>>Live scores
View photos
>>Match report
nzherald.co.nz reporter Edward Gay is in Napier blogging from the fourth one-day international between the Black Caps and England at McLean Park.
Send in your questions and comments by clicking on the "send us Your Comments" link at the bottom of the page.
KEY POINTS:
7.40pm
"It was incredible."
"It's unbelievable."
"You wouldn't read about it."
The fans on the bank, after such a thrilling build-up, are in shock.
Tonight's result is the second tie at McLean Park of all time in 25 years of ODIs in Napier. The last tie was also against England back in 1997.
The tension on the bank towards the end was almost unbearable. Just before the last over was bowled, two fights broke out and police removed three men from the ground, two of whom struggled all the way off the bank by two policemen.
The call of "Kiwi, come on, Kiwi" went up and most of the bank was on their feet, shouting encouragement to the batsmen as they nudged at singles and ran the odd double.
As the last ball was bowled, one English fan had his head in his hands and New Zealanders suddenly got confident.
But it was not to be and after the last single was squeezed - the 680th run of the day - the crowd began to leave.
The England squad are still out in the middle, kicking a rugby ball around as part of their warm-down while a couple of young kids yell obscenities at them.
Over on the bank, a sea of rubbish covers the grassy area.
A quick glance at the last remaining fans of both sides will tell you that there's disappointment in both camps.
The Kiwi fans got the last cheer in though, with the announcement of Jamie How as man of the match.
7.03pm
With only a few balls to go tension is running high on the embankment. There has just been two fights and three arrests.
The English fieldsman on the boundary are getting a good ribbing from the crowd, especially Sidebottom, who has been giving some back as well.
6.23pm
A standing ovation for Jamie How as he scores his first century in one-day international cricket.
His previous highest score was 90 and no doubt the century will take the edge off the pressure. But if the Blackcaps are to win, How will need to hang around.
5.47pm
The game is delicately poised but up in the media bo, the English press are quietly (sometimes) confident.
Colin Bateman from the Express is picking England by 15, Richard Hobson from the Times said England by 24, while Myles Hodgson from PA sport goes further and is picking England by 28. David Lloyd has gone for a brave prediction - a tie, the second ever at McLean Park.
Len Osbourne is the scorer and is sitting next to me. He said New Zealand will only make 302. Osbourne's prediction makes me nervous, since he taught three of the Blackcaps at Palmerston North High.
Osbourne taught Jacob Oram, Jamie How and Ross Taylor. "We'll either win it or we'll fall well short. A lot depends on Jake.
Osbourne is the man with the stats, he said the Blackcaps are in a better position than England were at the same stage. He informs me that after 27 overs, England were 158 and had just lost their first wicket. The Blackcaps were at 170.
5.29pm
Brendon McCullum received a standing ovation for his innings of 58 as he left the ground.
The plucky little wicketkeeper had a prolonged wait after the third umpire was called in to judge if he had been stumped. But for wicketkeepers, it's probably the best way to go.
McCullum looked annoyed with himself as he trudged back to the tunnel.
His younger fans raced to the railing in the grandstand and yelled their support and gave him a final clap before he disappeared into the changing rooms.
5.09pm
Area commander for Napier inspector Kevin Kalff said there have been three arrests so far but the crowd is well behaved.
"It's a great crowd, really good," Mr Kalff said.
He said the three arrested have been people, who had previously been evicted, and had gotten back into the ground. They have been arrested for trespassing.
Mr Kalff said all three were either underage drinkers or intoxicated.
"I understand that security have evicted 14 or 15 people," Mr Kalff said.
"It's been a wonderful day."
St John paramedic Keith Groube is also having a good day.
He is enjoying the cricket because he hasn't been called on to help anyone with serious injuries.
"It's all been minor stuff. There have been some requests for paracetamol," Groube said.
He said everyone's managed to enjoy the cricket. Nothing's happened and we're enjoying the cricket as well," he said.
5.05pm
The official scorer sitting next to me has just told me that the last four overs have taken on average five and-a-half minutes each, which is too much. The English are staring down the barrel of a match fine but the stoppages don't seem to be affecting McCullum, who continues to motor along.
5.01pm
The sun is beating down on the bank, it's a proper Napier scorcher.
The Blackcaps innings is well under-way and Richard Church is on his seventh - or is that eighth - beer. He said the weather is beautiful and much hotter than Metservice's predicted high of 23.
"It's way above that, it's 26 or 27," Church said.
He's been out from England for two months now and is enjoying the weather.
While we're talking Sidebottom, with his distinctive long curly locks, fielding in front of us and attracting a bit of a ribbing from the crowd.
"Calm down Sidebottom, it's only a game," some of the Kiwis yell. "Sideshow Bob Sidebottom".
Church has a similar haircut and feels for the fast bowler.
"We're distant cousins," he said.
"He's a great sport. He's a professional sportsman," Church said.
Church said he hasn't seen Sidebottom in England because it costs too much to get into the ground.
"It costs you more English pounds than it does New Zealand dollars. It costs about 50 pounds, if you can get a ticket," Church said.
Another Sidebottom fan is Rick Nation from Fielding who got Sidebottom to sign a Blackcaps shirt in the grey 90's colour.
"It's awesome, aye? I saw him the other night on TV. He went absolutely mental, he really sparked up. I like the man, he's got guts," Nation said.
But even though Nation is a Sidebottom fan, he's confident the Kiwis can get up.
"We've got the Jacob Oram factor. He's a good Manawatu man," Nation said.
3.51pm
As the crowd cued for their hot dogs, pizza and beer, I had a chat about what they thought was to come in the second innings.
Bob Page from England's Grimsby said the Blackcaps could do it with their big hitting.
"We need an early wicket. We've got to bowl well. But you might let us win so you get another crowd for Saturday in Christchurch," Page said.
He said it seems New Zealanders are already in Super 14 mode because the crowd is mostly English.
Matt Reiri is confident the Black Caps can win if they can build an innings around Scott Styris, "the rock".
"They've got to believe in themselves," Reiri said.
"We need a good start with McCullum and Ryder and then Styris will be the anchor with Taylor, Fulton, and How playing support roles," he said.
Colin Perfect, also a Blackcaps fan, is in the same camp.
"They should be able to run it down if they don't lose early wickets," Perfect said.
But Ross Martin, despite wearing black, is not so sure. "Naturally we're going to get screwed," he laughed. "But if we bat sensibly, we'll win it," Martin said.
He said McCullum and Ryder need to set a foundation to give Taylor, Styris and Fulton a chance.
"I just hope it's a bloody good game, if the Blackcaps make 300 or 320, it's still a good game," Martin said.
In the English camp, Chris Sylvester is seeing an English win, although: "I don't know, it is a small ground and anything could happen".
He said if the English can knock Ryder and McCullum off cheaply, then they will win.
England are a new team since they walked out on to Eden Park last Friday.
"Before that they were still in Twenty20 mode. They've concentrated on their batting," Sylvester said.
Andy Ward is 100 per cent confident and said England have enough runs on the board.
"I'll be bitterly disappointed if they can't defend that total. They need to bowl a good line and length and push the required run rate up," Ward said.
He said while New Zealand have big hitters, the total should be defendable.
Ward said Sidebottom and Broad hold the key for England.
"We don't want our bowlers going for 60 plus like I think some of the New Zealand bowlers went for," he said.
3.23pm
Right, play is back underway now and there is sure to be some fireworks as the Blacks Caps set about chasing England's massive total.
During the mid-innings break the crowd lined the barrier in the main grandstand to watch junior cricket players in action on the out-field.
Several games have been set up and the crowd is enjoying the bowling successes, something they missed during the Blackcaps' effort out in the middle.
3.02pm
Sisters Ashleigh and Amanda Hill are half English, half Kiwi.
The pair have really dressed up for the occasion, draped in flags and plastered in face paint.
Ashleigh, who came supporting England, said the pair decided to support one team each but she didn't choose to support England.
"I didn't get a say in the manner," she said.
She said the odd "dirty old man" on the bank has offered her sun screen bit other than that she hasn't been given any hassles.
Amanda was a little nervous about being photographed. She's meant to be at work.
2.13pm
An old bloke with a toe board written on a skippy cornflakes box has just come round. He's taking bets on England's final score. Only one English journalist took him up on the sweepstake.
A premeditated sweep from English danger man Pietersen has seen him fall victim to Vettori but not before he managed to knock-up 50 off 47.
1.58pm
For the record, Cook and Mustard's partnership of 158 is the second largest for McLean Park, in behind Tharanga and Jayasuriya's 201 in December, 2006.
England, with wickets in hand and Paul Collingwood smashing consecutive sixes, are threatening the all time high score on the ground, Australia's 347 for five March, 2005.
Meanwhile, O'Brien has his first one day wicket and it couldn't have come at a better time with Bell for gone 43.
The crowd gasped as Bell skied the ball and as Mills got under it, caught it, fell over and then threw the ball in the air, the cheer went up.
But Pietersen is carrying on with his assault by bludgeoning a six into the blue stand.
1.55pm
A polite clap has gone up for the English 200 that has come off 212 balls in 146 minutes.
With the English going at almost a run a ball, only the English fans have anything to cheer about. The crowd has settled since Ryder's double break-through in two balls.
Bell and Pietersen carried on where Mustard and Cook left off, scoring a 50 run parternship in quick-time.
Bell has since departed with captain Paul Collingwood coming to the crease.
Umpire Billy Bowden's theatrical arm waving signalling is entertaining the crowd and as Pietersen turns up the aggression, old Billy is starting to get a work out.
1.16pm
The Blackcaps crowd finally have something to cheer about with Jesse Ryder knocking two over in quick succession.
The crowd had almost gone into depression mode before the local hero strode to the bowling crease.
Ryder has removed both the openers at 158 in the 27th over.
The crowd has responded in kind, clapping both openers off with a standing ovation.
12.32pm
England opener Phil Mustard has smashed his 67 off 61 balls, including 10 fours, and the Blackcaps bowlers have little answer. The English are going along at a touch under six an over.
Vettori has used four quicks with Mills, Martin, Oram and debutant O'Brien all proving expensive.
The local crowd are sportingly clapping the English batsmen because that's all they have had to clap at.
12.00pm
The English have made a strong start with Cook holding up one end and Mustard clobbering some great cover drives.
The crowd is clapping both teams, England for their stroke-play and New Zealand for the play and misses and good fielding.
But the background chatter can be heard while each ball is being bowled and the locals so far haven't had much to cheer about.
The English openers have largely negated the home advantage. You get the feeling that the crowd is pensive and waiting for something to cheer about. So far the New Zealand bowlers haven't been able to give them much to get noisy about - barring the huge sigh when Brendon McCullum dropped a sitter off the bowling of Chris Martin in the fifth over.
Former English bowler Derek Pringle said the English openers have set a great platform.
He said Mustard and Cook are knocking up their highest opening partnership.
Pringle said he had no idea what kind of score England will make but "they'll need 250 at least".
11.52am
The scorer sitting next to me is praising this pitch put together by Phil Stoyanoff. He said three or four years ago he scored here when Central Districts set 460 odd in a four day match, Wellington chased the target down - testimony to the pitch staying true.
On another occasion CD declared on 360 in the second innings but it wasn't enough and Northern Districts chased the total down, the pitch was that good.
11.23am
The crowd is more than healthy, given it's a workday. The beautiful green sweep of the bank is scattered with fans while the main blue stand is packed.
The crowd is a vocal one and the collective oohs and aahs reverberate around the ground as the English batsmen play and miss.
The crowd has already jeered at Billy Bowden after ruling Kyle Mill's first ball a wide, clapped loudly for a Mills maiden and appreciated two cracking cover drive from Mustard.
Meanwhile, on the terraces the self named Palmy Army have arrived.
Josh Draper and his pals in ponchos have occupied a corner of the bank. Josh said the "tradition" of getting together and seeing a cricket match started last year and will continue.
"It's going to be all right. New Zealand should do well on this pitch. We've come to see Jacob Oram because he's a Palmerston North man," Josh said.
The English camp is also well represented with the St George Cross dotted around the ground.
Mike Eno has been living in New Zealand since 1995 but he's never thought of cheering on anyone but England.
"I'll always be a bloody Pom. England will win of course with some terrific batting and deadly bowling. Pietersen is bound to get a century and Sidebottom will take six for 48," Mike said.
10.55am
Daniel Vettori's luck with the toss has continued. Vettori has sent the English into bat.
The head groundsman Phil Stoyanoff didn't want to talk to nzherald.co.nz about his pitch but by all accounts it will be a belter.
An assistant said that Phil has been flat tack working on the ground and he mustn't be annoyed.
10.39am
The series is in the Blackcaps' favour 2-1 but after an English fightback at Eden Park that included a strong batting performance and tight bowling, today's match at Napier's McLean Park promises to be a thriller.
The Blackcaps are in a huddle while at the other end of the park, the English squad perform what looks like some mild yoga.
The Bay has put on a pearler of a day with clear blue skies and a high of 23 degrees but it already feels warmer than that in the stadium.
