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Williamson ton in vain as England win thriller

Kiwi skipper's lone hand not enough as Chris Woakes comes up with clutch final over in third ODI

Kane Williamson has fought to the death for the Black Caps, striking an unbeaten 112 but failing to find the boundary off the final ball, with England emerging four-run winners in their third one-day international.

Overcoming a miserable middle-order effort in which five wickets fell on Saturday for 23 runs, New Zealand - guided mainly by Williamson and the in-form Mitch Santner - gradually recovered, requiring 15 runs from the final over.

But they could only manage 10 after Williamson hit a six early in the over and was then contained to two dot balls in Chris Woakes' final two deliveries.

They finished up with 230-8, requiring 235 for victory.

England take a 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI series, heading into next week's final two clashes in Dunedin and Christchurch.

The blame for the defeat falls squarely on the Kiwi middle order.

Chasing England's total of 234 on a snail-like wicket at Wellington's Westpac Stadium, the Black Caps were batting slowly but steadily at 80-1 - until everything fell to pieces in the 18th over.

Opener Colin Munro was snared by a stunning Ben Stokes catch at short cover for 49, and Mark Chapman was removed by Moeen Ali for eight.

With spinners Ali and Adil Rashid feasting on New Zealand's indecision, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme fell for a combined three runs.

Within six overs, the Caps were on the precipice - a place from which even the on-song Williamson, who hit 112 from 143, couldn't save them.

Santner bashed out a quick-fire 41 before a freakish run-out, with Woakes deflecting a dropped catch onto the stumps behind him.

"Very frustrating; credit to England - they played well," Williamson said.

"Starting off in our innings, we were in a position of strength after 15 overs or so and we stumbled a bit in the middle which really hurt us.

"It was a game where we didn't fire, we weren't at our smartest and we didn't adjust as well on a tough surface, so that's all it is."

Earlier, the Black Caps chose to bowl and dismissed England for 234, with the seam and spin of de Grandhomme, Munro and Ish Sodhi proving effective.

England rarely managed to get their run-rate over four an over until recovering from 166-4 at the 40-over mark with some free-scoring play.

Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan and Stokes had all failed to get their strike rate above a run a ball.

New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (captain), Mark Chapman, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult

England XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (captain), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran, Mark Wood.