Jos Buttler made an unbeaten 47 off just 16 balls on Wednesday to set up England’s 34-run win over New Zealand in the third and final one-day international at Trent Bridge.
Man-of-the-match Buttler needed a six off the last ball of England’s innings to surpass Sri Lankan great Sanath Jayasuriya’s 17-ball record for the fastest ODI 50. But he could only manage two off Tim Southee.
Nevertheless, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper’s innings featured six fours and three sixes.
The Black Caps still took the three-match series 2-1 after wins by five wickets and 86 runs at Lord’s and Southampton respectively as England suffered their first home ODI series loss in four years.
For England, victory stopped the rot ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday.
“Getting a win was very important and I thought we played pretty well,” said England captain Alastair Cook at the presentation ceremony.
“Jos’s knock was the difference between the sides.”
Buttler added: “I got a good opportunity with a licence at the end of the innings to go out and express myself.”
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was disappointed with Wednesday’s result but remained upbeat ahead of the Black Caps’ Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Sunday.
“We were good for the majority of the game but Buttler’s innings was world class,” McCullum said.
“We possess some destructive players and England do as well but, overall, we take a lot of confidence and look forward to the Champions Trophy.”
New Zealand, chasing 288 for victory in the day/night fixture, finished all out for 253 after England finally saw the back of man-of-the-series Martin Guptill.
The Kiwi opener had twice made them pay with an unbeaten 103 at Lord’s and a New Zealand record 189 not out at Southampton.
But on Wednesday, he made just 38 before he was bowled by an off-break from James Tredwell.
That still left Guptill with a series average of 330.
Encouragingly for England, pacemen Stuart Broad (knee) and Steven Finn (shin) returned after missing the first two matches through injury.
And when Broad had James Franklin caught by captain Alastair Cook, New Zealand were 6-122.
Ross Taylor kept New Zealand in the hunt with 71 off 84 balls including three sixes and two fours – his third 50 of the series.
