Hello everyone and thanks for joining me tonight for this crucial ODI, perhaps for England more than New Zealand after defeat on Sunday.

We'll go straight to the toss. Alastair Cook wins it and England will field first. His thinking: "It looks like it's a really good wicket. With the short boundaries it's quite hard to defend so we're going to have a bowl." He was speaking to Sky Sports News.

It could prove crucial, that toss. Brendon McCullum confirms that he would also have bowled given the chance. A strong attack from England will hopefully for them lead to a reasonable chase. That's the idea, anyway.

There are three changes for New Zealand. Trent Boult, Hamish Rutherford and Tim Southee are all in the team today. England are unchanged.

Here are the teams in full...

NEW ZEALAND: 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum *, 6 Grant Elliott, 7 James Franklin, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Tim Southee

ENGLAND: 1 Alastair Cook *, 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn

With the size of the boundaries we should expect runs. Mid-off is a quite substantial 80m, but square is just 60m, so expect some big shots through there and probably some fuller lengths to counter it.

The last time these two played here in Napier the match was a tie, both sides managing 340! The signs are good then for some big scores.

Remember, England cannot fail here today or the series has gone. The shorter three-match series leave so little room for error and even less to play your way into form. They bowl and bat very well today on what is their second chance.

There is some real batting talent on display today. For the hosts you have the explosive skills of McCullum down the order and England have Test specialists Trott and Cook, as well as the exciting Root, who has started his international career very well indeed. Five minutes away from play now.

Root, who is just 22, has an average of 54.75 so far in ODIs, of which he has played six. That includes a high score of 57, so he's showing some real consistency.

Here come the players under the lovely Southern Hemisphere sun. I went out this evening in the UK and almost froze to death.

Watling clips off his pads for a single to get Rutherford on strike early on his debut. He too goes leg side and picks up one of his own. Fantastic line and length bowling from Anderson sees just one more from the first over. A decent start for England.

Good pace early on from Finn, who is not allowing Watling to settle. Three dot-balls start the over before Watling flicks leg side for his third run. Finn pins the newbie Rutherford to his crease for a couple of balls and he opens well with just one off his first over.

Watling is not settled at the moment, as he almost inside-edges on to his own stumps from Anderson. Anderson then finds an edge but there's no slip so it races away before a wonderful stop from Root saves a couple. Watling takes a single leg side and Rutherford goes at a fuller one but only edges on to his foot; he's still on just one.

Finn belts down a quick bouncer, before sticking to quite a straight line to Watling, who clips one nicely off his pads but it's fielded brilliantly by Trott at short square leg to save four. The first maiden over of the game confirms a very good start with the ball for England.

Anderson continues and he is keeping it very straight to Rutherford who cannot open his arms to the off side as he loves to do. He can seemingly only pick out fielders, whether he goes leg or off side but does manage to beat them with an unorthodox shot to the backward square boundary. That's the first boundary of the day.

Fantastic delivery from Finn seams away from Rutherford and misses the edge, before he follows up with a ferocious bouncer at the perfect height. Rutherford then swings and misses with a chop before being beaten by pace off the last ball that hammers his body. Textbook pace bowling from Finn so far.

An early breakthrough that these two seamers deserve. Anderson keeps the disciplined straight line and Watling eventually tries to play where there wasn't enough space and edges to Cook at slip who takes the catch down low. Kane Williamson is in next and he's a threat.

Williamson is straight into the deep end with the pumped up Anderson steaming in. The line continues to be perfect, before a wider one tempts the batsman into a wild swing and a miss. A wicket-maiden for Anderson and that is superb bowling.

Bell this time with good work in the field saves a couple and possibly more. Finn is still finding excellent pace with his new, shorter run-up and Rutherford has to be alert again to another good bouncer. A fuller one is punched down the ground by the debutant for two runs and then a wider delivery flashes past the Bell dive to the cover boundary. It was good from Finn until the final two balls.

Williamson gets off the mark with a single before Anderson comes back over the wicket to the left-handed Rutherford and gets one to flash past his bat off the seam. Cook has moved to mid-off but takes a flying catch to dismiss Rutherford. Ross Taylor is in.

Williamson gets another single, then Finn tries another bouncer to Taylor but it's slightly leg side and given as a wide. The batsman still look reluctant to go for quick singles and we haven't seen a lot of scrambling so far. Another good over from Finn. That's the end of the first powerplay.

Anderson opens the over slightly short and wide, but Williamson cannot capitalise and hits into the ground. More good fielding, this time from Morgan in the covers, stops a four and it's another maiden over. Test match run rate, so far. Just 21 off 11 overs.

Still no bowling change as Finn continues this successful spell of seam. He gets his feet wrong on the fourth ball and forgets his new run-up, but there's no damage done and indeed not much to the score either as just one comes off the over; Taylor scrambling for a single off the final ball.

Now there is a bowling change but there will be no let-up in the pace for the New Zealanders as Chris Woakes is the new man in. Taylor looks to attack him but finds only the covers with his first two shots. He again hits straight at Bell off a loose one but picks up a single off the penultimate ball. Williamson hits his first boundary with a premeditated pull to the leg side.

Finn too is out of the attack to be replaced by Stuart Broad. His second ball is cut to the fence for four by Taylor when there really wasn't a lot of room for manoeuvre. Taylor picks up another two with a fine straight drive and takes another double to third man. Eight off Broad's first over and the pace is picking up now, as it had to.

Morgan continues to impress in the field as he dives to his left to stop a run. Woakes flashes one past Williamson's outside edge and the batsman then gets off strike with a drive to deep extra cover. Taylor gets one of his own and that's a good over from Woakes.

Broad bowls a wide and the batsman trade a couple of singles, but that's a far better length from Broad, who was bowling too short in his last over.

Woakes continues but gets a bouncer wrong, in the end plopping up a nice one for Taylor to pull to the boundary. Another poor ball, this time wider, also gets the deserved treatment from Taylor to the backward square boundary.

Williamson and Taylor seem more keen to run than their teammates earlier on as they trade a number of singles before the former gets in a bit of trouble putting a short one in the air, but it bounces well clear of any fielders.

It's now time for some spin; Graeme Swann replaces Woakes. Williamson gets a single off the first ball and a couple more come from the over but it's a good start for Swann, who in truth wasn't finding a lot of turn from this immaculate looking pitch.

Williamson pushes Broad's first ball of the over to deep extra cover for a single. Taylor gets himself pinned back at his crease, unable to find any gaps in the field, but then picks up one with a cut through covers to the man on the boundary. It's still very slow at just about three an over.

Swann continues and it's good batting from both men to exchange several single and rotate the strike. Five come from the over and they're keeping the score ticking right now.

Broad is given another over. Taylor and then Williamson work singles before the former keeps the strike with another one off the final ball. Still just six boundaries in the New Zealand innings so far. I know McCullum is a huge hitter, but he cannot do it all himself.

There's definitely an intention to start scoring more from these batsmen as they edge to the 50 partnership from 80 balls. Taylor gets a leading edge but it falls well safe, before Williamson sends him straight back with a run of his own. Another single from Taylor means five from Swann's latest over.

Woakes comes back into the attack, replacing Broad for his fourth over. Taylor gets an early single to give Williamson a chance to play himself in; he's been quite scratchy so far. However, he dispatches Woakes to the leg side with another premeditated move across his stumps. Eight come from the over, much better from the hosts.

Now they're going for it. Williamson takes a step down the pitch and dispatches Swann to the boundary about a foot short of the rope for four. He goes for another shot later in the over but his shot to leg dropped just short of Bell in the field.

Williamson plays a clever shot late into the ground over gully for a single. Taylor follows up with a nice square cut but gets just the one for it. Back to Williamson and he thrashes at fresh air going for the off-side boundary, before again coming wide of his stumps; this time, however, he plays on to his stumps. It's Grant Elliott, not McCullum.

Elliott sees out the final two balls of the over to complete a very good one for Woakes: two from it and a wicket.

The wicket has slowed the runs once more. Swann bowls well to the two batsman, who get a single each for just two from the over.

Elliott gets an early single from Woakes's next over with a cut that is stopped at the boundary. Taylor goes leg side for one of his own and they run another with Elliott pushing into the gap. Four in total from the over and 22 remain for the Kiwis.

Another excellent over from Swann. With Williamson gone, these two aren't keen to attack the spinner. Two more come from his over and New Zealand still haven't reached 100. However, there is batting firepower to come lower in the order.

A lovely drive from Elliott is stopped just short of the boundary for three runs and the hosts' 100. Three more come throughout the rest of the over and the scoring will surely pick up from this point onwards.

Taylor pushes down the ground from the first ball of Swann's next over and Elliott places well into the huge gap at deep extra cover. Broad fields well on the fine leg boundary to save a run and another single finishes a rather expensive Swann over.

The batsmen exchange singles at the start of Broad's new over, with the seamer still lacking a touch of pace at the moment. Taylor cuts, but Morgan is there to stop anything above a single and a good bouncer ends the over with just three from it.

FIFTY FOR TAYLOR: Elliott gets away with a thick top-edge from a sweep that drops comfortably safe of any fielders in the end. Taylor picks up a single to move to his half-century. He hasn't raced there, but it's not too bad from 81 balls.

A very well-placed shot from Elliott is stopped by Woakes at third-man, but good running brings the batsmen back for three. Taylor plays at a bouncer from Broad, but it goes over his head attempting the pull. The following ball he connects with a fuller one to launch it over midwicket for a massive six! Root saves one more run with more good fielding but it's a very expensive over with 13 from it in all.

Big, big appeal as Taylor looks to be caught plum by Swann attempting a sweep. It goes to review but hotspot shows an inside edge and he survives. As it turns out, that's a great decision. Swann gets a big amount of spin from a quicker one, but the following ball is slog-sweeped for four. Taylor keeps the strike with a single. Time for drinks.

Finn comes back into the attack in place of Broad for the new powerplay. Quick running gets both men a single before Elliott attempts a pull, gets underneath it and puts it straight in the air for Bairstow to catch. Now here comes McCullum.

Anderson is also given the ball for this batting powerplay. He keeps a good line to the dangerman McCullum but he eventually gets off the mark with a single. Just two from it as the Finn/Anderson economy continues.

Taylor works a single to get his captain a few balls to have a go at Finn. He's still trying to settle but swipes a superb drive through extra cover off the final ball of an otherwise excellent Finn over.

McCullum is finding his shots now, with a good shot right back past Anderson for four. The first one I think that has gone to that rope. He picks up two more to the leg side then goes for a big pull but the delivery is not nearly short enough. Nine off the over with 11 left.

Finn is persisting with a slightly shorter length than his earlier spell and the one that he does pitch up is latched on to by McCullum for two. The Kiwis skipper then swings at another full one but it misses everything somehow. Superb cut shot from McCullum off the final ball of the powerplay that flashed to the rope for four.

Swann is back in and these two are spanking him all over the place. Taylor hits two fours before McCullum advances, slips while hitting, but still manages to clear the rope for six! Swann's allotted overs end with the most expensive of them all; 17 from it.

Woakes comes in for Finn and Taylor goes on the attack, but his shot is stopped at the boundary for one. McCullum grabs two with a lob into a gap at midwicket and then clatters a full toss right into the crowd for six. Woakes tries a shorter one but that too is smashed to the rope, this time for four. An edge through where the slips would have been brings up another four and his side's 200. The over ends with a club over deep extra cover for four more. Just the 21 runs from that over.

FIFTY FOR MCCULLUM: It's Broad who replaces Swann and he clips Taylor's heel with a yorker that looks a painful blow. The next ball is a high full toss that McCullum does really well to hit away from his head. Bell is on the boundary for the next smash but it clears him and the rope for McCullum's 50 off 26 balls. Four more come by clipping a bouncer over Butler, which prompts Broad to go wide with the next one. McCullum cuts a four through a gap in the field and the Kiwis are absolutely flying. A good yorker ends the over, with McCullum reaching 61 from just 28.

McCullum gets off strike with a single and Taylor then swipes at a cut but misses the ball completely. Finn bowls the same short, wide delivery and this time Taylor makes contact and finds the boundary. McCullum is back on strike and misses with a cut before fending to the off side for a single. Finn's overs are done and he's bowled very well.

Broad bowls a half-volley that McCullum smashes into the crowd for six. The next delivery is better as the hosts' captain can only dig out the yorker for a single. Taylor also picks one up to get his skipper back on strike, who finds the boundary again with a four off another slightly wide attempted yorker. He is finally dismissed trying a slog to leg that Woakes reels in just shy of the boundary. Another five overs of McCullum and England would have been in serious trouble; now, it's looking a little better. James Franklin comes in.

Minor appeal from Broad ends the over. One of the biggest hitters in world cricket has gone and England should keep this under 280 now, which would be ok.

Franklin gets his first run with a late cut. He tries again later in the over but completely misses the ball and the next delivery he is out. He attempts a pull put it's half-hearted, falling to Root at deep backward square for a simple catch. Nathan McCullum is in now.

Anderson comes back in to bowl his remaining overs and McCullum gets himself off the mark with a quick single. One of the best shots of the day from the other McCullum, pulling to the short square boundary for six. However, he's out next ball, clipping behind to Buttler. The next batsman is Southee.

No run off the last ball and we have three overs of this innings remaining. Currently, despite Brendon McCullum's sublime knock, it looks slightly below par.

Woakes's attempted yorker is too wide and Taylor slaps it for four. Taylor moves on to 96 with an edge on to his pads for a single, but replays suggest that maybe it was only pad and he's got away with it. Southee picks up two but is then clean bowled with a fine middle-stump yorker. Mills is in now.

HUNDRED FOR TAYLOR: Mills gets off the mark straight away with a single and Taylor reaches his century with a fine shot through point for four.

A really good knock for Taylor ends with a straightforward clip behind to Buttler. His century came from 117 balls, an excellent input. Boult is the last man.

Boult plops a simple one to Woakes at mid-on and New Zealand's innings ends. It's higher than it looked at around 30 overs, but it's probably par or just below I make it. England should be able to chase this, but you never know.

Join me in around 30 minutes for England's response. Until then.

Hello and welcome back to our coverage of this second ODI between New Zealand and England.

England must win this match to level the series; if they lose they will be unable to win the three-match ODI series. Brendon McCullum's superb 74 has given the hosts a good total to defend, even if for a while they were batting very slowly indeed.

Captain Cook is making his way out to the middle and he is joined by Bell. England need 270 to win at a rate of 5.40 an over.

Cook gets off the mark from the second ball of the innings with a very well timed cut that just about gets to the boundary. Those are the only runs from an otherwise normal Mills over.

The left-handed Boult comes in from the other end to Bell. The Warwickshire man swings wildly at one that is well wide of off stump, but doesn't make contact. Bell is unable to get off the mark in an excellent first over from Boult.

Cook starts Mills's next over in a watchful manner before playing a clone of a shot to bring up a very similar four; the only difference being that it raced to the boundary that time. Cook cuts for the third time to the off side boundary, this time ever so slightly squarer after the field was moved. Eight from the over and it's a good start from Cook and England.

Boult gets the ball to swing back in to the right-handed Bell and very nearly gets one through but for an inside edge. Bell picks out a fielder at mid-off while looking for his first runs, and then he does manage to get one through the gap for three.

Bell takes a single off his legs off the bowling of Mills before Cook again plays the cut shot across the line, but this time Williamson fields superbly to save a certain four. Good over from Mills.

Bell tries to cut Boult through point, but picks up only a single after some good fielding. The bowler then gets one to flash past Cook's outside edge. Back on strike, Bell dinks to leg side but the batsmen only run two, presumably thinking it was going to the boundary.

Cook edges Mills and it squeezes through the same gap he has been aiming for with his early cuts. Bell tries to advance but the bowler dropped it short enough that the batsman could only defend. He gets off strike with a quick single to the leg side and Cook drills one superbly in the air over extra cover, but safe to the boundary for four. It made a wonderful sound off the bat, that one.

Great shot from Bell, who leans back and plants the ball in the air well over extra cover for four. Even better on the next ball as he drives on the up along the ground just wide of mid-off. He notches a single to take strike in the next over.

Franklin comes in as an early bowling change for New Zealand. His line and length is good straight away but a good, quick run from Bell gets him off strike as he was starting to get pinned back. Cook cannot add any more and that's a good first over for Franklin.

Now Southee comes in at the other end. His second delivery is a peach, skipping off the seam just away from Bell's outside edge, and the batsman chases the next one with a swing and miss. Southee straightens slightly and Bell drops one over the infield for a very aesthetic four, which he follows up with a move textbook clip to the rope.

Good rotating of the strike from Franklin's next over before Bell is almost undone by one directed at his pads. He survives, however, and England are up on New Zealand at this point. A long way to go, however.

Cook bides his time to wait for a wide one and he dispatches one by bouncing it over point for four and England's 50. He gets off strike with a single and Bell returns the favour, giving the visitors six from the over and they are ticking along nicely at the moment.

A good shot from Bell gets him three and a similar shot from Cook to the other side gives him another couple. The captain then pulls in the air; it stays there for a while but he escapes just about and runs a final single to end the over.

A pull from Cook picks him up a single and Bell rotates the strike with a soft push to the leg side. Four from the over in total and there has been little threat to the batsmen so far; equally there has been little need to shift through the gears as yet.

McCullum throws the ball to his brother for a bit of spin. A couple of singles come from the first two balls before Bell finds the gap through extra cover superbly and gets four.

Williamson gets the ball from the other end and again the openers look to trade in singles. The over flies by and four come from it.

New Zealand refer after McCullum catches Bell on the pad as he attempts a sweep, and replays show that the ball hit the pad outside the line. Just one from the over as drinks are called.

Williamson continues, with Bell taking a quick single. Cook attempts a couple of cuts from deliveries a bit close to his stumps but eventually rotates the strike with one of his own. It's been slow progress since the spinners have been in.

As I say that Cook lofts a fantastic six across the line over cow corner. A single each ends the over with eight off it. England are ticking over and keeping the required run rate below six per over.

Bell doesn't commit properly to a slog sweep and as such cannot clear the boundary rope and instead picks out Rutherford. Jonathan Trott in.

McCullum is pitching it up to Trott, keeping him at his crease but the batsman gets off the mark with an ugly looking reverse sweep that goes just over Brendon McCullum's head. That was the only run from another good over from McCullum.

Trott and Bell exchange singles to start Williamson's next over. A few more come from it as England edge slowly towards the first 100.

They're still dealing in singles, the batsmen, as the required run rate heads towards 6.5. Five from the over does indeed bring up the 100 with just over half the overs remaining.

Cook goes after one from Williamson with the cut but doesn't get much on it and it falls short of the fielder at backward point. Cook moves to 49, before Trott retains strike with a single off the last ball.

FIFTY FOR COOK: A single to the off side brings up the captain's 50. He's played well so far and looks comfortable. That's the half-way point of the innings now and England are just about on course at the moment.

Good fielding from Rutherford at the boundary saves a run with a Trott clip towards the boundary. He gets three, however, and England seven from the over in total. I think that's their best against spin all innings.

Some good running between the creases gets Cook back for two from a poorly timed pull shot. A drive through extra cover, however, is timed immaculately and races away for four. Cook then opts for the sweep and collects another two fine to leg side.

Boult comes back into the attack to replace Williamson. Very quick running between the batsmen turn a push from Cook into two runs when only one looked on. England might start cranking it up a couple of notches soon, they still require 141.

Nathan McCullum continues and so does the patience of the England batsmen. This time just the two runs come from the over. With 21 left will these two start to attack soon?

Maybe so. Cook cracks a textbook cover drive to the boundary for four runs. Both players look to rotate the strike with singles and they don't seem troubled by Boult at the moment and hit a comfortable nine from his latest over.

McCullum starts his ninth over of this spell. The batsmen seem to have the measure of him, too, with doubles and singles arriving with apparent ease now. Five from the over; not above the required rate, but good enough for now.

Southee replaces Boult and immediately comes around the wicket to the left-handed Cook. The gaps in the field have closed up which has made boundaries hard to come by of late for England. Southee attempts a yorker, it ends up as a full toss and Cook manages to bottom-end it back to the bowler for an unlikely wicket! Root is in now, will we see the runs pick up?

Root clips to midwicket to get himself immediately off the mark. That's a good bowling change from McCullum, Southee has got an immediate impact.

The other McCullum, Nathan, comes in for his last of his 10 allowed overs. Root reverse-sweeps slightly in the air but it falls just short of short third man. McCullum's over ends with 0-46, a more than decent return for an ODI. The runs required is near seven an over, they must start picking up the pace soon.

Risky shot from Root, flicking a bouncer just about into a gap on the off side and he follows up with a lovely cover drive that is stopped short for three. Six come from the over and 16 remain; England require 110 from 96 balls.

The spin of Williamson returns to replace the now-finished McCullum. England continue their tactic against spin, which has been to rotate the strike with singles. They've really struggled to score from Williamson so far. The batting powerplay has been enforced.

It's still wicket-hero Southee to bowl from the other end. He throws up a wide one to Trott, who sends it right through covers for four with relative ease. Another six off the over, which is still not really enough, but you'd fancy these two to up the pace when they feel it is needed.

Mills comes in now for his second spell. Trott and Root run a quick two from the former's clip off his pads and he gets another couple after bottom-ending a shot that lands safe at deep mid-off. Drinks are called.

Boult replaces Southee and Trott nicks a single at the start of his over. Root gets a couple with a neat shot to the off side before Trott strikes it a little lucky, clipping a short one clear of the fielders.

Mills bowls from the other end and Root immediately punches him for four straight down the ground. A couple more come from the very next ball as Root looks to up the intensity. He then gets another very well run two with a shot to midwicket.

Root gets a quick single at the start of Boult's next over before the bowlers goes wide to Trott. Root completely top-ends one and Brendan McCullum completely loses track of the ball to put it down. Just to make sure the drop was costly, Root hits over his head for a four. Now required is 68 runs from 60 balls.

Southee is back into the attack as McCullum looks to slow the current rate down. Root lifts over midwicket and it bounces twice to the boundary for his 37th run from 30 balls.

Root is turning it on now since that McCullum drop as he launches another one over midwicket and this time all the way for six! Trott is happy to be the link for Root, taking singles to let his young teammate play the shots. Good over for England - 11 from it.

FIFTY FOR ROOT: Southee continues to Root, who is now hogging the strike. He crashes a cover drive to the boundary for a fantastic for and a rapid half-century. Another nine runs and England now need a run per ball and they will win.

FIFTY FOR TROTT: Trott moves to his 50 with a clip to off. It was not nearly as quick as Root's, but it's a hugely important knock. Brilliant fielding from Watling on the boundary saves two run from a Trott cut. Watling again does well in the field, saving two more.

Root pulls off the same cheeky over-the-head shot for four off Boult, before a pull looks destined to be caught but Taylor puts it down at square leg. It would take a disaster for England to lose this now.

New Zealand look resigned now as Trott digs another one out over midwicket for four. An even better shot from Root follows as he middles a pull from outside off stump to the square leg boundary. That puts the partnership beyond 100. Another four ends the over and this won't be long now.

Brilliant shot from Root who lifts the ball over the cover region for a big four. England now need just nine.

Root glances off his pads for a six to the leg side, using the pace on Mills's delivery. He then pinches the single to take the win and move himself to 79 - England's top scorer on the day. What a knock by the 22-year-old.

It was a really good ODI and now being level at 1-1 it should create a fantastic final match in Auckland on Friday.

Thanks for joining me today. That's all from us, but do join us next time! Goodbye.