KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's cricketers board flight NZ136 to Auckland today no closer to answering why they continue to stumble under pressure with the World Cup looming fast.
A 14-run loss to a resurgent England, chasing 271 to win, sank their tri-series hopes at the Gabba last night, a week after they appeared almost certain to face Australia in the finals.
It was their seventh loss from their last nine completed one-day internationals, most of them close contests, and continued a worrying trend of not closing the deal when in a winning position.
Captain Stephen Fleming identified their problems but struggled for solutions as he mulled over how they could lose despite his gritty 106 off 149 balls on an excellent batting surface.
"Every facet of our game is so close. There's little mistakes that creep in, pressure that's exerted and we fold," Fleming said.
"We exert some pressure ourselves but it's not quite enough. We've got to find that extra piece then we'll be a real chance in the Caribbean."
They should so easily have been back at the MCG on Friday, in comfortable shape at 169 for two in the 35th over last night with Fleming in the 80s and young Ross Taylor about to launch on 25.
The big turning point came when Fleming called 'yes' for an ambitious single, Taylor set off, they both hesitated and Taylor was run out by Andrew Flintoff at the bowlers' end.
It sparked a collapse of six for 63 as key finishers Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and Brendon McCullum all went cheaply. They still needed just 79 off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand but it was too much as Flintoff bowled outstandingly and his young pacemen followed.
"Every wicket's crucial but that one (Taylor) in particular. He's got the ability to score and increase the run rate. It was at a time where we saw 12 balls off from Flintoff we could have had a real charge," Fleming said.
"Same with Styris, we were ready to go, Oram, McCullum, tonight of all nights one of the hitters didn't come off."
While they missed the Australian tri-series finals for the fourth time in their ninth tournament, a small consolation is another chance against the world champions at home in three Chappell-Hadlee matches starting on February 16.
Then it's off to the World Cup with not much time to right the mental lapses that cost them dearly against Australia and India at the business end of the 2003 tournament in South Africa.
"It's a big setback. Six games against Australia would have been great. We've progressed nicely through this tournament and if we'd won this we'd be pretty comfortable going into finals week knowing we've competed well with Australia.
"Now we've got to lick our wounds and cop a little bit at home, and make sure we're strong enough to face Australia."
At least Fleming's form woes ended with his first century in three years, since his matchwinning 108 against South Africa in Christchurch. It was his seventh ODI century in his 266th match but he found it tough at the end with no one to build a partnership.
New Zealand started strongly through a rejuvenated Shane Bond who reduced England to 28 for two on his way to four for 46.
But the other bowlers were punished, even the reliable Daniel Vettori who conceded 37 off six overs, and three more catches were dropped, a blight on New Zealand's tournament.
Peter Fulton put down Liam Plunkett in the final over which went for 16, costing vital runs and Bond a fourth five-wicket bag.
Oram shelled a tough one-handed return chance off Paul Collingwood on 18, Collingwood going onto his third ODI century and two for 46 to claim man of the match.
- NZPA
