The England captain Alastair Cook acknowledged New Zealand had completely outplayed his side as they claimed an unsurpassable 2-0 lead in their one-day international series at the Ageas Bowl in Hampshire.
England fell 86 runs short of the second-highest chase in one-day international history as they could muster only 273 all out in reply to 359 for three, despite the best efforts yesterday of the centurion Jonathan Trott.
Martin Guptill went on to amass an impressive 189 not out for New Zealand after being dropped by Trott when on 13, and England were unable to make amends from their defeat at Lord's to lose their first home series since 2009.
"It was a tough day. They really batted us out of the game," Cook told Sky Sports 1.
"Up to the 42nd, 43rd over we bowled really well. Even towards the end we were bowling OK but credit to New Zealand; they built a huge platform to really explode at the end.
"They managed to keep wickets in hand and when you've got people 100 not out and Brendon McCullum going well it's very hard to stop them."
Cook denied the absence of Stuart Broad and Steven Finn in attack had been the difference.
"It would be too easy [to say that] and it would do New Zealand a disservice," Cook said.
"Clearly, we have been outplayed in these two games. It has hurt us but we need to learn why, get better and with the Champions Trophy coming up get better than we have been in these two games."
Cook praised Trott, who scored 109 not out from 104 balls in England's failed bid to reach 360.
"Chasing 360 is always a tough task," he added. "We needed someone to get a hundred, which we did, but we needed people to chip which we did but more of a chip in. We batted well and it was a very hard place to defend."
The New Zealand captain McCullum hailed the batting prowess of Guptill after he scored back-to-back centuries at Lord's and in Southampton.
"It's an incredibly proud moment for us. Credit to how Martin has played in these two games," McCullum said.
"When he's going there are few guys around who strike the ball as cleanly as he does. Any time you score 189 in a one-day game you deserve to come out on the right side of the result.
"The way we respond after the Test series is really pleasing. When we play to our potential we are a really tough team to beat.
"When the Champions Trophy comes around we just have to play as well."
