Australia remain in the box seat to retain the Constellation Cup, despite the Silver Ferns storming to a 56-53 victory in game three to keep the series alive.
The Diamonds held a 2-0 series lead after winning both matches on Australian soil and were looking to lock down the prized trans-Tasman trophy in Invercargill on Thursday night with a game to play.
But New Zealand clinched a see-sawing battle, with the final match on Monday in Auckland. Should the home side triumph, the victor will be decided on points differential.
That's where the world champions hold the cards, winning game one 50-40 and game two 55-46 so they boast a 16-goal advantage heading into the fourth match.
Australia led 42-40 heading into the final quarter, but were unable to withstand the fightback from the home side, who scored 16 goals to 11 to take the win.
A turning point came with 90 seconds left with Australia trailing 53-51 when Diamonds shooting duo Kiera Austin and Sophie Garbin both missed - for the latter her only blip of the match.
The ball was turned over and Silver Ferns sharp-shooter Grace Nweke slotted the next two goals to give her team a match-winning 55-51 lead.
It was a game with huge momentum swings, with the Silver Ferns riding theirs home.
The Diamonds led 14-10 at quarter-time, but the Silver Ferns clawed their way back to lead 28-24 at half-time.
Coach Noeline Taurua took a risk, replacing skipper and goal attack Ameliaranne Ekenasio through the second quarter with exciting youngster Tiana Metuarau.
The Kiwis went on a 10-goal run, finishing the second quarter with 18 goals to Australia's 10 to take a four-goal lead into the main break.
New Zealand goal keeper Kelly Jury, who stands 192cm, continued to trouble the Australian shooters to be named player of the match, with five deflections among her stats.
The Diamonds, who won the Netball World Cup in August, showed their fighting spirit in the third quarter and with Garbin on target piled on 18 goals to 12 to lead by two.
Both sides had their chances in the final 15 minutes, but the Kiwis made the most of theirs.
Diamonds skipper Liz Watson said her team didn't handle the pressure well and "panicked".
"We weren't very clinical in those important moments," Watson told Kayo Sports.
"When a team like the Ferns get a run-on it's really hard to come back from that, so very disappointing, but we know there's so much more to go.
"In attack we need to be more calm and steady, our defensive pressure was awesome ... but once you get a turnover you've got to score in international netball matches as they're very hard to come by.
"It's an exciting game to look forward to now."
Nweke, who suffered a knee injury in the pool stages of the World Cup, finished with 34 goals from 36 attempts, while Ekenasio contributed a valuable 12 from 14.
Australia's best in the goal circle was Garbin, who shot 21 goals from 22 attempts from her 33 minutes on court.
Austin struggled, shooting at only 69 per cent (16/23), while starting shooter Cara Koenen made 16 from 16.
Taurua wasn't entirely happy with her team's performance, but said the victory was their first priority.
"For us to win, that's amazing against the world champions," the coach said.
"I'm not too sure about the performance and the final product, but we will take it."
