Watch: New Zealand cruised past England by eight wickets in the first game of the four-match ODI series between the sides – here are the highlights from Cardiff for the ENG vs NZ match.
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England’s XI contained some surprises, with regular opening pair Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy each missing out due to injuries and Dawid Malan and Harry Brook, vying for a World Cup place, taking on the new ball in their absence. It was the former who won this round, making a half-century at better than a run a ball while Brook scratched around for 25 off 41 before being ripped out by a lifter from Lockie Ferguson.
In truth, England struggled for fluency throughout their innings as New Zealand limited them well. Joe Root and Ben Stokes, each playing their first ODIs since June last year, scored at 40 and 75 respectively, with the latter making a fifty.
Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone added some impetus, the latter hitting three consecutive sixes off Kyle Jamieson on the way to his second ODI fifty. However, New Zealand kept England in check at the death, and a total of 291-6 didn’t look imposing. Rachin Ravindra, with three wickets, was the pick of the bowlers, and he and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand’s other spinner, got through 14 overs for 64 runs.
Among England’s bowlers, only Chris Woakes could find a similar level of parsimony, bowling seven overs for 21 runs. David Willey (1-32 from six overs) was the only other bowler to go at under a run a ball as New Zealand surged.
After the Black Caps put up 61-0 in the powerplay, Adil Rashid struck with his first ball, turning the ball past the bat of Will Young to hit the stumps. However, he struggled with cramp later on and ended up conceding 70 runs from his eight overs. Willey nicked off Henry Nicholls to briefly give England hope, but an unbeaten, 180-run stand between Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell guided New Zealand home.
Each made centuries to give their side some element of revenge in their first ODI against England since the 2019 World Cup final, and to perhaps strike a psychological blow ahead of the 2023 World Cup opener between the two teams.
The next game in the series will take place on Sunday, September 10 at Southampton.
