Jofra Archer’s fast bowling menace could not mask another woeful pre-Ashes performance by England as they were condemned to a sixth one-day series defeat in seven by New Zealand.
A fiery display with the ball by Archer in his first outing of the winter only served to reduce the margin of defeat but another failure by a batting group including a top five that all head to Australia next week is a cause for concern.
The result was inevitable at the halfway stage, after England were dismissed for just 175, but the 30-year-old nevertheless charged in during two five-over spells three weeks shy of the first Test against Australia in Perth, beginning with a wicket maiden that also featured a worthy review against Kane Williamson that revealed the ball to be marginally passing over the top of the stumps.
Following an initial burst into the wind of one for eight, in which his average speed was an impressive 87.6 miles per hour, Archer maintained hostility upon switching ends, consistently troubling the New Zealanders with extra bounce and finishing with figures of 10-4-23-3.
‘He's an awesome bowler, who moves it both ways, an X factor player and it's great to have him back,’ said England captain Harry Brook.
However, more flunking by the multi-format batsmen - replicating the inability in Mount Maunganui to get beyond the 36th over after being inserted - condemned England to a ninth straight 50-over defeat overseas.
Ben Duckett once again nicked behind for a single-figure score and while others responded to Brook’s call to arms, of attacking under siege, it did not produce a change in fortunes - Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell both victims of aggressive shots.
Brook had got his team temporarily off the hook on Sunday with a blistering 135, and was threatening a repeat when Will Young dived to his left to pouch a full blooded cut, one-handed at point, leaving the tourists 105 for six.
A 37-run stand, the biggest of the innings followed but Jamie Overton, who is beginning to make a habit of scoring runs from No 8, became one of the victims of the recalled Blair Tickner, who found himself playing when New Zealand’s attack spearhead Matt Henry failed a morning fitness test on his calf.
An emotional comeback following a two-year absence - a period in which his wife Sarah was diagnosed with leukaemia while he served a stint as an overseas player with Derbyshire - featured the early leg-side strangle of Joe Root, and the premature polishing off of the tail, handing him career-best figures of four for 34 in the process.
But his fairytale return to international cricket at the age of 32 proved a stark contrast to the listless performance of England’s batters.
Brook refused to blame either the challenging weather conditions - the temperature made it feel like a pre-season county match and it has been uncharacteristically wet this week - or pitch for the awkward showing with the bat.
‘You've got plenty of time to prepare before coming over here. It's just about trying to be as well prepared as you possibly can before even getting on that flight. With the amount we knew it was probably going to rain and we knew we probably weren't going to get as much practice as we'd like - in my eyes that's just an excuse,’ Brook said.
After hitting a half-century to anchor the chase, Rachin Ravindra said New Zealand had ‘played out of our skins the last two games.’
That is something Daryl Mitchell can lay claim to whenever he faces England: the 34-year-old’s unbeaten 56 took his average to 110 in ODIs between the two countries, while three of his five Test hundreds have also come off English attacks.
England are also showing consistency. Worryingly, though, it is of the unwanted kind as their preparation ahead of the winter’s main event across the Tasman nears its end.
