Cricket
England down New Zealand
2013-02-09 11:41
Auckland - England posted their highest ever
Twenty20 score of 214/7 as all-rounder Luke Wright and captain
Stuart Broad led them to a comprehensive 40-run win over New Zealand on Saturday.
In reply, New Zealand were struggling at 174/9 at the end of their innings.
VIDEO: New Zealand v England, first Twenty20 highlights
England's
batting masterclass saw them take advantage of the short Eden Park
boundaries as they easily surpassed their previous best total of 202
scored against South Africa in 2009.
The runfest also produced 15
sixes, the third best on record behind the 17 South Africa scored
against England in 2009 and the 16 belted by Australia against India a
year later.
The England onslaught was assisted by sloppy New
Zealand fielding with six catches spilled including two by Ross Taylor
back in the side for the first time after pulling out of the recent
South African tour when stripped of the captaincy.
After being
sent into bat first, Alex Hales led the initial charge racing to 21
before he was stumped by Brendon McCullum off Ronnie Hira and England
lost their first wicket at 29 in the fourth over.
Hira later had
the satisfaction of claiming the first successful catch in the New
Zealand field to dismiss Wright whose 42 consisted of four sixes and
three fours and came from just 20 deliveries.
Eoin Morgan and
Jonny Bairstow plundered the New Zealand bowling at will as they
produced an 81-run partnership in 43 balls for the fourth wicket with
Morgan's 46 including three sixes and four fours.
His dismissal
allowed New Zealand to fight back in the closing stages of the innings
as they conceded only 28 runs from the final 25 deliveries.
Faced
with a daunting target of nearly 11 an over, the New Zealand batsmen
made a positive start before their chase began to crumble.
After
five overs they were up with the run rate but where Wright and Lumb
mounted a 21-run onslaught in England's sixth over, Martin Guptill and
Ross Taylor only managed eight for New Zealand.
Guptill top scored with 44 before he gave his wicket away when he gifted a catch to Broad at mid wicket off Wright's bowling.
Broad, the most successful of the England bowlers, finished with four for 24 from his four overs while Wright took two for 29.
The second match in the series is in Hamilton on Tuesday.