New Zealand beat England by 86 runs to clinch the one-day series after setting the hosts a huge total to chase in the second international on Sunday.
Kiwi opener Martin Guptill destroyed England's bowling attack once again with an undefeated 189 as New Zealand won the toss and smashed 359-3 off 50 overs at the Rose Bowl.
England never came near, all out for 273 in 44.1 overs with Jonathan Trott — who dropped Guptill on 13 — undefeated on 109.
Earlier, Guptill made the highest score by a New Zealand batsman in a one-day international as England again paid the price for dropping him.
Guptill’s 189 not out was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s 359, their highest ODI total against England topping the 340 for seven they made in Napier in 2008. The opener’s innings surpassed lou Vincent’s previous New Zealand record of 172 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2005, and was the equal fourth highest in history.
The 26-year-old Guptill’s 103 not out at lord’s on Friday had powered New Zealand to a five-wicket win. But, as happened at lord’s, Guptill was again dropped on 13 with Chris Woakes once more the unlucky bowler.
The seamer’s first over at lord’s had seen Guptill’s top-edged pull dropped by Tim Bresnan at long leg. And Woakes’s first over on Sunday saw a Guptill pull go straight through Jonathan Trott’s hands at mid-wicket.
That was the only chance Guptill gave in a 155-ball innings featuring two sixes and 19 fours that equalled West Indies’ great Viv Richards 189 not out at Manchester in 1984, in a 55-over match, as the highest individual ODI score against England.
Together with Kane Williamson (55) and Ross Taylor (60) he shared partnerships of 120 and 109 respectively following the early loss of luke Ronchi.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who won the toss on a typically good Southampton pitch, was 40 not out after adding an unbroken 118 in a mere 50 balls for the fourth wicket with Guptill. James Anderson took two for 65 as he equalled Darren Gough’s England record haul of 234 one-day international wickets.
Brief Scores
New Zealand: 359-3 (Martin Guptill 189 not out, Ross Taylor 60, Kane Williamson 55; James Anderson 2-65) defeated England: 273 (Jonathan Trott 109 not out, Alastair Cook 34; Mitchell McClenaghan 3-35, Williamson 2-25) by 86 runs to win three-match series 2-1.