Cricket: England captain Eoin Morgan a tonic against New Zealand

Eoin Morgan top-scored for England with 80 not out last night. Photo / Getty Images

England produced the third-highest total in eight Twenty20 internationals at Seddon Park to give themselves every chance of reaching Wednesday's tri-series final against Australia at Eden Park.

The visitors' batting line-up struck in waves on their way to 194 for seven against New Zealand. They needed to restrict the hosts to 174 or less on the basis of run rate to progress.

A 93-run third-wicket partnership in 54 balls between Dawid Malan and captain Eoin Morgan negotiated an awkward period after the dismissal of openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales in the space of five balls. England were 24 for two in the fourth over at the start of the resurgence.

When Malan exited for 53 off 36 balls, his fourth half-century in five T20 international innings, New Zealand pounced between overs 13-16, shared by Colin de Grandhomme (two), Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee.

England produced a picket fence of 16 singles. That included a gate in the middle with the stumping of Jos Buttler as the Northern Districts' Tim Seifert-Sodhi combination struck.

However, Morgan maintained momentum as part of his second highest T20I score. He finished on 80 not out from 46 balls and was impartial as to who he attacked.

Spin has succeeded in domestic T20 cricket at Hamilton this season, but Mitchell Santner, Sodhi and Kane Williamson struggled to use that to their advantage against England's juggernaut.

Santner was brought back into the New Zealand side after Ben Wheeler's expensive outing at Eden Park against Australia.

His bandaged right knee had recovered sufficiently to play, but England offered no mercy, taking him for 11 from the second over of the game.

When the left-arm orthodox spinner returned in the 11th, Morgan continued the assault with 19 runs from his bat. Two wides worsened the punishment. He didn't bowl again.

Before the match, Santner had 28 wickets in 25 T20 internationals at an average of 19.96, economy rate of 6.88 and strike rate of 17.

That was enhanced in three matches against England, where the 26-year-old has five wickets at an average of 17, economy rate of 7.61 and strike rate of 13.

That included Tuesday's 12-run win at Westpac Stadium, in which he bowled two overs in the powerplay and conceded 12 runs - and two leg byes - to tie down England.

Sodhi offered more control. His first and fourth overs cost three runs apiece and included Buttler's wicket. They bookended concessions of 11 and 14 runs.

Captain Williamson brought himself on in the seventh over - after the powerplay - to take his off breaks away from left-handers Malan and Morgan. They were on to his ruse and picked him off for 16 runs - taking eight runs apiece including two sixes.

Southee provided the highlight of the bowling performance with a 'Richie Benaud special' of two for 22. He found a controlled length by conceding two runs - including a wide - and removing Hales with a slower ball in the third over. He also removed David Willey to dam England's flow at the death.

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