The veteran batsman Ross Taylor is set to return to the Black Caps for their must win one day match against England in Dunedin.
Taylor missed the game three loss in Wellington with a thigh strain and his batting was sorely missed as the New Zealand middle order crumbled allowing England to go 2-1 up in the best of five series.
Lose today and the series is gone for the home side.
Having started the series with a win the Black Caps without skipper Kane Williamson let England back in the series in game in Mount Maunganui.
Ross Taylor celebrates his 18th ODI century. Photo: Photosport
Williamson returned for game three and scored an unbeaten century but got little support from the middle order leaving the Black Caps four runs short of victory in game three.
With Williamson and Taylor reunited it bolsters and the batting with Mark Chapman likely to make way for Taylor much to the relief no doubt of Canterbury bastman Hamish Nichol who's had a lean run with scores of 0,1 and 0.
Taylor, appeared to hurt himself while diving to avoid a run out in the second game at Mount Maunganui but said he had been hit several times by the ball while batting, which prevented him from turning fast enough after some superb fielding by David Willey cut off his chances of running a quick single.
"Should be fine for tomorrow (Wednesday). It's nice to be ready to play," he told reporters in Dunedin ahead of the game at University Oval.
"I've had massages on it, acupuncture, stretching and swimming.
"I got hit during the game in Hamilton, then hit on the same spot in training twice. The leg was saying it had had enough then Willey got me."
Mitchell Santner, batting at number eight, has been the only player in New Zealand's middle order to score consistently.
He belted 45 not out in Hamilton, top scored with 63 not out in Mount Maunganui then was unluckily run out for 41 in Wellington as he and Williamson looked well set to win the game after New Zealand lost five for 23 in the middle stages.
Taylor, however, said his side were well aware of their issues and were still in the series if they were sensible about how they batted at University Oval.
"It's no use going out there helter-skelter, then falling for spit and playing catch up the whole time," Taylor said.
"All the players know their roles, hopefully I can take it deep and then the power players do their job at the end.
"We're still in the series and hopefully we can level it up."
-RNZ/Reuters
