Brisbane, February 6:

England scored a thrilling 14-run win over New Zealand on Tuesday to emerge as shock tri-series finalists and raise hopes of ending their nightmare tour of Australia on a high note.

England recovered from a poor start to post 270-7 before restricting New Zealand to 256-8. Paul Collingwood’s century provided the backbone of the England innings before New Zealand failed to capitalise on a Stephen Fleming hundred and blew a run chase they looked to have well in hand. Liam Plunkett, who conceded eight wides in a disastrous first over in the New Zealand innings, also went from villain to hero when he bounced back to pick up the vital wickets of Peter Fulton, Jacob Oram and Brendon McCullum.

At 169-3 from 35 overs, the Black Caps were ready to book a berth in the finals, needing just 102 runs from 15 overs with seven wickets left. But Jacob Oram (5) failed and they lost 29-5 as the match slipped away and their recent run of narrow and frustrating losses continued. Captain Fleming (106) notched his seventh one-day century and first in almost three years, but it wasn’t enough.

Astute captaincy by returning skipper Vaughan and tight bowling by Andrew Flintoff, Monty Panesar, Collingwood and Plunkett slowed the Kiwis’ progress before they started losing vital wickets. While Plunkett claimed the wickets, Collingwood bowled some brilliantly defensive medium pacers at the other end to back up his good work with the bat.

After taking the wicket of Scott Styris, Collingwood all but sealed the win when he had Daniel Vettori caught by Vaughan from the last ball of his 10 overs, which yielded 2-46. Flintoff finished with 1-37, while the introduction of Panesar that put the brakes on a flying start by the Black Caps.

England had looked in trouble early in their innings at 52-3 before Collingwood and Andrew Strauss made timely returns to form. Collingwood (106) and Strauss (55) bolstered the innings with a 123-run fourth-wicket stand, both players making their first substantial scores of the series.

England will face hosts Australia in the best-of-three finals series which starts in Melbourne on Friday.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND

Ed Joyce c McCullum b Franklin 26

M Vaughan b Bond 0

I Bell c Styris b Bond 12

A Strauss b Styris 55

P C’wood b Bond 106

A Flintoff c Franklin b Bond 17

J Dalrymple not out 29

P Nixon b Gillespie 0

L Plunkett not out 15

Extras: 10 (4lb, 3w, 3nb)

Total: 270/7 (50 overs)

FoW: 1-1, 2-28, 3-52, 4-155, 5-191, 6-250, 7-251

New Zealand bowling: Franklin 8-1-45-1, Bond 10-2-46-4, Gillespie 10-0-52-1, Oram 7-0-36-0, Vettori 6-0-37-0, Styris 9-0-50-1

NEW ZEALAND

L Vincent c Flintoff b Panesar 31

S Fleming c Nixon b Flintoff 106

P Fulton c Bell b Plunkett 12

R Taylor run out 25

S Stryis c Panesar b C’wood 16

J Oram c Nixon b Plunkett 5

B McCullum b Plunkett 2

D Vettori c Vaughan b C’wood 10

J Franklin not out 22

S Bond not out 8

Extras: 19 (1b, 3lb, 15w)

Total: 256/8 (50 overs)

FoW: 1-81, 2-107, 3-169, 4-203, 5-208, 6-212, 7-224, 8-232

England bowling: Plunkett 10-0-60-3, Mahmood 10-0-62-0, Flintoff 10-3-37-1, Collingwood 10-0-46-2, Panesar 8-1-38-1, Dalrymple 2-0-9-0