KEY POINTS:
How New Zealand's players respond to this week's dramatic tie against England will determine their chances of clinching the ODI series today.
Having taken a 2-0 lead, losing the third game, then squandering the chance to win the five-game rubber in the thrilling finale in Napier, New Zealand need to pick themselves up again. They can't lose the series but if England get the draw, New Zealand will have missed a glorious chance to take some real momentum into the three-test series to follow next month.
"It comes down to the individual," key allrounder Jacob Oram said. "Dan and (coach) John Bracewell can say what they like to fire us up, but the guys have got to find it in themselves."
Captain Daniel Vettori admitted yesterday he had found it hard to put the tie behind him, partly because he was central to the conclusion - on strike to the final ball but unable to get the two runs required for the win.
"When you get caught up in the mix of competition, sometimes you forget how important the spectacle is. So 340 plays 340 (the Napier scores), I know a lot of people enjoyed the game. But when we get ourselves in that position, we have to be ruthless."
If Vettori wins his third toss in the series, expect New Zealand's openers to put their pads away for a few hours. Vettori has spoken often about making New Zealand equally proficient chasing or setting a target. But this is a game that must be won, and that means doing what New Zealand does best - bat second.
Vettori said yesterday he was "leaning" towards that - and that is Vettori-speak for putting your last dollar on it, if he gets the chance.
New Zealand's selection quandary is whether to stick with Iain O'Brien, who got some rough treatment on debut in Napier, six overs costing 59, or reintroduce offspinner Jeetan Patel.
The AMI stadium has short boundaries square, mitigating against Patel. Then again, on what is expected to be a belting pitch, O'Brien might be rated too straight up and down to be a threat.
The other choice is retaining Peter Fulton, badly out of touch but with a good ODI average and on his home ground, or give a first cap to lefthander Daniel Flynn. Expect Fulton, despite a horror run of 15 runs in his last five innings, to get a last chance.
And England? Having been shot down in the first two games, their body language spoke of a delighted outfit in Napier. A win tonight will send them into the tests in a buoyant mood.
NZ V ENGLAND
Christchurch, 2pm today
New Zealand (from): Daniel Vettori (c), Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Peter Fulton, Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin.
England (from): Paul Collingwood (c), Alastair Cook, Phil Mustard, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Luke Wright, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, James Tredwell, Tim Ambrose.
