Nathan Astle was outscored by former Lancashire team-mate Andrew Flintoff as the BLACKCAPS fell to a three-wicket defeat to England in game three of the Tri-Series in Hobart.
Astle was again top scorer against his favourite opposition as the BLACKCAPS posted 205 for nine against England at Hobart.
The veteran batsman, who represented the red rose county in 2006, made 45 at the Bellerive Oval.
But he saw former Old Trafford team-mate James Anderson take four BLACKCAPS wickets, before Flintoff, another Lancastrian, hit an unbeaten and decisive 72.
BLACKCAPS Stephen Fleming won the toss and elected to bat first, naming an unchanged team from that defeated 48 hours earlier by host nation Australia.
England captain Michael Vaughan, a former Yorkshire team-mate of Fleming’s, named Ed Joyce to replace the injured Kevin Pietersen.
Brendon McCullum began in belligerent form, striking a six off the second ball on his way to 16 from 15 balls.
However, his was the first wicket to go, caught by Vaughan off Anderson half-way through the sixth over.
Fleming (12) and Ross Taylor (one) also fell in quick succession to the quick bowler, both to Anderson, before Peter Fulton (27) and Astle made some progress with a stand of 30.
Astle averaged 56 against England in ODIs, and although he fell short of that mark, he led the BLACKCAPS scoring.
His innings ended when he played a Paul Collingwood delivery on to his own stumps, but Fulton followed the veteran back to the pavilion 30 runs later, caught in the covers by Vaughan,
At one point, the English attack stalled the BLACKCAPS run-rate, but a lower-order fight back bolstered the total score.
Craig McMillan made 22, before pace bowlers James Franklin (20) and Shane Bond (22 not out) put on a stand of 40 for the eight-wicket.
Mark Gillespie’s run-a-ball 10 helped push the BLACKCAPS over 200, giving himself and his fellow bowlers a little more leeway as they seek an opening win on their Australian tour.
A 39-run stand between England openers Vaughan and Andrew Strauss set a steady pace, before the captain – injured during his knock of 17 – was caught at cover by Ross Taylor off James Franklin.
Franklin also dispatched Strauss, who was adjudged lbw, and sprightly fielding by Jeetan Patel removed Ed Joyce (five).
The off-spinner also claimed Paul Collingwood 10, also caught by Taylor and ended Ian Bell’s innings of 45.
However, Flintoff and wicketkeeper Paul Nixon (15), playing only his second ODI at the age of 36, put on a decisive sixth-wicket stand of 60.
Patel caught Jamie Dalrymple (one) off Gillespie, but Flintoff struck the winning runs off the penultimate ball to leave the BLACKCAPS winless after two matches.
