Scott Styris celebrates another World Cup victory over England with Jacob Oram. Photo / Getty
England head into tonight's Cricket World Cup clash against New Zealand needing a win to be assured of a semifinal spot.
There's a few reasons why that's a particularly precarious position, and one of them is because of history - England haven't beaten New Zealand at a World Cup in 36 years.
Here are the five meetings between England and New Zealand since that day – to get you ready for another crucial clash in Chester-le-Street tonight.
1983 World Cup (Group stage) – New Zealand won by 2 wickets
Even 36 years ago, New Zealand were producing exciting finishes at Cricket World Cups. This one was a last-over thriller, in the good old 60 over days.
Six days after conceding 322-6 in a 106-run thrashing at the hands of the same opposition – Martin Snedden going for an only-recently removed record of 105 runs from 12 overs, as Richard Hadlee went for just 26 from his 12 – New Zealand had to face England again, but this time, they were much improved.
Batting first, England made 234, bowled out in 55.2 overs. David Gower was left stranded on 92 off 96 balls, having held the innings together after no batsman outside of the top four passed 10, or lasted for more than 20 balls. Hadlee and Lance Cairns claimed three wickets apiece.
New Zealand slumped to 3-2 in response as Bob Willis removed both openers, but Geoff Howarth made 60, before Jeremy Coney – 66 not out – found a pivotal 70 run partnership with Hadlee (31).
Willis returned to spoil the party, taking two more wickets on his way to 4-42, but with Paul Allott bowling last over, and four required to win, Coney took two, then a single to level the scores.
John Bracewell blocked a delivery to keep things tight with two balls to go, but then pierced the infield for the winning boundary.
New Zealand then went on to lose their final two group games, missing out on the semifinals to Pakistan …. on net run rate. Gulp!
1992 World Cup (Group stage) – New Zealand won by seven wickets
One of the many victims on New Zealand's magical 1992 run, England could only muster 200-8 at the Basin Reserve, with just Robin Smith (38), Alec Stewart (41) and Graeme Hick (56) managing scores of substance.
Andrew Jones, Dipak Patel, Chris Harris and Willie Watson claimed two wickets apiece, while Gavin Larsen was his usually restrictive self with 10-3-24-0. With Chris Cairns bowling just three overs, a remarkable 47 overs were delivered by slow bowlers.
Mark Greatbatch got New Zealand's chase off to a typically fast start with 35 from 37 balls, and an 108-run partnership between Man of the Match Jones (78 from 113) and Martin Crowe (73 not out from 81), saw New Zealand ease with more than nine overs to spare.
1996 World Cup (Group stage) – New Zealand won by 11 runs
Nathan Astle stole the show at the opening match of the 1996 World Cup, hitting a superb century as he anchored New Zealand's 239-6. Aided by a bunch of small contributions – New Zealand's 3-8 batsmen all making between 10 and 36 – Astle crafted 101, a maiden World Cup century at the age of 24.
England reached 100-1 in response, but Alec Stewart's 34 from 71 balls at the top of the order was too slow, and what looked to be a potentially salvaging knock from Graeme Hick – 85 from 102 balls – ended with a runout. Gavin Larsen took 2-33 from 10 overs, Dion Nash claimed 3-26 from seven, and England eventually ran out of time, falling 11 runs short.
2007 (Group stage) – New Zealand won by six wickets
England's opening match at the 2007 World Cup turned out to be a sign of what was to become another disappointing exit before the semifinals.
Actually, their first ball might have been the indicator, with Ed Joyce caught behind off James Franklin's first legitimate delivery of the Cup. Kevin Pietersen (60 from 92 balls), Paul Collingwood (31 from 54) and Michael Vaughan (26 from 52 balls) fared better, but it was all rather slow, thanks to an incredible spell from Shane Bond, who claimed 2-19 from 10 overs. Franklin also claimed two wickets, and Scott Styris took 2-25 from seven overs, as only an eighth wicket stand from Paul Nixon (42* from 41) and Liam Plunkett (29* from 34) dragged them from 138-7 to 209-7.
It looked more than enough when New Zealand were in serious strife at 19-3, with Stephen Fleming gone for seven, Lou Vincent caught behind for a fourth-ball duck, and Ross Taylor producing one of the golden variety.
Craig McMillan (27 from 34) started to turn things around as New Zealand tried to see off Andrew Flintoff (8-1-17-0), before Styris and Jacob Oram attacked the English part-timers. Styris made an unbeaten 87 from 113 balls, and Oram 63 not out from 83 deliveries, as the pair rescued the innings with a record stand, and ultimately cruised home with 54 balls left unused.
2015 (Group stage) – New Zealand won by eight wickets
"Eight wickets" understates how truly humiliating this performance was for England.
Not only did New Zealand thrash England, they did so with 226 balls to spare. Dinner was called with New Zealand just 13 runs away from victory, delaying the inevitable for the 30,148 fans at Westpac Stadium, and extending the misery for England. The game – a day-night affair – ended before the floodlights were even required to be turned on.
Tim Southee was the star, taking 7-33 - the best figures in New Zealand ODI history – as he ripped through the England batting lineup. From 104-3, they slumped to 123 all out, poor Joe Root being the last man to go after a battling 46 as his teammates capitulated around him to a superb spell of swing bowling.
Swing bowling so good, that perhaps England's bowlers thought they had a chance. Nope.
Brendon McCullum came out, well, swinging … and destroyed the English attack. Steve Finn leaked 49 from two overs as McCullum battered 77 from just 25 balls, being dismissed at 105 – after just 7.1 overs.
Kane Williamson's effort was mind-numbing by comparison as he hit nine off 22 balls, but the job was done – the Black Caps had claimed a victory which helped spur them to the final, while England suffered a defeat which led to another early exit, and a serious revelation about how they should learn from New Zealand's style of cricket.
A revelation which has now made England one of the world's best teams and a threat for the World Cup title – if they can break their Kiwi hoodoo.
The White Ferns have remarkably reached the final.