A contrite Paul Collingwood apologised last night for the decision that incensed New Zealand in the NatWest Series one-day match at the Brit Oval and admitted that he was wrong not to recall Grant Elliott after an accidental collision preceding the controversial run-out.

In the wake of New Zealand’s last-ball win with the final pair at the crease, a number of players — including Daniel Vettori, the captain — were seen swearing and shouting across to the adjacent England dressing-room. They then refused to go out to shake hands with Collingwood and his team.

Although peace finally broke out, Vettori said that his take on the incident would have been different had the result been reversed. And Collingwood, citing the highly charged atmosphere, said that victory “would have left a bad taste in my mouth”.

Feelings grew as the England captain opted not to withdraw an appeal for the run-out of Elliott after a collision with Ryan Sidebottom as he set off for a run. Elliott was receiving treatment on his injured thigh as Collingwood confirmed to Mark Benson, the umpire, that his appeal would stand.

It was a bad day for Collingwood all round. Last night, he was hauled before Javagal Srinath, the International Cricket Council match referee, and found guilty of his team’s slow over-rate for a second time in 12 months. He faces a minimum ban of four one-day internationals or two Test matches, or a combination in both forms of the game, and the punishment will be announced today.

Collingwood said of the run-out controversy: “A decision had to be made in a split second. It was a tight game and emotions ran high. I have never been in a situation like that before as a captain and I cannot remember anything like it as a player. In hindsight, I wish I had called him back. I hold up my hands and say that I probably made the wrong decision. It is something I will have to live with. The umpire asked straight away if I wanted to withdraw the appeal, so I went to Ryan, who said he was going for the ball, so I said no.”

Vettori apologised for the reaction of his players, and himself, immediately after the victory. He said: “I think we deserved to win, but it would have been nice for the game to have been played out as it should have been. I was incensed at the time and it took a little while to calm down. Once an opponent’s hands go on a batsman, I think you have to stop things.

“I would like to hope I am never in that sort of position, but if I am I won’t make that decision. Paul is contrite, so we all move on. It is good that things have been sorted out quickly, because if they had festered they may have become irreparable.”

Ian Smith, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper, compared Collingwood’s decision to the infamous instruction of Greg Chappell to his brother, Trevor, to bowl underarm when New Zealand needed six to win from the last ball in Melbourne in 1981 and Nasser Hussain, the former England captain, was also critical. “There is something not right about it,” he said. “A captain is responsible for making sure the game is played in the best possible spirit. Collingwood went for the other option, win at all costs, and he will have to live with that.”

A week ago, Vettori accused England of slowing down the game when rain started after 19 overs with his side needing seven to win from six balls.