Tourists excellent in the field at Mount Maunganui but Santner's cameo give hosts hope
England have been set a target of 224 to level the series at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
Ross Taylor’s magnificent hundred led the Blackcaps to victory in the first of the five-match series, but here England will be confident of blazing their way to victory and drawling level in the five-match contest.
There were two changes for the hosts, one enforced, the other tactical. Captain Kane Williamson missing out with a hamstring injury was replaced by Mark Chapman while spinner Ish Sodhi made way for Lockie Ferguson. Tim Southee took over captaincy duties.
Southee was beaten by his counterpart at the toss and England - who were unchanged from the three-wicket defeat at Seddon Park - elected bowl first at the Bay Oval, Eoin Morgan giving his explosive batting line-up the option to chase rather than set a target.
The visitors had the men in black on the back foot from the off with Chris Woakes dismissing Colin Munro - to another loose stroke - in the second over of the day.
Woakes struck again as Chapman was late on a pull, sending the ball over midwicket where David Willey, running back took a fine catch with the ball swirling over his shoulder to leave New Zealand reeling on nine for two.
Chapman’s exit brought Sunday’s century-maker to the crease. No such heroics today as Taylor fell to Willey’s second piece of excellence in the field. Rashid was cut away but an instinctive stop and throw by his Yorkshire team-mate cut Taylor down as he looked for a rapid single.
Martin Guptill battled through the opening stages, he was eight from 21 deliveries before hitting back-to-back boundaries - an off drive and clip into the leg side - to relieve the pressure.
He would go on to reach his 34th ODI fifty but no further. The opener swept Moeen Ali hard and low to Jason Roy coming in off the midwicket boundary to take a well-judged catch.
Roy was just getting started. Next he nestled himself at backward point as Henry Nicholls cut a short, wide delivery from Ben Stokes at pace, the Surrey man flying to his right to take another two-handed stunner.
Tom Latham couldn’t stay around for long enough to make a meaningful contribution. Another attempted cut but he was cramped up and slapped it to Tom Curran at short third man who made no mistake.
Colin de Grandhomme - who was putting together a useful innings (38 from 40) - and Tim Southee joined the run-out parade to leave the Blackcaps 147 for eight.
That left Mitchell Santner to prove his worth with the bat once again. After seeing his team home in the first ODI, his follow-up act was to register his first ODI fifty to drag New Zealand to something of a total.
Lockie Ferguson added a useful 19 alongside Santner and Trent Boult became the fourth run-out victim of the piece as New Zealand used all but two of their deliveries.
It was a fine bowling display from England, backed up by an even better showing in the field. Santner has given himself something to bowl at after overseeing his team’s recovery from 147 for eight to 223 all out, but Eoin Morgan’s men will be confident of winning from this position.