Extolling the virtues of a bilateral IT20 series sandwiched between two juggernaut cricket competitions - The Ashes and a Cricket World Cup - could, ordinarily, be a challenge. 

But with this England side, despite international cricket's densely packed calendar, no games lack anticipation or value, such is the talent within it. 

And when the talismanic Jonny Bairstow short-arm-jabbed Matt Henry into the PKF Smith Cooper Stand to get England’s six count up and running, the excitement was palpable.

Even the omission of captain Jos Buttler did little to dampen enthusiasm, with his replacement Rehan Ahmed - brother of Nottinghamshire’s Farhan - creaming his third ball for a straight six as England set a competitive first innings score of 175. 

And with the series itself also on the line, there was plenty to enthrall the packed house descending upon Nottinghamshire’s historic home.

But, ultimately, it was New Zealand who prevailed on a night of pyrotechnics at Trent Bridge, their nous coming to the fore, and their credentials as a short-format powerhouse of a nation underlined.

The visitors wrestled the momentum to restrict the hosts after Bairstow had eased his side to 63/0 after the powerplay, and seized the initiative for the remainder of the contest. 

Much of that impetus came courtesy of late wickets for the Kiwis, who found success with the spin on a gripping surface. Then it was over to their own explosive wicket-keeper batter, Tim Seifert, to puncture the English sails with a 32-ball 48, putting the visitors on course for a series-levelling victory. 

The knock threatened to upstage Bairstow, who completed his 26-ball half-century in the seventh over with a nudge into the leg side, by which point he’d already blitzed four fours and four sixes - finding the boundary thrice in Kyle Jamieson’s first set. 

Only Will Jacks departed in the first ten overs of England’s initial assault, the Surrey man edging Ish Sodhi behind, but it was Bairstow's dismissal in the 12th that precipitated England’s downfall as a spate of wickets took their toll. 

From 137/3 after 14 overs, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, and Sam Curran all departed within 13 deliveries of each other. 

Mitch Santner concluded his four overs the pick of the visiting bowlers with 3-30, while his spin partners Sodhi and Ravindra shared 3-38. 

In reply, Seifert smashed six fours and two sixes to catapult his side ahead of the required rate, despite Luke Wood sparking roars of satisfaction from the home crowd by disturbing Finn Allen’s off-stump.

Ahmed’s first IT20 wicket on home soil put temporary brakes on New Zealand’s charge as he caught and bowled Seifert, shortly after Wood had athletically run out Daryl Mitchell from the square leg boundary, leaving the hosts requiring 80 to win from the final 10 overs. 

But the relief proved short-lived, with Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman (40*) combining for an untroubled stand of 68. 

The former became the last man dismissed for 42 - a second scalp for Ahmed, caught at mid-wicket - with 35 still required, but Ravindra capped a commendable performance to finish unbeaten alongside Chapman.