Guptill task proves too much to ask for England

Guptill's score, the highest by a New Zealander in ODIs, equalled Viv Richards' best against England for any opposition, and left the hosts with a mission improbable from the outset – albeit on a very good pitch and quick outfield.

He gave just one chance, and was dropped playing the same shot on the same score off the same bowler as he was on his way to a hundred at Lord's two days ago.

By the end of an innings in which Jade Dernbach – with 10-0-87-0 – suffered most among England's bowlers, Guptill had hit 19 fours and two sixes from 155 balls.

England captain Alastair Cook acknowledged his side had been completely outplayed as the visitors claimed an unsurpassable 2-0 lead in the series.

"It was a tough day. They really batted us out of the game," he said. "Up to the 42nd, 43rd over we bowled really well. Even towards the end we were bowling okay but credit to New Zealand, they built a huge platform to really explode at the end.

"They managed to keep wickets in hand and when you've got people 100 not out and Brendan McCullum going well it's very hard to stop them."

Cook denied the absence of Stuart Broad and Steven Finn in attack had been the difference.

"It would be too easy (to say that) and it would do New Zealand a disservice," he said. "Clearly we have been outplayed in these two games. It has hurt us but we need to learn why, get better and with the Champions Trophy coming up get better than we have been in these two games."

Trott's 109 not out, from 104 balls, paled in compar ison to Guptill's innings – although it did feature only the third six of his prolific career at this level, a beautifully struck straight blow back over James Franklin's head towards the pavilion.

New Zealand, who chose to bat on a sunny morning, were always on course for a big total once Guptill and Kane Williamson (55) joined forces after the early loss of Luke Ronchi to James Anderson.

Ronchi's departure, bowled middle-stump stuck back in the crease to go cheaply to the hosts' lynchpin seamer for the second time in the series, took Anderson to within one wicket of Darren Gough's all-time England record ODI tally of 234.

As at Lord's, Guptill then had his one piece of good fortune off Chris Woakes – again dropped in the first-change's first over, his pull this time put down by Trott at mid-wicket rather than Tim Bresnan at deep backward-square on Friday.

Williamson followed Guptill to his 50 from just 59 balls, in the first of three consecutive century stands.

Williamson's contribution ended with an under-edge on to his stumps, trying to pull Graeme Swann, and Anderson drew level with Gough when Ross Taylor (60) tried to hit a second successive six over his favoured leg-side where Woakes held on. But Guptill passed his previous-best 122 not out with a straight six off Swann, parried over the line by a despairing Joe Root, and New Zealand's graph predictably just kept going up. Brendon McCullum joined in, after promoting himself one place, as he and Guptill piled on 115 runs in the last eight overs.

England needed to exceed by more than 50 their highest successful chase, and substantially surpass the 338 for eight which snatched a World Cup tie from India in Bangalore in 2011. After a fluent opening stand of 50 between Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, they were able to match New Zealand's run rate up to and beyond the 40-over mark.

But once Cook fell to Kyle Mills - much as Ronchi had to Anderson earlier – and then Bell miscued a simple catch to mid-off as he tried to hit Doug Bracewell over the top, the wickets column was always an uncomfortable one for the hosts.

Trott had a let-off on 14, during his half-century stand with Root, when Ronchi missed a stumping chance off Nathan McCullum.

Otherwise, he proceeded at an acceptable if not necessarily match-winning tempo – but others could not successfully balance risk with reward, and provided little support.