Wright Bating gave victory to England

Luke Wright produced a superbly-paced 76 to keep England alive in their title defence with a six-wicket victory against New Zealand. He and Eoin Morgan combined in the crucial stand, adding 89 for the third wicket in 10 overs, after New Zealand's spinners had started to cause a few problems. They increased the scoring rate with a measured assault and started clearing the boundary regularly in the latter part of the run chase as England won with seven balls to spare.

Full report to follow

New Zealand 148 for 6 (Franklin 50, Finn 3-16) v England

A late charge from James Franklin kept New Zealand in their crucial Super Eight match against England in Pallekele. England's bowlers looked to have taken a firm grip on the game after Steven Finn, bowling with excellent pace and control, claimed the best figures by an England bowled in World T20 cricket and their spinners enjoyed the assistance provided by an unusually dry pitch.

But, from a perilous position of 80 for 4 after 14 overs, Franklin made 50 from 33 balls to help New Zealand plunder 68 from the final six overs and set a total that may well prove about par on a pitch offering the spinners, in particular, some assistance. With both sides having lost their opening Super Eight matches, the loser of this encounter knows they will be struggling to qualify for the semi-final stages.

New Zealand were hampered even before the start by the loss of Jacob Oram. He was forced to miss the match with a stomach upset, resulting in Doug Bracewell replacing him in the side. England made two changes. Allrounder Samit Patel, who was hit for 19 in an over against West Indies, made way for the specialist spin of Danny Briggs while Tim Bresnan was brought in for Jade Dernbach.

It was Briggs, playing just his second T20I, who delivered the first over - conceding just six - but Finn made the early breakthroughs. Martin Guptill was trapped in front as he attempted to play across a decidedly brisk full ball, before Brendon McCullum, who had twice skipped down the pitch in Briggs' second over to drive him for fours, was caught at third man as he edged an attempted drive over extra-cover off Finn.

Rob Nicol and Kane Williamson both took boundaries off Finn's third over but, after the six-over power-play, England were the happier of the two sides with New Zealand 39 for 2.

Graeme Swann, brought into the attack for the seventh over, increased the pressure by conceding only three runs and taking the wicket of Nicol. Nicol, frustrated at his slow rate of scoring, was caught on the midwicket boundary as he attempted a slog-sweep.

New Zealand only managed two boundaries from the end of the Powerplay to the end of the 14th over - when Ross Taylor pull a long-hop from Broad for four and swept another from Swann - and could muster just 41 runs in those eight overs. Had Eoin Morgan produced a better throw, Williamson would have been run out for 16 as he responded to a sharp call for s single from Taylor.

It hardly mattered, though. The return of Briggs in the 12th over saw Williamson fall, caught behind as he edged an attempted cut and, at the end of the 14th over, New Zealand were struggling on 80 for 4.

Franklin signalled the acceleration in the 15th over. He hit the first six of the innings - slogging Briggs over midwicket - and followed it up with a straight drive back past the bowler that went for four. While England's spinners conceded just 40 runs from their first seven overs, Briggs' figures were damaged by his final over costing 16.

Franklin then late cut Broad for another boundary to bring up New Zealand's century in the 16th over and then pulled a full toss for another.

Finn, returning for the 17th over, claimed his third wicket when Taylor mistimed a slog top midwicket to finish with his best T20 figures of 3 for 16. Franklin could feel somewhat hard done by, however, as he drove Finn through extra-cover to the boundary only to see the umpire call dead-ball as Finn had dislodged the bails in his delivery stride.

Franklin shrugged off the setback by pulling Bresnan for six in the next over before stepping across his stumps and, in attempting to scoop the ball to fine leg, edged four over the keeper's head in an over that cost 14 runs.

Nathan McCullum sustained the momentum by striking Broad for two sixes in the penultimate over of the innings - the first a drive over extra cover; the second a pull - but Broad will know he contributed to the New Zealand cause by over-stepping and dominating not just a free-hit but an extra delivery. Crucially, McCullum's second six came from the seventh ball of the over and England may feel they let their performance slip after an excellent start.

Franklin was run-out in the final over, but not before he had completed the second half-century of his T20I career from just 33 balls. It may just prove to be the innings that kept New Zealand in the World T20.