New Zealand v England: England beaten by Black Caps in Wellington

David Willey made 21 from 10 balls before being run out by Tim Seifert

England suffered a third Twenty20 defeat in a row as they were beaten by New Zealand in the tri-series which also involves Australia.

The Black Caps made 196-5 after being put into bat, with Martin Guptill (65) and Kane Williamson (72) putting on 82.

Alex Hales (47) got England off to a quick start but they lost James Vince, Jos Buttler and Sam Billings cheaply.

Dawid Malan (59) gave England hope but, needing 37 from the last three overs, the tourists reached 184-9.

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Australia are already through to the final after three wins from as many games and New Zealand will join them if they can beat David Warner's side on Friday, 18 February.

England have zero points and need Australia to do them a favour to take their chances of reaching the final into their last game against New Zealand on Sunday, 25 February.

England's bowlers toil as Williamson answers critics

Jos Buttler was England captain, with Eoin Morgan still sidelined by injury, and he put the Kiwis into bat because of the uncertain nature of the drop-in pitch at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

The pitch did not misbehave as feared and, despite losing Colin Munro early on, Guptill and Williamson started to attack for the hosts.

Williamson's place at number three had been questioned following a 2-1 T20 series loss to Pakistan last month and the heavy defeat by Australia in their tri-series opener.

He escaped an early scare when he went for a quick single to get off the mark and would have been out if Mark Wood had hit the stumps from close range.

But, after that, Williamson responded emphatically with four sixes and four boundaries in a 46-ball 72 as he and Guptill, who made 65 from 40 balls, laid the foundation for a big Kiwi score.

Williamson's maximums came behind square, straight down the ground, over deep mid-wicket and over fine leg.

England's bowlers, especially Wood, were proving expensive, but spinner Adil Rashid took the wickets of Guptill and Colin de Grandhomme in successive deliveries to stem the flow of runs.

De Grandhomme went first ball after he was brilliantly caught by Chris Jordan on the boundary when the pace bowler leapt to take a one-handed catch before landing just inside the rope.

Jordan showed his agility in the field with his spectacular catch to remove De Grandhomme

Jordan also removed Williamson in an 18th over in which he conceded only three runs.

But Kiwi debutants Mark Chapman (20) and wicketkeeper Tim Seifert (14 not out), who hit two sixes in a row off Jordan in the final over, produced a flourish to get their side to 196-5.

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Hales and Malan heroics in vain

England's bowlers had not done their batsman any favours with their display, especially with the tourists having scored 155 and 137 in two defeats by Australia going into the match.

And, despite an improvement with the bat from England, it was not enough to prevent another defeat at the ground where they were hammered by the Kiwis in the 2015 World Cup.

Opener Jason Roy went for eight but Hales and Malan put on the kind of display which looked like being the launchpad for an important victory.

Hales smashed pace bowler Trent Boult for 20 off his second over and eventually hit hit three sixes and six fours, including a huge hit over the boundary from a pull shot off the left-hander.

His departure - when he was caught by Colin de Grandhomme off spinner Ish Sodhi - signalled the start of a flurry of wickets.

Vince was run out by Williamson, Buttler was caught by Tim Southee off Sodhi and Billings top-edged a shot off Mitchell Santner before being caught by Sodhi as the trio failed to fire.

Malan and David Willey hit out as they tried to steer England to an unlikely victory but the former's dismissal swung the game in the hosts' favour.

England's hopes were all-but over when Boult removed Jordan and Liam Plunkett in successive balls as Rashid and Mark Wood were left with too much to do.

'We need a favour from Australia'

England captain Jos Buttler: "Maybe we gave away 10 or 15 too many. We were just off with our skills and the wicket played better than everyone thought. We did not bowl as well as we could have. We dragged it back pretty well at the end.

"We got a fantastic start. When Alex Hales is in that form, he rivals anyone in that powerplay. Dawid Malan impressed as well and we needed them to extend it further. We did not get the cameos in the middle either.

"We need a favour from Australia to beat New Zealand - we will see what happens."

England batsman Dawid Malan: "I don't think anyone walks away when you get that close and thinks they are happy with that.

"The closer you get the more disappointed you are and the more annoyed you are with yourself. It is a game of small margins.

"We played a lot better cricket today and it's just disappointing not to get over the line."

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson: "It is an important win in the context of the series. It was a must-win, we had to play good cricket.

"The team were great, we did know how the wicket would play and we were able to build partnerships throughout.

"You always want more runs and you always want to contribute more to a team performance. I have wanted to do that recently and it was nice to get in the middle today.

"They were tough fielding conditions but the way they bowled at the death, they stepped up to the mark today."

Analysis - why England are missing Root

Ex-England batsman James Taylor

I'm not going to blame it on the batsmen. England could have done better with the ball. A dropped catch, a missed run-out, seven wides. These things all add up in T20. New Zealand were the better side.

Ex-England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent

Joe Root not being here has had an impact. He steadies the ship so much when it comes to chases. I'm not as fussed about Eoin Morgan - yes, you want your leader, but Root is a bigger factor.