Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Well, there you go. New Zealand's players jump up and down in celebration in an almost completely empty stadium. The official Duckworth-Lewis margin of victory is 34 runs and that deservedly gives New Zealand the series 3-1. The outstanding feature of the game today was Brendon McCullum's blitz at the top of the NZ innings which, in the end, proved far more important that seemed when New Zealand were coasting.

From Martin Williamson and Andrew Miller, it's goodnight. We will be back at 10.30am on Wednesday March 5 (2130 GMT on March 4) with the first day of the first Test. Join us then ...

END OF OVER:
37 | 10 Runs | NZ: 213/6 (30 runs required from 13 overs, RR: 5.75, RRR: 2.30)

  • Ross Taylor41 (52b)
  • Daniel Vettori7 (13b)
  • James Anderson8-0-65-1
  • Stuart Broad6-0-41-0

8.55pm And the rain is heavily enough for the umpires to want to chat ... and as they do the batsmen are already heading off, and seconds later so are the officials. Out come some fairly limited covers/plastic sheets and their lightness causes problems as the wind is blowing across the ground and causing them to billow ...

9.15pm The men in red come out, have a chat and a giggle and head back inside again. The wind is blowing stiffly and no sooner are the umpires off than it stops raining ... so they turn and start back for the middle, signalling for the covers to come off and, on cue, it starts raining again! So everyone stands looking rather lost and waiting for it to either stop or start and not occupy the meteorological limbo we are in at the moment.

9.30pm It's just about stopped. Most of the crowd have gone home and there's not much sign of anyone dashing out to resume play. The cut-off is 10.00pm, so time is running out, overs are being deducted all the time and that suits New Zealand as they are miles ahead on Duckworth-Lewis ...

9.35pm The umpires come out again and the covers are coming off. The rain has stopped, a stiff wind is blowing, and the vast majority of the crowd have long since headed home. We'll find out the calculation any second ... it will be something daft like New Zealand need fours runs in four overs ...

9.40pm We will start in five minutes with four overs left. Now, listen carefully ... New Zealand are already past the winning target because of the overs lost but that might change if wickets are taken so we will bowl out the remaining overs. Clear? As mud ...

9.45pm And just as we thought there would be a brief resumption, the covers off and the stumps back in place ... we are told the game is over and New Zealand have been declared winners. The right result but a rather messy end to the series.

36.6
4
Anderson to Taylor, FOUR, short and wide again and that's a gift, punched from the crease through the covers
36.5
1
Anderson to Vettori, 1 run, flicked behind on the leg side for an easy run
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New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st103BB McCullumJD Ryder
2nd15JM HowBB McCullum
3rd29JM HowLRPL Taylor
4th49SB StyrisLRPL Taylor
5th1LRPL TaylorDR Flynn
6th0JDP OramLRPL Taylor
7th16DL VettoriLRPL Taylor