'We raised our intensity' – Eoin Morgan

Unlike the first one-day international, which went down to the last over, the second game at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui was one-way traffic all the way. A brilliant effort on the field followed by half-centuries from Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes helped England canter to a six-wicket win and level the five-match series 1-1 on Wednesday, 28 February.

“We certainly raised our levels of intensity,” a happy Morgan said after the game. “(David) Willey and (Chris) Woakes really hit their straps in first 10 overs. Any chances that were created, particularly in the run outs in the middle-overs, we were certainly in a position to take them. This was as good a fielding performance that we could have hoped for.

“Our bowlers did really create the pressure. It is just a matter of helping them along. Doing the very basics on the field right. We did not do that in Hamilton, we dived over a few, we dropped a couple of catches, which is uncharacteristic of us. We are slowly building momentum in the series. It is 1-1, and it poses for a great last three matches.”

Despite losing Jason Roy and Joe Root fairly early in their chase of 224 after New Zealand had been bowled out for 223, England had Jonny Bairstow (37), Morgan (62), Stokes (63*) and Jos Buttler (36*) ensured the target was overhauled in 37.5 overs.

It was a welcome return of form for Stokes, who had been away from the England setup for a while before returning for this series. He picked up two important wickets to finish with 2/42 in his eight overs before stroking important runs to be named the Player of the Match.

“We thought we let ourselves down in the field in the first game,” said Stokes. “The lads jumped around that and stepped up the intensity in the way we fielded. We came out here and showed how good a fielding side we are and it contributed to restricting them to a low score.”

It was Stokes’s partnership with Morgan, worth 88 runs, that took the game completely away from New Zealand. “The partnership that me and Morgy put on, it was good to get some time out in the middle. I wanted to make sure I was out there the ends and hopefully, that is a stepping stone with the games coming up,” said Stokes.

Tim Southee, who led New Zealand in place of Kane Williamson, who was out with a hamstring niggle, was understandably disappointed with his team's performance. Wickets fell in a heap early on, and the four run outs didn’t help either.

“We scraped through to something that we could bowl at, but it is never easy when you are handing oppositions four run outs,” said Southee, who was one of the batsmen to be run out. “We had something on the board, and the effort from the bowlers was top drawer to keep coming and put the pressure on the bowlers, but the way they played, they were too good today.

“I think England bowled well at the start and did not allow our batters to get away. When you keep taking wickets, it becomes hard to get away and as I said the run outs didn’t help.”

The defeat ended New Zealand's streak of ODI wins at home at nine, but Southee was confident that it the side's confidence would not be dented. “Nothing changes to our preparation,” he said. “We have done it all summer. That is the beauty of the side, we don’t get caught up too much when we are winning, we don’t get low when we lose.”