England beat New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I after a nine-run victory in the Super Over at the Eden Park, with the visitors clinching the series 3-2.
Auckland’s poor weather delayed the start for two hours, and the match was reduced to 11 overs per side.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Black Caps took full advantage of a ground having very short straight boundaries to post 146/7, with Martin Guptill leading the way with a 20-ball 50.
Losing two wickets in their first seven balls, England looked to have left themselves too much to do, but Jonny Bairstow smashed five sixes in his 18-ball 47, and there were contributions from Eoin Morgan (17 off 7) and Sam Curran (24 off 11).
But when Chris Jordan came to the crease with England needing 13 off the last three balls, it looked like the tourists would fall short.
Remarkably, the English all-rounder hit a six off James Neesham’s fourth ball, a two, and then a four to tie the game. Like the 2019 World Cup final, the two sides would need a super over to separate them.
England scored 17 thanks to Bairstow and Morgan, and on this occasion, the Kiwis could not get going. Jordan restricted them to 8, and England won the game comfortably.
Here’s how the cricketing world reacted on Twitter:
Stop it! #ENGvNZ
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 10, 2019
England & New Zealand should send us cricket fans an invoice. And use that money to buy us heart medication if they plan on keeping up this excitement #NZvsENG
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) November 10, 2019
And @ECB_cricket keep on giving @BLACKCAPS !! @scottbstyris @CoachHesson @Mitch_Savage
What is it with you guys and Super overs? 🤷♂️— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) November 10, 2019
INCREDIBLE FINISH! England get home in yet another SUPER OVER finale between these two sides 🏏 We manage eight from our six balls! Congrats @englandcricket you've got it over us in this SUPER OVER business!!!#NZvENG #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/g5Ou7VnI4P
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 10, 2019
New Zealand in Super Overs
T20I v WI Auckland 2008 (Lost)
T20I v Aus Christchurch 2010 (Won)
T20I v SL Pallekele 2012 (Lost)
T20I v WI Pallekele 2012 (Lost)
ODI v Eng Lord's 2019 (Lost)
T20I v Eng Auckland 2019 (Lost)#NZvsENG— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 10, 2019
England has now defeated New Zealand on 3 occasions in the last four months…#CWC final at Lord's, London 14 Jul 2019 (via super over)#RWC SF at Yokohama, Japan on 26 Oct 2019 (19-7)
Bilateral T20I series-deciding match at Eden Park, Auckland (via super over)#NZvEng #NZvsEng— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 10, 2019
Yes cj well done
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) November 10, 2019
Taxi ? Take me to the ground
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) November 10, 2019
Can’t write it! #ENGvsNZ
— Joe Root (@root66) November 10, 2019
Another epic series against the @BLACKCAPS!
Time for the Tests 🙌 https://t.co/X2gmxzVqLZ
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) November 10, 2019
Not again. #ENGvsNZ
— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) November 10, 2019
Haven’t seen one of these for a while!
— Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) November 10, 2019
#ENGvsNZ have produced yet another last over finish and we are on to a super over. This time @JimmyNeesh the bowler.
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) November 10, 2019
Amazing!
England win the series after ANOTHER super over victory over @BLACKCAPS. #BBCCricket #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/CivnbCRNOZ
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) November 10, 2019