England have given themselves a great chance of claiming the one-day cricket series against New Zealand with a superb bowling performance in what were rated as batsmen-friendly conditions in Auckland on Saturday.

New Zealand, sent in to bat at Eden Park, could muster only 185 with skipper Brendon McCullum providing the main resistance with his third half-century of the three-match series.

McCullum showed characteristic belligerence in his 80 off 67 balls, smacking 11 boundaries including five sixes.

Coming in at 4-64, he anchored the innings before being the last man out in the 44th over.

Steven Finn finished the best of England’s bowlers with 3-27 and he and Anderson (1-37) again put New Zealand under pressure early on.

New Zealand had even greater problems in getting a good start that they did in Napier on Wednesday when England levelled the series at 1-1.

With the score at just 11, BJ Watling (1), Kane Williamson (7) and Hamish Rutherford (2) were back in the pavilion, all offering catches behind the wicket.

With Finn and Anderson consistently finding a tight line and length, Williamson and Rutherford’s dismissals came during a 24-ball stretch when the Black Caps failed to score a run.

Ross Taylor (28) and Grant Elliott (24) embarked on a slow rebuild before both fell in the space of three runs, with Elliott run out in a mix-up.

Taylor departed caught behind after losing an umpiring review to leave the home side teetering at 5-67.

AAP