Myles Hodgson In Napier England battled back from the brink of another dismal defeat against New Zealand after Luke Wright emerged as their unexpected hero by delivering a successful final over to earn a dramatic tie.

Sussex all-rounder Wright was surprisingly chosen to bowl the final over of a thrilling game, his first of the match, with New Zealand needing only seven runs to seal a stunning triumph and wrap up a series win.

But Wright, selected primarily as a hard-hitting batsman, put every one of his six balls right on the spot and helped clinch an unlikely tie off the final ball to keep the five-match series alive with a decider in Christchurch on Saturday.

With all his main bowlers having already finished their 10-over allocations and New Zealand on the brink of overhauling England's 340 for six, captain Paul Collingwood's decision to throw the ball to Wright was a calculated gamble at best.

It could have backfired badly, but almost resulted in a stunning England victory with James Anderson running out man-of-the-match Jamie How, who hit a brilliant 139 off 116 balls, to leave New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori needing two off the final ball for victory.

Wright delivered a superb yorker which Vettori could only shuffle five yards away at gully, where Collingwood picked up and threw and the ball missed the stumps by a whisker to allow Kyle Mills to complete the run which sealed the dramatic tie.

"I told him with four overs to go that he would be bowling the last over and told him he could be our hero today and to enjoy it," explained Collingwood.

"He had a big smile on his face and I told him to bowl yorkers and he said: which stump?' That's the kind of character you've got there, he loves the big stage."

Phil Mustard (83) and Alastair Cook (69) had given England the perfect start by putting on 158 for the opening wicket before they were dismissed in successive balls by Jesse Ryder.

Kevin Pietersen and Collingwood continued the attack. Pietersen's 50 came off 47 balls and Collingwood smashed six sixes to finish unbeaten on 54 from 30 deliveries.

Vettori, who had sent England into bat after winning the toss, captured two wickets but it was a day when bowlers were very expensive.

How struck 10 fours and three sixes in his 139, the highest score by a New Zealander in a one-day international against England, while Brendon McCullum smacked six fours and a six in his 58 to lay the foundations for an epic encounter.

The final match of the series will be played in Christchurch on Saturday.