The thriller was the most apt way to complete a series which helped rejuvenate the ODI format. A total of 3151 runs were scored; the most in any series of five matches or less.
Until Bairstow and Adil Rashid (12 from nine) combined for an unbeaten eight-wicket stand, New Zealand had control.
Captain Brendon McCullum made one pivotal decision early which initially turned the chase in the visitors' favour.
Tim Southee conceded seven runs from the first over before McCullum brought on Santner to bowl the second. One does not have to be a mentalist to suggest Alex Hales eyes' may have lit up when the second ball was dragged short. He pulled hard... straight to man-of-the-series Kane Williamson's outstretched hand, slightly in front of square.
One down.
The only thing leaping more than Williamson was the D-L par score as England's resources depleted, first with the stumping of Joe Root from the first ball of Santner's next over. Luke Ronchi looked like he was juggling a chainsaw but held his composure to whip off the bails after Root had dug a moat between himself and the crease.
Next ball Eoin Morgan slogged Santner to Martin Guptill at deep mid-wicket. The left-arm orthodox all-rounder had three for five from eight balls. He finished with three for 31 from the maximum six overs. It's impossible to quantify how much the 23-year-old will have come of age during the spell but if he earned the moniker Pigeon for puffing his chest out, it would understandable until his later spill.
Soon debutant Andrew Mathieson got into the action with the wicket of Jason Roy spooning to backward point with his first ODI delivery. He joined the Chris Pringle Legion of players to be called up while playing club cricket in England, this time for Sidmouth in the Devon Premier League. The Herald was told he would be 'fielding cover only' when he joined the nets sessions earlier in the week.
The word from the New Zealand camp was that he impressed McCullum at practice yesterday. He decided to give him a crack. It was a telling indication of the captain's faith in Mitchell McClenaghan.
Mathieson's debut should not entirely shock. He was the top wicket-taker in the Ford Trophy with 31 wickets at 18.58 and an economy rate of 6.08. However, bringing him on to concede 17 and complete the match in the penultimate over presented an awkward situation.
In essence the ball finally got parity with bat in the series.
England's bowlers produced the best first innings display of the five matches to 'restrict' New Zealand. It was refreshing to have a contest rather than a clobbering.
Statistics highlighted the bowling counterattack. Ben Stokes (three for 52) and David Willey (two for 50) were feisty but the outstanding display came from Rashid.
The leg spinner bookended his four for 55 in the first match at Edgbaston with two for 45 here.
The clinical display took the middle order wickets of Santner and Grant Elliott. He lured Santner (two off six) from his crease and spun the ball through his defence into middle stump. Elliott (35 off 36) was stumped by stand-in wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
Batsmen had to be more circumspect and play themselves in. England also took wickets at crucial junctures. After a 94-run second-wicket partnership between Martin Guptill (67 off 73) and Kane Williamson (50 off 65), no other pair passed 55.
The only time bat secured unparalleled dominance was Steven Finn's final over when Ben Wheeler, on his way to 39 from 28, whacked 22, including three sixes.
McCullum's dismissal for six off four balls with the final ball of the first over drew the usual barrage of social media vitriol, regardless of his achievements over the last 18 months. Williamson, as has become custom, steadied the operation. He became the first player to score 1000 ODI runs this year, finishing with 1037 at 57.61 and a strike rate of 94.
#Ford, the driving force behind the Black Caps
SCOREBOARD
