New Zealand won the battle of malfunctioning top orders at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday night after England's allrounders failed to repair their innings as recalled Kiwi Jacob Oram had done.

Chasing a mediocre total of 210 that would not have been achieved without Oram's career-high 86, in his first match since recovering from a hamstring complaint, England slid to 120 in 37.5 overs after left-armer James Franklin (3-17) had set things in motion.

From 3-76, spinner Daniel Vettori then mopped up the rest with flight, change of pace and a little spin, collecting handsome figures of 4-24 to hasten a collapse of 7-44.

Oram (1-17) and Shane Bond (2-32) also played their part in keeping the runs down in front of a crowd of 12,319 - the biggest in Adelaide for an international not involving Australia since 1984.

Victory plus a bonus point put New Zealand ahead of England with five points to four at the midpoint of the competition.

The collective poor form of the Kiwi batsmen had earlier left them in desperate trouble at 5-67 in the 24th over before Oram and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum (30) added 120 to leave the game open for both sides.

English captain Andrew Flintoff (4-21) and seamers Jon Lewis (1-31) and Jimmy Anderson (2-46) all bowled with thrift.

Enjoying an early helping of luck when umpire Daryl Harper refused a perfectly good appeal for caught behind off Mal Loye, England was unable to take advantage.

Franklin claimed Loye caught at slip, Andrew Strauss lbw and Ian Bell also edging in the next three overs.

Collingwood's barren run since giving his all with the bat in the Adelaide Test continued when Vettori struck him in front of middle for the lbw, and Flintoff's aversion to making runs while captain saw him offer up an inside edge that was taken by a juggling McCullum.

Paul Nixon fell prey to a poor decision by umpire Ian Howell, bat brushing pad rather than ball, and Ed Joyce's fighting 47 was terminated by a brilliant Mark Gillespie catch as he leapt backwards in the deep, a la John Dyson's classic at the SCG in 1982.

Success at the coin toss and the return of key men Oram and Bond from hamstring and back injuries had given New Zealand cause for optimism.

However their innings was 11 balls old when Nathan Astle pushed uncertainly at Anderson's gentle outswinger for an edge to second slip, and Stephen Fleming's frustration mounted for 10 overs until he feathered behind for a 42-ball 20 in the 12th.

Tall No. 3 Peter Fulton carved a Lewis slower ball to backward point, McMillan played around a straight ball to be lbw and Ross Taylor was well held at slip from Monty Panesar.

From there Oram and McCullum mounted a sturdy patch-up job, batting nearly 23 overs.

Oram's combination of composure, heavy hitting and the odd reverse sweep created what proved to be a more than defensible total.

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