a familiar batting collapse —losing their final seven wickets for just 40 runs — after Nick Knight scored a patient 73 to build the innings while captain Nasser Hussain (35) and Graham Thorpe (41) added useful contributions.
Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, picking up three wickets for 17 from his eight overs.
M.E. Trescothick lbw b Butler 1
N.V. Knight c Adams b Tuffey 73
N. Hussain c Nevin b Adams 35
G.P. Thorpe run out 41
A. Flintoff c Vincent b Cairns 12
P.D. Collingwood c Tuffey b Vettori 9
C. White c Cairns b Vettori 0
J.S. Foster c Vincent b Vettori 3
A.F. Giles c Harris b Cairns 2
A.R. Caddick c Harris b Adams 2
D. Gough not out 5
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-6, NB-1) 13
TOTAL (all out, 40.2 overs) 196
FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-84, 3-156, 4-170, 5-181, 6-181, 7-183, 8-188, 9-189.
BOWLING: Butler 5-0-37-1 (2w); Tuffey 8-0-48-1 (4w); Cairns 9-1-43-2 (1nb); Adams 6.2-1-25-2; Harris 3-0-11-0; Astle 1-0-9-0; Vettori 8-1-17-3.
NEW ZEALAND:
C.J. Nevin c C’wood b Flintoff 55
N.J. Astle not out 67
S.P. Fleming c and b White 10
C.D. McMillan c Foster b Gough 15
C.L. Cairns b Gough 8
L. Vincent c Flintoff b Gough 0
C.Z. Harris c Foster b Gough 0
A.R. Adams not out 28
EXTRAS (LB-9, W-6) 15
TOTAL (for six wkts, 38.3 overs) 198
FALL OF WKTS: 1-99, 2-111, 3-136, 4-144, 5-144, 6-144.
DID NOT BAT: D.L. Vettori, I.G. Butler, D.R. Tuffey.
BOWLING: Gough 9-1-44-4 (3w); Caddick 7.3-0-51-0 (1w); Flintoff 8-0-30-1 (2w); White 5-0-36-1; Giles 9-1-28-0.
RESULT: New Zealand won by four wickets.
UMPIRES: A.L. Hill and E.A. Watkin.
TV UMPIRE: D.M. Quested.
MATCH REFEREE: D.T. Lindsay (South Africa).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Nathan Astle.
NEXT MATCH: Wellington, Saturday.—Reuters