ICC Champions Trophy 2017, England vs New Zealand, cricket score and highlights: Hosts win by 87 runs; through to semis

England become the first team to qualify for semis of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. 

Qualification scenarios for Group-A:

If Australia beat England on Saturday then Australia will become the second team to qualify for semis from group-A. 

If England defeat Australia on Saturday then whosoever wins the match between New Zealand and Bangladesh on Friday will become the second team to qualify for semis from group-A. 

If both matches (New Zealand v Bangladesh and England v Australia) get washed out then Australia will become the second team to qualify for semis from group-A because they were seeded higher than the others. 

If New Zealand v Bangladesh fixture gets washed out and England beat Australia then one of Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh will qualify for semis for group-A on the basis of net run rate.

Kane Williamson: I think in all areas, England outplayed us today. Credit to them for the way they conducted business today. We were trying to get that partnership, and momentum. Even though we got the partnership, we were trying to increase the run-rate. It was a tough surface, and we did lose wickets. England used the dimensions of the ground very well.

Eoin Morgan: I think it went okay. We put ourselves in a really good position. We gave ourselves every chance to get a big score, and it came off nicely. We actually learnt from our batting innings. We put a lot of cross-seamers and cutters today, and I thought our bowlers were outstanding.

4-wicket hauls in first two matches of ICC Champions Trophy:

Douglas Hondo

Mitchell McClenaghan 

LIAM PLUNKETT*

When the end came, it arrived quickly. New Zealand is bowled out in the 45th over, miles adrift of its target. No longer is the team’s destiny in its hands. The Kiwis never really recovered once Williamson was dismissed. Till he was there, 311 looked gettable. But for the second game running, New Zealand’s lower order let the team down. A victory over Bangladesh on Friday might be enough but there are too many variables in play now. An early exit is a distinct possibility.

That in the end is a very efficient performance from England who are now into the semi finals of the Champions Trophy. There were suggestions that they hadn’t quite made enough with the bat despite starting well and when Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor were starting to get going things looked slightly ominous, but they kept their cool to fight back and seal what was in the end a fairly resounding victory.

Jake Ball is the Man of the Match for his figures of 2/31 from eight overs.

Ball: It’s a great feeling (on qualifying for the semis). We’ve got one more game left, against the Aussies, it would be great beating them in the group stage.

After 44.3 overs,New Zealand 223/10 ( Trent Boult 0 , )

Plunkett wipes out the remainder of the Kiwi tail, with Milne and Southee holing out to mid-on and deep midwicket respectively while looking for the big shots. Plunkett finishes as the pick of the England bowlers with figures of 4/55. With that, England are through to the last four, becoming the first team to do so! 

England win by 87 runs, and become the first team to enter the semi-finals of Champions Trophy 2017!

OUT! Fourth wicket for Plunkett as Southee holes out to Roy at deep midwicket while looking for a big hit! And that is the end of the New Zealand innings, with England coasting to a massive 87-run win to become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals! NZ 223 all out! 

Southee c Roy b Plunkett 2(6)

OUT! Tame dismissal fro Milne in the first ball of the 45th over. Tries going big down the ground, but ends up chipping it to Rashid at mid-on. NZ 223/9

Milne c Rashid b Plunkett 10(11)

After 44 overs,New Zealand 223/8 ( Adam Milne 10 , Tim Southee 2)

Four leg byes at the start of Wood’s ninth over, with the ball deflecting off Southee’s thigh. Four more singles follow in the over. One wonders how much longer will the Kiwi tail-enders keep the fight going after this.

After 43 overs,New Zealand 215/8 ( Adam Milne 8 , Tim Southee 0)

Plunkett returns to the attack for his ninth over. Anderson holes out to Hales at the deep square-leg boundary in the fifth ball of the over, with Anderson heading back to the pavilion for 10. Milne ghets an inside edge in the last ball that runs away to the fine-leg fence. Seven off the over.

England closing in on what now looks like a very comfortable victory, Corey Anderson had been New Zealand’s last if albeit very faint hope of victory, but with him now gone things look very bleak for the Black Caps.

OUT! Anderson walks back for 10, and it is turning out to be a one-sided contest now! Holes out to Hales at the square-leg boundary off Plunkett’s bowling. NZ 211/8

Anderson c Hales b Plunkett 10(15)

Rashid 10-0-47-2 - not bad at a ground that wasn't supposed to suit him

— Scott Redler  (@RedDogT73) June 6, 2017

After 42 overs,New Zealand 208/7 ( Corey Anderson 9 , Adam Milne 2)

Rashid gets Santner stumped with a clever piece of bowling — firing it wide outside leg while noticing the batsman dance down the track. Neat work by Buttler behind the stumps as well. Milne, the new batsman, walks out to the centre. Lobs a low return catch to Milne first ball, which Rashid fails to hold on to. Four runs and the wicket of Santner in this over. Anderson fighting a lone battle right now.

Adil Rashid is being rewarded with some wickets late in this spell after some tidy earlier overs that helped keep New Zealand under pressure. Santner will be perhaps feeling a little sheepish to have been stumped off a wide, a fairly ignominious end for the all rounder.

After 41 overs,New Zealand 205/7 ( Corey Anderson 8 , )

Anderson drives the first ball of the third powerplay, finding the extra-cover fence after beating a couple of fielders. The boundary also brings up the 200 for New Zealand. Santner tries going big in the last ball of the over, but the ball lands just short of a diving Moeen at long-on.

OUT! Santner is stumped while coming down the track, and looking to go for a big hit against Rashid. New Zealand 203/7
 

Santner st Buttler b Rashid 3(9)

The final 10 overs to go and it seems New Zealand has hit a wall. Too many dot balls at the moment. 113 runs are needed with just four wickets remaining. Corey Anderson could still win this for the Kiwis but it increasingly seems like a wishful proposition. In the previous edition of the Champions Trophy, New Zealand was knocked out when it lost a rain-affected match to England following an abandonment of its meeting with Australia. A repeat is on the cards now, even though the weather did not shorten the match today. New Zealand, though, may want to shore its net run rate, when defeat looks certain.

After 40 overs,New Zealand 198/6 ( Corey Anderson 3 , Mitchell Santner 2)

Just two runs in Rashid’s ninth over, and the fact that New Zealand haven’t crossed 200 at the end of the second powerplay, with just four wickets remaining in their kitty, is a sign of the battle virtually being over. Anderson’s presence though holds some hope for New Zealand. Two runs off the 40th over.

After 39 overs,New Zealand 196/6 ( Corey Anderson 2 , Mitchell Santner 1)

Morgan brings Stokes back into the attack in the 39th over, and the New Zealand-born all-rounder would be the best bet to get a couple of more breakthroughs, and seal the game in England’s favour. Just two runs off this over.

After 38 overs,New Zealand 194/6 ( Corey Anderson 1 , )

Anderson almost jogs out to the crease while coming out to bat, and gets off the mark with a single in the second delivery that he faces. He loses the support of Broom at the end of the over, with the latter trying to review the successful lbw appeal against him in vain. Just three runs and a wicket, and the Black Caps have little hope left now, unless a miracle takes place.

The wickets of Jimmy Neesham and Neil Broom make the waters muddier for New Zealand. It could be said that Broom’s dismissal was good riddance for the Kiwis as he could manage just 11 off 21 deliveries. Neesham, though, tried to get a move on but holed out in the deep. New Zealand’s challenge now relies on Corey Anderson. If he goes anytime soon, it will be curtains.

OUT! Now it is Adil Rashid’s turn to strike, as he traps Broom lbw. The latter tries to review, but in vain, as the ball is shown to be clipping the top of off, which results in the decision staying the same as that of the umpire. NZ 194/6

Broom lbw Rashid 11(21)

After 37 overs,New Zealand 191/5 ( Neil Broom 9 , )

Neesham launches the penultimate delivery of the over over the long-on fence to get his first six, and perishes while attempting a second consecutive six, finding Hales at deep midwicket. 10 runs and a wicket in this eventful over.

England tightening the screw here by simply refusing to panic. Neesham had just dumped Plunkett over long on for an absolute whopper of a six, but the England bowler came back with a slower bowler and the New Zealand man obliged by mistiming it and pulling straight to Hales in the deep. Good stuff from England in the last few overs.

OUT! Neesham perishes while looking for a big hit towards the leg side, and they are fast sinking towards a defeat at the moment. Holes out to Hales at deep midwicket. NZ 191/5
 
Neesham c Hales b Plunkett 18(14)

After 36 overs,New Zealand 181/4 ( Neil Broom 7 , Jimmy Neesham 10)

Rashid brought back into the attack in the 36th over of the innings. Appeal for lbw turned down in the third delivery of the innings, with Morgan opting for DRS. The fact that it was pitching outside off kills the review. Three runs off the over.

After 35 overs,New Zealand 178/4 ( Neil Broom 7 , Jimmy Neesham 7)

New batsman Neesham doesn’t take long to get into the attacking mode, lofting the penultimate delivery of the over towards the long-on boundary. Seven off the over, with the chase now looking very bleak for the Black Caps.

Only 12 runs had come off the 21 balls before Ross Taylor’s dismissal. The pressure got to him and he goes away after a strange 39 off 59 deliveries. This seems like England’s game to lose now. New Zealand did not make good use of its lower order batting in the previous match when it had to score quickly. Today will require a smarter response. The required rate is close to nine per over.

After 34 overs,New Zealand 171/4 ( Neil Broom 6 , Jimmy Neesham 1)

Ball begins the over by keeping it short, Taylor cuts it away to third man for a single. Another shortish delivery, Broom blocks it. Broom looks to nudge one away but inside edges it onto his pads and the ball falls back on the pitch. They take a quick single. OUT! Taylor falls for 39. New Zealand end the over with three runs; a single and couple.

OUT! Taylor flicks it straight to Joe Root at midwicket. New Zealand lose two wickets in quick succession. The pressure was building and someone had to go for the shots. The settled batsman, Taylor, did but lost his wicket in the process. James Neesham is the new man in.

After 33 overs,New Zealand 166/3 ( Ross Taylor 38 , Neil Broom 3)

Plunkett, who was off the field for a bit a while ago, returns to the attack. Taylor tries slashing the second delivery towards the leg side, but nearly gets caught at backward point after an agile leap by Roy. Five singles off the over.

After 32 overs,New Zealand 161/3 ( Ross Taylor 35 , Neil Broom 1)

Ball continues from the other end. Taylor nearly chops the first ball onto his stumps in the first ball, walking away with a single instead of the slow walk back to the pavilion. Just three singles off the over, with the English pacers bringing the pressure back on the Black Caps batsmen.

After 31 overs,New Zealand 158/3 ( Ross Taylor 33 , Neil Broom 0)

Wood into his eighth over, and he gets the huge wicket of Williamson in the second ball of the over. The ball kicks up unexpectedly, and Williamson is rendered clueless against the uneven bounce as he gloves it to the keeper. Neil Broom walks out to the crease, and is yet to get off the mark at the end of the over. Excellent over by Wood, with two runs and the wicket of Williamson coming off it.

Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor’s last five stands in England in ODIs: 

121, 206, 101, 99, 95 (Today)*

The surface has finally outdone the seemingly insurmountable genius of Kane Williamson. Mark Wood had been causing problems from this end, unaffected by the challenge of bowling into the breeze. Another of his deliveries rose on the batsman and the Kiwi skipper is gone. Could be the point on which this game turns. The required equation is not beyond New Zealand but now it’s up to Ross Taylor to guide his team home. Plenty of batting to come but Taylor has not looked entirely convincing and there’s not much time for a new batsman to settle in.

That’s exactly what England needed, it’s the danger man Williamson who gets a snorter from Wood that he can only fend behind to Buttler. That was a cross-seamer from Wood, something Graeme Swann says Stuart Broad advocates on this ground precisely because the ball can occasionally rear up just as it did to remove the New Zealand skipper. England get their foot back in the door. Williamson was looking so calm.

OUT! Wood gets the huge wicket of Williamson! Morgan’s decision to turn back to his premier pacers has reaped its dividends! Williamson walks back disappointed, missing out on a second consecutive century by 13 runs. Another cross-seamer from Wood kicks up unexpectedly, catching Williamson by surprise as well as his glove, before getting deflected onto Buttler’s gloves. Drinks taken after the dismissal. New Zealand 158/3

Williamson c Buttler b Wood 87(98)

England in desperate need of a wicket at the moment, so Eoin Morgan turns to both his new ball bowlers in Mark Wood and Jake Ball in an attempt to dislodge one of this pair. Williamson though looks worryingly untroubled.

After 30 overs,New Zealand 156/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 85 , Ross Taylor 33)

Jake Ball reintroduced into the attack in the 30th over, with three singles coming off the over. Morgan has turned to his pace options, now that the medium-pace and spin ones aren’t quite working for England.

After 29 overs,New Zealand 153/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 83 , Ross Taylor 32)

Another tidy over by Wood, with just two runs coming off it. The situation for England captain Morgan at the moment is an alarming one. Should Williamson and Taylor stick around for a few more overs, the vine could get too thick for them to cut down.

After 28 overs,New Zealand 151/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 82 , Ross Taylor 31)
 

Rashid continues from the other end, with Williamson and Taylor choosing to keep it calm in this over, and keep the scoreboard ticking with four singles. The team 150 comes up in this over.

After 27 overs,New Zealand 147/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 80 , Ross Taylor 29)

Wood returns to the attack in the 27th over. Williamson chips the first ball down the ground to get an easy boundary, with his timing being every batsman’s dream. Wood, though, comes close to getting the breakthrough on a couple of occasions. The first was in the third delivery, in which Williamson loft drives just short of sweeper cover. Taylor then chips a short ball — more like a length delivery that kicked up — towards the off-side, with the ball landing just short of the fielder at cover. Four runs off the over.

At the halfway point, New Zealand has improved its situation. Losing only two wickets in the first 25 overs is a good achievement, considering the troubles the Kiwi batsmen had to face initially. 134 of the 311 required runs have been scored too, so the asking rate is not out of control. Significant progress was made in recent overs as Williamson demonstrated a more proactive approach. Taylor’s slow start (11 off 26 balls) also seems to have been overcome now.

After 26 overs,New Zealand 140/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 74 , Ross Taylor 28)

Taylor comes down the track in the third ball of Rashid’s fifth over, and hammers it away to long-on. Two singles follow, with six coming off the over. The Black Caps are progressing nicely at the moment, with the partnership between Williamson and Taylor worth 77 at the end of the over.

Kane Williamson looking very ominous from an England point of view, Eoin Morgan attempts to snare him with various traps set in the field, but the Black Caps’ skipper is too good for them and is just manipulating the ball around the field at will. Adil Rashid perhaps offers England the best hope of a breakthrough at the moment, although this pair have started to eye the short boundary down the ground which is slightly troubling for England.

Kane Williamson (against England and India) becomes the second player to score five consecutive fifty-plus scores against two different teams in ODIs after Dean Jones (against New Zealand and Sri Lanka).

After 25 overs,New Zealand 134/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 73 , Ross Taylor 23)

Stokes starts off with a leg-bye and a wide in his sixth over. Williamson despatches a loose delivery from Stokes towards the backward square-leg boundary, while hitting the last ball towards sweeper cover for his second boundary of the over. Appeal for lbw by Stokes in the fifth delivery, but the umpire turns it down, with the ball appearing to go down leg. 11 from the over.

Most consecutive partnerships of 50-plus for New Zealand in ODIs:

6 – Nathan Astle/Roger Twose 

5 – KANE WILLIAMSON/ROSS TAYLOR*

After 24 overs,New Zealand 123/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 65 , Ross Taylor 22)

Classy on-drive by Williamson in the first ball of the 24th, piercing the gap between short midwicket as well as mid-on. Williamson tries slogging the penultimate delivery towards long-on, but doesn’t get enough power to get a boundary, and returns for a second run. Nine off the over.

After 23 overs,New Zealand 114/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 57 , Ross Taylor 21)

Williamson pulls towards the backward square-leg region, though the ball lands agonisingly close to the fielder in the deep before rolling away to the fence. Boundary for Taylor in the third delivery, with the fielder at backward point failing to prevent the boundary from touching the rope. 11 off the over, with Stokes being a tad expensive this over. Let’s see if he can make up for it with a wicket. 

Meanwhile, the fifty-stand comes up with a single in the fifth ball of the over. The two have built a steady stand without taking too many risks.

After 22 overs,New Zealand 103/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 51 , Ross Taylor 16)

Taylor has had enough of the patience game, and he jogs down the ground and lofts towards cow-corner in the third delivery to get his first boundary. Appeal for n lbw in the following delivery turned down, with Morgan deciding against going for the review. Six off the over.

Most consecutive 50-plus scores against England in ODIs:

7 – Javed Miandad 

5 – Kumar Sangakkara, Gordon Greenidge, KANE WILLIAMSON*

After 21 overs,New Zealand 97/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 50 , Ross Taylor 11)

Stokes returns to the attack in the 21st over, and gets a change of ends. Williamson gets to his half-century in the second ball of the over with a single. Four runs off the over, including a wide called for height.

Players with 50-plus scores in most consecutive innings in ICC Champions Trophy:

3 – Saeed Anwar 

3 – Marcus Trescothick 

3 – Kane Williamson*

A well-deserved half-century for Kane Williamson, his second-consecutive 50-plus score in the ongoing tournament. He is in brilliant form at the moment, and is keeping the Black Caps chase intact right now.

After 20 overs,New Zealand 93/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 49 , Ross Taylor 9)

Rashid into his second over. The Star Sports statisticians reveal that Williamson has averaged the lowest against leg-spinners post the 2015 World Cup. Which perhaps makes him a crucial figure in the English bowling attack at the moment.

After 19 overs,New Zealand 88/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 46 , Ross Taylor 7)

Williamson looks to duck a short ball from Plunkett, but gets a deflection off the back of his bat that travels all the way to the fine-leg boundary. Two doubles in the last two deliveries of the over, with 10 coming off it. Williamson closing in on a half-century right now.

After 18 overs,New Zealand 78/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 36 , Ross Taylor 7)

Rashid introduced into the attack in the 18th over, with Morgan opting for spin for the first time in the innings. Singles off the first three deliveries of the over, before Taylor goes for a lap shot in the fourth delivery to get a couple of runs.

Adil Rashid has taken 60 wickets post ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which is the third most by any bowler. Will he prove his worth today after being dropped for England’s first match against Bangladesh?

After 17 overs,New Zealand 73/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 34 , Ross Taylor 4)

Plunkett into his fourth over. Taylor flicks the second ball of the over towards the leg side, and gets enough time to return for a second. Two singles in the last two deliveries of the over.

Ross Taylor has an average of 93.75 against England in his last five ODI innings. But even he may find it tough to adjust to a pitch which seems to have become chipper. Perhaps, some of it has got to do with the rain we had during the interval. It is definitely a more difficult pitch to bat on than it was when England had its turn.  Moreover, the required rate is over seven and if rain arrives again Messrs Duckworth and Lewis will come into play. It is not looking great at the moment for the Kiwis.

After 16 overs,New Zealand 69/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 33 , Ross Taylor 1)

Stokes into his third over, and gives away five runs off it, including a wide in the fourth ball of the over in which an attempted slower ball outside off.

After 15 overs,New Zealand 64/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 30 , Ross Taylor 0)

Eventful over by Plunkett. Williamson gets pined on the side of his helmet in the second ball of the over, suffering a painful blow on his temple in the process. He is tended to the physios as the umpires call for drinks. The ball kicks up unexpectedly in the fourth ball of the over, with Taylor gloving it to the off-side and wearing a shocked expression on his face at the extra bounce. Just one off the over.

This was the fourth time Martin Guptill was dismissed by Ben Stokes in ODIs. Martin Guptill’s average against Ben Stokes is now 7.25 in ODIs.

Ross Taylor is the only player to score 1000-plus runs in England-New Zealand ODIs. He has scored 1038 runs from 29 innings at an average of 43.25 against England in ODIs before today.

OUCH! Williamson cops a nasty blow on his left temple while looking to dive a short ball from Plunkett. As he is tended to by the physio, the umpire decides to call for drinks.

After 14 overs,New Zealand 63/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 29 , Ross Taylor 0)

Stokes into his second over. Guptill pulls a loose delivery from Stokes towards the cow-corner boundary to get the fourth boundary of his innings. Stokes however, proves just how useful he is, as Guptill gets a leading edge while looking for a cover drive. Ross Taylor joins Williamson at the centre right now.

Guptill’s dismissal is a major blow for New Zealand. After seeing off the risky phase, now was the time to buckle down and build a long partnership. For the second game running, Guptill has looked in decent touch but then given his wicket away. He did not attack the full delivery with conviction and slight movement ensured the outside edge flew straight to Joe Root. Now, Ross Taylor and Williamson will need to ensure further wickets are not lost. Meanwhile, the required rate is inching towards seven.

Crucial strike that for England as New Zealand were just looking like they might start to exert a bit of pressure. Up steps Stokes though and the Kiwis have lost their second wicket, Guptill making his way back to the shed. Slip in place for new man Ross Taylor.

OUT! Morgan had entrusted Stokes with the task of getting the breakthrough, and he does exactly that as Guptill edges to the slips to depart for 27. New Zealand 63/2

Guptill c Root b Stokes 27(33)

After 13 overs,New Zealand 58/1 ( Martin Guptill 23 , Kane Williamson (C) 28)

Williamson deals in doubles in the first three deliveries of the over, bringing up the 50-partnership along the way. Four byes conceded by Plunkett in the fifth ball, with a vicious bouncer going waste as Buttler the glovesman fails to stop the ball from travelling over his head. 11 off the over.

After 12 overs,New Zealand 47/1 ( Martin Guptill 23 , Kane Williamson (C) 21)

Now England captain Morgan turns to Stokes in a bid to break the budding second-wicket stand. Concedes just three runs off it. Both Guptill and Williamson are in the 20s at the moment, and are building their innings at a decent pace.

After 11 overs,New Zealand 44/1 ( Martin Guptill 22 , Kane Williamson (C) 19)

Plunkett introduced into the attack in the 11th over of the innings, and gives away just four runs off it. Meanwhile, the partnership between Guptill and Williamson has blossomed quite well, and the two have a crucial job at hand if they are to keep the Black Caps in the chase.

The first Powerplay brought just 40 runs but more importantly for New Zealand, it is only a wicket down. The danger in the first six overs was overwhelming at times as Jake Ball and Mark Wood threatened to run through the Kiwis batting lineup. But two mature heads in Guptill and Williamson saw the difficult phase off. Now, the past few overs suggest that run making has begun in earnest.

Interesting first 10 overs, New Zealand 10 runs behind where England were and they have lost Ronchi, but they will perhaps feel fortunate not to have lost any more batsmen given how well England started. The hosts could do with another scalp otherwise they will start to feel like they haven’t made the most of their original early dominance. Fascinating start though.

After 10 overs,New Zealand 40/1 ( Martin Guptill 19 , Kane Williamson (C) 18)

Williamson chips the fourth ball of the 10th over towards mid-on, with the ball airborne for sometime, though landing safely beyond the fielder’s reach. Good comeback by Wood in this over, with just one run coming off it. New Zealand’s run-rate has improved marginally in the last couple of overs.

After 9 overs,New Zealand 39/1 ( Martin Guptill 18 , Kane Williamson (C) 18)

FOUR! Guptill slashes the first ball of the ninth over towards the off-side, with the boundaries starting to come along New Zealand’s way more often now. Williamson times his push down the ground to perfection, with Moeen losing the chase against the ball towards the long-on boundary rope. Nine off the over.

After 8 overs,New Zealand 30/1 ( Martin Guptill 13 , Kane Williamson (C) 14)

The eighth over sees Williamson take on Wood to help himself to his first boundary. Flicks a length delivery towards the leg side, with the ball being too wide for the fielder at midwicket to catch. Wood, though, looked disappointed.

After 7 overs,New Zealand 22/1 ( Martin Guptill 12 , Kane Williamson (C) 7)

Finally a boundary in the New Zealand innings, and a welcome one for the Black Caps, as Guptill pushes a length delivery down the ground with an on-drive and beats the mid-on fielder to get things going. Guptill helps himself to another, this time with a slash wide of the backward point fielder. Ball responds with a peach of a delivery that goes through Guptill’s defence, but travels over the stumps. 10 off the over. Some relief for Guptill and Williamson.

After 6 overs,New Zealand 12/1 ( Martin Guptill 3 , Kane Williamson (C) 6)

Wood continues to maintain the stranglehold on the Black Caps, giving away just two singles off this over. Both Williamson and Guptill are having a hard time collecting runs at the moment, with the Black Caps progressing at a mere two runs per over. They will need to find the boundaries soon in order to let off some steam.

After 5 overs,New Zealand 10/1 ( Martin Guptill 2 , Kane Williamson (C) 5)

Williamson drives the third ball down the ground, with the ball landing anxiously close to Moeen at mid-on. Ball has to pull out of his run-up in the fourth delivery after strong wind blows the bails off. Just two runs off the over, including a leg-bye.

New Zealand has scored more than 300 only once while batting second since the 2015 World Cup. It happened when these two sides met in the summer of that year as the Kiwis chased 303 down in Southampton. That series is remembered for producing a record number of runs for a five-match contest and NZ will have to summon some of the spirit which characterised that successful chase today.

After 4 overs,New Zealand 8/1 ( Martin Guptill 2 , Kane Williamson (C) 4)

Williamson punches the second ball of Wood’s second over towards the off-side, getting enough time to come back for a third run. Outside edge off Guptill’s bat carries through the vacant third slip to allow him a single. Four runs off this over.

After 3 overs,New Zealand 4/1 ( Martin Guptill 1 , Kane Williamson (C) 1)

Another tight over by Ball, sticking to short of good length for the most part in this over while giving away just one run off it. Nightmarish start this for the Black Caps.

Perfect start for England and their new new ball man Jake Ball, Luke Ronchi goes for a duck and the hosts get the breakthrough at almost the earliest moment possible. Key man Kane Williamson in now though for the Black Caps.

After 2 overs,New Zealand 3/1 ( Martin Guptill 1 , Kane Williamson (C) 1)

Mark Wood bowls from the other end. Challenges the batsmen straightaway with a testing line outside off that travels dangerously close to the batsmen’s outside edge. Just two runs off this over.

The early wicket has got the England players excited. Can they make a couple of more inroads?

What a start for @englandcricket! #EngvNZ #CT17 pic.twitter.com/ImhmgA3O5z

— ICC (@ICC) June 6, 2017

With the threat of rain hanging over this match, this is a significant blow for New Zealand. Luke Ronchi would have been expected to get his side off to a flier but an uncertain defence has left him with a first-ball duck. Over to Kane Williamson now. Good thing he has Martin Guptill for company. The opening batsman has a love affair in England in ODI cricket, averaging nearly 60 in 13 matches. However, his two appearances in Cardiff produced only 34 runs. He and his side cannot afford another failure today.

After 1 overs,New Zealand 1/1 ( Martin Guptill 0 , Kane Williamson (C) 0)

Ball bowls the first over of the New Zealand innings, and puts his side in the driver’s seat by removing Ronchi for a golden duck with a delivery that nips back into the batsman. Skipper Kane Williamson walks out to bat with a sense of purpose on mind.

OUT! Ronchi departs early, as Jake Ball gets one to nip back into the batsman, beat his inside-edge, and knock his middle-stump over! Having got a blazing half-century in the previous game, Ronchi will be disappointed to fail in this innings. NZ 1/1

Ronchi b Ball 0(1)

Martin Guptill’s batting average of 70.55 against England in ODIs is the second best among all the batsmen with a cut-off of 250 runs.

The rain has stopped and players are on the field. Ronchi, Guptill to open. Ball to begin the proceedings for England.

New Zealand’s chase has been delayed due to rain. Stay tuned for further updates.

This will not trouble the Kiwis immediately but they took four hours to finish their bowling today. If the ICC is going to take a consistent stand, Kane Williamson might be suspended for the next two games like Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga. It could turn out to be a massive blow for New Zealand, going forward.

The highest target successfully chased by New Zealand in ICC ODI tournaments is 298 which they chased against South Africa at Auckland in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. They are chasing 311 runs today.

The Kiwis took four hours to bowl their overs today. A suspension for two games for Kane Williamson as well then?

— Priyansh (@Privaricate) June 6, 2017

So, New Zealand conceded 89 runs in the final powerplay. A bit more than they would have liked but the leak was compensated by an insistence on taking wickets. So, England was bowled out three balls before its innings would have ended. 311 will not unduly worry the Kiwis but they may not have to chase that many if rain intervenes in the second half of this match. Overall, a decent effort by New Zealand in conditions that were not entirely helpful. Although Corey Anderson and Adam Milne picked up more wickets, it was the control of Tim Southee which stood out. He understood the demands of these conditions and produced a performance which did not let England touch stratospheric heights.

Most wickets in England-New Zealand ODIs:

34 – Richard Hadlee 

33 – TIM SOUTHEE*

33 – James Anderson

Fascinating first half of this ODI, England threatened at times to post a really mammoth total, but New Zealand regularly picked up wickets to keep pegging them back. However just as the Black Caps looked like they might polish England off for a below par total, Buttler stepped up to take England past 300 and leave this match intriguingly poised.

After 49.3 overs,England 310/10 ( Jos Buttler (W) 61 , )

Superb final over by Southee, polishing the tail off while preventing Buttler from causing any further damage after allowing them to cross the 300-run mark. Gets rid of Wood and Ball off successive deliveries as England fold up for 310 with three balls to spare.

OUT! Southee gets two-in-two, cramping last batsman Jake Ball for room, with the latter lobbing the ball over to square-leg, where Boult takes a fine catch. Buttler remains stranded on 61 at one end. England bowled out for 310! 

Ball c Boult b Southee 0(1)

OUT! Golden duck for Mark Wood as he gets a leading edge straight into Taylor’s hands at cover while attempting to pull a back-of-length delivery from Southee. England 310/9

Wood c Taylor b Southee 0(1)

After 49 overs,England 309/8 ( Jos Buttler (W) 60 , )

Southee to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. Plunkett connects well in his pull in the first ball fo the over, comfortably clearing the long-leg boundary. He’s not mug with the bat, and he is proving exactly that with his cameo. The six also brings up the team 300, decent progress for the side after the number of wickets that they had lost in the middle stages. Two wides, as well as some excellent running to grab doubles off the next three deliveries only makes the situation better for the hosts. Plunkett departs in the last ball of the over after miscuing his pull, off a slower ball, to get caught by Southee near long-on. 15 and a wicket in the penultimate over.

OUT! The Buttler-Plunkett partnership falls short of the 50-run mark by just one run with the later miscuing in the last ball of the 49th over to get caught by Southee near long-on. Good work by Southee, who was staring at the sun while positioning himself for the catch, and ended up collecting it cleanly. England 309/8

Plunkett c Southee b Milne 15(10)

This is the 23rd 300-plus score for England post ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which is the most times among all the teams.

After 48 overs,England 294/7 ( Jos Buttler (W) 53 , Liam Plunkett 9)

Boult finishes his quota with a tight over, giving away just three singles off it while keeping the batsmen guessing with variations in length in this over. The danger for them right now is Buttler, who is well-settled right now having brought up his half-century, and will look to guide England past 320.

After 47 overs,England 291/7 ( Jos Buttler (W) 52 , Liam Plunkett 7)

Mile into his ninth over (interesting rotation of bowlers by Williamson). Plunkett pulls the first ball towards fine-leg, with the ball landing well short of the fielder. Buttler is pinged on the ribs in the following delivery after missing a back-of-length delivery from Milne. Buttler brings up his half-century in just 41 deliveries by smacking the last ball of the over towards the long-off boundary.

Jos Buttler starting to find his form here now, playing the most extraordinary ramp shot for six directly behind him. That practically flew into the River Taff behind the ground, only the camera gantry stopped it. England need Plunkett to stick around to support Buttler and a big total looks back within their grasp.

FIFTY for Jos Buttler! Having struggled for a bit early in this innings, Buttler has caught up with a flurry of boundaries, and gets to the milestone in the 41st delivery that he faces with a flat-batted pull over the long-off boundary!

After 46 overs,England 278/7 ( Jos Buttler (W) 46 , Liam Plunkett 1)

Boult brought back into the attack with five overs left in the innings. Buttler guides the second ball towards the off-side to collect a couple of runs, keeping the scoreboard ticking. SIX! Incredible strike by Buttler! Scoops a short ball from Boult over the keeper’s head, with the ball landing alongside the cameraperson well beyond the sightscreen. Didn’t we witness a few of those shots in the recent IPL as well, in which Buttler was playing his services for Mumbai Indians? 10 off the over.

So, the first half of the final powerplay is done and England has scored 47 runs for two wickets. New Zealand will be pleased by its success in pegging the host back with wickets but the runs keep on coming. A chase of over 300 looks likely now and it is up to the main pacers to ensure the target does not go beyond 310.

After 45 overs,England 268/7 ( Jos Buttler (W) 36 , Liam Plunkett 1)

Southee into his ninth over. The Kiwis opt to use the first of their two reviews in this over in the second ball of the over. Turns out to be a waste of a review as ball was nowhere near Buttler’s bat while the latter tried to pull a short delivery. Buttler smacks the fifth ball towards the midwicket boundary, and beats the fielder in the deep to get his second boundary. Eight off the over, including a wide.

After 44 overs,England 260/7 ( Jos Buttler (W) 30 , )
 
Santner into his eighth over. Deft touch by Rashid in the third delivery to guide a back-of-length delivery towards the third man fence, with the ball beating Neil Broom to the boundary rope. Rashid further boosts the run-rate by collecting three off the next delivery, pushing this one towards sweeper cover. Santner removes Rashid in the end by trapping him with plumb lbw in the last ball of the over. 10 runs and a wicket off that one.

OUT! Santner traps Rashid lbw in the last ball of the 44th over, with the ball skidding on after pitching along the off-stump. Rashid goes for the review. the first of the innings, and three reds in the review mean he is on his way back after a 12-run cameo from 10 balls. England 260/7
 
Rashid lbw Santner 12(10)

England bring up their 250 with seven overs left in their innings. They could do with a trademark blast from Jos Buttler here to get them up to a big total. Adil Rashid has started well and looks like if he can stick around he might be very useful indeed for Morgan’s men.

After 43 overs,England 250/6 ( Jos Buttler (W) 28 , Adil Rashid 4)

Southee returns to the attack in the 43rd over, with the rain starting to get heavier in this over. Buttler gets his first boundary in 24 deliveries with a top-edge that carries over the keeper and runs away to the long-stop fence. Turns out the boundary by Buttler should have actually been called legbyes, as the ball pinged off his helmet. Single off the last ball by Rashid brings up the team 250.

After 42 overs,England 240/6 ( Jos Buttler (W) 20 , Adil Rashid 2)

Santner returns to the attack in the 42nd over of the innings. Buttler cuts the first ball through cover to collect a double. Misfield by Guptill near extra-cover allows Buttler to steal a quick single in the fourth ball. Four runs off the over.

After 41 overs,England 236/6 ( Jos Buttler (W) 17 , Adil Rashid 2)

Moeen shows his brute hitting power in the second ball of the over with a clean pull towards the midwicket boundary, getting his first six. Moeen tries pulling the next ball towards the backward square-leg region, but is sent back to the pavilion after a sharp catch by Boult inside the circle. Adil Rashid arrives at the crease, and the first ball that he faces runs away for four byes. 15 off the over including a wicket.

OUT! Brilliant catch by Boult at backward square-leg, following a pull by Moeen Ali off Anderson. Boult timed his agile dive to the left to perfection. Third wicket for Anderson, who has had a positive outing with the ball so far. England 230/6

Moeen c Boult b Anderson 12(11)

As the final ten overs come around, here’s a stat worth consideration. In the last twelve months, New Zealand has conceded 8.23 runs per over in this period. There are seven sides who have performed better than the Kiwis in powerplay 3 (Overs 41-50). It remains to be seen whether today’s infrequent wickets will help New Zealand to get away with a lesser spend in this phase of play.

After 40 overs,England 222/5 ( Jos Buttler (W) 17 , Moeen Ali 4)

Boult bowls the last over of the second powerplay, and concedes just four singles off it to keep things tight. England have lost a plenty of wickets in this powerplay, and need some serious powerhitting at the moment in order to get England to a competitive total.

After 39 overs,England 217/5 ( Jos Buttler (W) 15 , Moeen Ali 2)

Anderson returns to the attack in the 39th over. Moeen, in the meantime, is the new batsman at the crease alongside Buttler. Couple of inside-edges in this over, with the batsmen looking somewhat unsteady at the moment. Five runs off the over.

That’s a very soft end to Ben Stokes’ innings and he’s quite rightly furious with himself. He was looking extremely well set but appeared to almost forget there was a third man for New Zealand and rather obligingly just ramped the ball to Adam Milne who was fielding there. England’s greatest threat to a big total appears to be themselves at the moment.

After 38 overs,England 212/5 ( Jos Buttler (W) 11 , Moeen Ali 1)

Boult returns to the attack, and delivers for the Black Caps by getting the huge wicket of Stokes, who uppercuts straight to Milne at third man. Just three runs and a wicket off the over. England suddenly in trouble, with the departure of Stokes — two runs short of his half-century that too — potentially translating to them falling short of 20-30 runs in the slog overs.

England keep giving New Zealand a way back into the game. Boult has used the short ball effectively today and the tactic finally bags him a wicket. The Kiwis have an opening here and it is imperative to keep looking for wickets on what is essentially a 300-plus wicket.

OUT! Stokes tried a fancy ramp shot off a short ball from Boult, but ends up offering Milne a simple catch at third man! Misses his half-century by just two runs. Massive wicket for New Zealand this! England 210/5

Stokes c Milne b Boult 48(53)

After 37 overs,England 209/4 ( Ben Stokes 48 , Jos Buttler (W) 9)

Milne continues form the other end. Bowls a sharp bouncer in the third ball of the over, which is called a wide for height. Buttler gets doubles in the last two deliveries of the over, pushing the ball towards deep midwicket and third man. Seven off the over.

After 36 overs,England 202/4 ( Ben Stokes 47 , Jos Buttler (W) 4)

Santner brought back into the attack. Four singles scored in the over, with the team 200 coming up in this over. England are staring at the prospect of getting to 270-280 at this rate, which might not prove to be enough given New Zealand’s powerful batting lineup.

Would this moment be the turning point for New Zealand? Can they restrict England under 320?

This is the first time since March, 2012 that all top-three England batsmen have been dismissed bowled in an ODI match. Last time this happened for England in an ODI match was against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi in 2012.

After 35 overs,England 198/4 ( Ben Stokes 45 , Jos Buttler (W) 2)

Buttler collects a single at the start of the over. Stokes, gets a thick bottom edge in the third ball of the over that carries to third man, where it lands at a safe distance from the fielder. Times his straight drive to perfection in the following delivery to get his fourth boundary, and get within striking distance of his half-century. Nine off the over.

Again, Corey Anderson is the beneficiary of a mistake by the batsman. Joe Root played on to a delivery he would have cut away for a single in his sleep. But like earlier, just when it seemed that the match was slipping away from the Kiwis, they have a wicket. The key to slowing down the scoring on this pitch is to keep bowling short of a length and reduce the room for swinging the bat. That is a plan that has worked well enough for the Kiwis till now.

After 34 overs,England 189/4 ( Ben Stokes 37 , Jos Buttler (W) 1)

Stokes lofts the first ball of Anderson’s seventh over his head to collect his second six. Not the biggest of hits, but timed well enough by Stokes to clear the fence. That brings up the 50-stand for the fourth wicket! The partnership however, doesn’t last for long after, as Root chops the third delivery onto his stumps to depart for 64. Eight runs and a wicket off this over.

The Black Caps are starting to drag the momentum in their favour. Danger’s far from over, with an equally dangerous Jos Buttler joining Ben Stokes at the centre.

Frustration for Root who was looking very comfortable there and will feel very aggrieved to have cut that fairly innocuous delivery from Anderson onto his stumps. Anderson strikes again, he seems to have a happy knack of picking up wickets with not very threatening balls and it’s keeping New Zealand in things at the moment. Here comes Jos Buttler though.

BOWLED EM! Root was started to get frustrated by the drought of boundaries as well as strike, and ends up dragging a back-of-length delivery from Anderson onto his stumps. ENG 188/4

Root b Anderson 64(65)

After 33 overs,England 181/3 ( Joe Root 64 , Ben Stokes 30)

Southee starts the over off with a wide. Run-out chance in the second ball of the over after an excellent piece of fielding by Neil Broom at point. Root was in danger at the non-striker’s end for a moment, though Broom’s throw was slightly off the mark.

Williamson brings Southee back, recognising that New Zealand need a wicket. These two batsmen are setting themselves up for an aggressive outlay half an hour from now. Things seem to be meandering along nicely for England but nobody could accuse the Kiwis of not trying different options. It is just a case of sticking to their plans at the moment and hoping that a mistake can be forced.

Just under 20 overs to go and England have built themselves a solid platform. This doesn’t look like it’s quite as good a batting deck as some of the other surfaces we have seen in this tournament, but England will still have their sights on a total above 300 and with the strength they have in their batting lineup, you wouldn’t bet against them managing it.

After 32 overs,England 176/3 ( Joe Root 63 , Ben Stokes 27)

Stokes crunches the second ball of the over — a floater from Neesham — and picks the gap between cover and extra-cover with ease. The fact that it was a half-volley only made it easier for Stokes. Eight off the over.

After 31 overs,England 168/3 ( Joe Root 62 , Ben Stokes 20)

Southee back into the attack in the 31st over. Root pulls the second ball of the over towards the square-leg boundary, where the ball lands short of the fielder stationed near the boundary rope. Just two singles off the over.

After 30 overs,England 166/3 ( Joe Root 61 , Ben Stokes 19)

Neesham back into the attack in the 30th over. Appeal for a run-out after a deflection off the bowler’s hand onto the non-striker’s stumps in the third ball of the over. Replays however, show Root’s bat safely inside the crease. Stokes then slaps the following delivery, a short one along off, down the ground, nearly knocking Root out in the process, while getting his second boundary.

After 29 overs,England 162/3 ( Joe Root 61 , Ben Stokes 15)

Couple of doubles collected by Root at the start of the over, clipping both towards the leg side while placing them well enough to allow himself enough time for a second. Forces Anderson to bowl round the wicket, which works better for the Kiwi all-rounder. Six off the over.

After 28 overs,England 156/3 ( Joe Root 56 , Ben Stokes 14)

Boult brought back into the attack in the 28th over. Slower ball from Boult in the third ball of the over, which Stokes pats down the ground in a well-timed straight drive. Collects a double off the last ball of the over, with six coming off it.

After 27 overs,England 150/3 ( Joe Root 56 , Ben Stokes 8)
 

No sooner has Stokes arrived at the crease that he gets his first six — swinging his bat towards the midwicket fence in the fifth delivery of Anderson’s fifth over. Takes a single to bring up the team 150 as well as retain strike for the next over. Stokes is beginning to express himself this early. Let’s see what tactic Williamson comes up with now.

ROOOOOOOOOT! @root66 doing what he does 👌 #ENGvNZ #CT17 pic.twitter.com/dH4SqAqgl1

— ICC (@ICC) June 6, 2017

After 26 overs,England 142/3 ( Joe Root 55 , Ben Stokes 1)

Santner returns to the attack in the 26th over. Root gets to his 22nd ODI fifty, and his 2nd 50-plus score of the ongoing tournament. Root then guides the penultimate delivery towards the third man boundary with a reverse paddle, where Taylor tries to push the ball back into the playing area, but is in contact with the ball when his foot touches the padded cushion. Seven off the over.

This is the seventh fifty-plus score for Joe Root in 2017 in ODI cricket which is the joint most by any player.

22nd ODI half-century it is for the young and fabulous Joe Root. This has been a quality innings from him so far, having hit three fours and two sixes in the 52 deliveries he has faced so far, and he will hope to go the distance today in order to get the tournament hosts to a challenging total.

A clever delivery by Corey Anderson produces the big wicket of skipper Eoin Morgan. Anderson had the good sense of dragging the ball wide as he saw Morgan come down the wicket. We are halfway through, with a hint of rain in the air. New Zealand will feel confident that it can hurt England some more.

Bit of a bonus wicket that for New Zealand, Eoin Morgan will be frustrated to have got an edge on that wide one from Corey Anderson. The England captain had backed away from that delivery and it looked like Anderson reacted by firing the ball wider and drawing the edge from Morgan. Enter Ben Stokes for the first time with the bat in this tournament.

After 25 overs,England 135/3 ( Joe Root 49 , Ben Stokes 0)

Anderson snuffs Morgan out with a slow, wide delivery in the third ball of the over that the England captain can only get a faint edge off, getting caught behind in the process. Ben Stokes walks out to the crease, and is yet to get off the mark after facing three deliveries.

OUT! Anderson gets rid of the dangerous Eoin Morgan with a slow, wide delivery. Morgan comes down the track and looks to whack it towards the off-side, but ends up getting a faint nick to get caught behind. ENG 134/3

Morgan c Ronchi b Anderson 13(12)

After 24 overs,England 133/2 ( Joe Root 48 , Eoin Morgan (C) 13)

Morgan pats the fourth ball of the over down the ground to get a couple of runs, and helps himself to his second boundary with a hook off a short ball from Boult in the next delivery, picking the longer boundary at long-leg. Eight off Boult’s fifth over.

After 23 overs,England 125/2 ( Joe Root 48 , Eoin Morgan (C) 5)

Raw pace from both ends at the moment, with Milne continuing from the other end. Just two singles off this over. Meanwhile, Root is now a couple of runs away from getting to his 22nd half-century.

After 22 overs,England 123/2 ( Joe Root 47 , Eoin Morgan (C) 4)

Boult returns to the attack in the 22nd over, with NZ skipper Williamson sniffing another wicket at the moment. Captain Eoin Morgan walks out to the centre, and he gets off the mark with an inside-out shot towards deep extra cover in the penultimate delivery of the over. Five off the over. England still are going at a decent rate at the moment.

Sensing an opportunity, Williamson brings Trent Boult back who had bowled only three overs in his first spell. Another wicket here and New Zealand will feel more in control of the proceedings. Boult will particularly enjoy bowling to the left-hander Eoin Morgan. Sensing an opportunity, Williamson brings Trent Boult back who had bowled only three overs in his first spell. Another wicket here and New Zealand will feel more in control of the proceedings. Boult will particularly enjoy bowling to the left-hander Eoin Morgan.

Important breakthrough that for New Zealand, but another good knock from Alex Hales at the top of the order. No real respite for the Kiwis though, Eoin Morgan is the next man in and he has an excellent record batting for England at this ground. England eyeing a big score at the moment, can Kane Williamson formulate a plan to stop them?

After 21 overs,England 118/2 ( Joe Root 46 , Eoin Morgan (C) 0)

FOUR! Punched through the off side by Root at the start of the over, hammering it away towards the backward point boundary. Hales brings up his half-century with a single in the third delivery, before slogging one down the ground for a big one! Hales then is foxed by a leg-cutter in the last ball, which he plays onto his stumps off an inside edge. 14 runs and a wicket off this over.

Alex Hales becomes the sixth England player to score two fifty-plus scores in consecutive innings in ICC Champions Trophy. The other players are Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Eoin Morgan.

OUT! After getting hit for a four and a six off Root and Hales respectively, Milne has the last laugh as he foxes the latter with a leg-cutter that Hales gets an inside-edge onto his stumps off. ENG 118/2

Hales b Milne 56(62)

Alex Hales has scored 15 fifty-plus scores post ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which is the joint most by any opener. David Warner and Martin Guptill have also scored 15 fifty-plus scores each post ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in ODIs.

FIFTY for Alex Hales! He gets there with a single in the 21st over! Has been a consistent recent run for him, with this being his fifth half-century in eight games, as well as his 10th overall in ODIs. Takes 60 balls to get to the mark.

After 20 overs,England 104/1 ( Alex Hales 49 , Joe Root 40)

Neesham introduced into the attack in the 20th over. Thick outside edge in the first ball of the over, and the ball runs away through the vacant slip region, towards the third-man boundary for the team 100 to come up. Hales goes for a wild swing in the last ball of the over, and is beaten neck-and-crop. Five off the over. 

Meanwhile, Root has raced to 40, and is almost level with Hales at the moment. The latter has slowed down a tad in the last couple of overs.

After 19 overs,England 99/1 ( Alex Hales 49 , Joe Root 35)

Milne into the second over of his second spell, and gives away just two singles off the over. Root and Hales are getting the occasional boundary, and their approach seems to be that of saving their wickets for the slog overs.

As the play stopped for drinks, it was worth reflecting on Mitchell Santner’s dilemma. In his third over, Kane Williamson placed two fielders in the covers for Joe Root. To take the short boundaries out of the equations, Santner has been pitching it up and wide. However this forces him to give the ball more flight, which offers the opportunity for hitting big shots if his line goes awry. The left-arm spinner had made his debut in England when the Kiwis visited two years ago. Since then, he has been known to exploit his height for bounce and for varying the pace of his deliveries. So, it will be interesting to see if Santner goes back to his usual plans if he starts to concede too many runs.

After 18 overs,England 97/1 ( Alex Hales 48 , Joe Root 34)

Root once again comes down the ground to smash Santner over long-on, getting his second six. The Test skipper then goes for a sweep in the penultimate delivery to get his first boundary. 10 off the over.

After 17 overs,England 87/1 ( Alex Hales 48 , Joe Root 24)

New Zealand need a wicket and they go back to Adam Milne. He bowls a fullish ball on stumps first up, Hales defends it. A similar delivery and a same approach follows on the second ball. Hales is aware that the Black Caps are looking to break this stand and he blocks the third delivery too. Milne steams in and bounces Hales, who ducks to allow Ronchi to do his job. Ball five: Hales is beaten because of the pace as he inside edges his flick onto his pads. WIDE! Milne bowls a bumper again and Hales leaves it alone. But the umpire calls it a wide. Bowl that, Mr Milne. Hales pulls the last delivery through midwicket for a brace. 

Meanwhile, the fifty partnership between Hales and Root is up! The two look solid at the moment.

England looking relatively untroubled at the first drinks break, Hales and Root seem to have settled well against New Zealand’s bowlers – they have an excellent record batting together and this is certainly a partnership that Kane Williamson will need to break soon if the Black Caps want to get a foothold in this game.

After 16 overs,England 84/1 ( Alex Hales 46 , Joe Root 24)

Six runs off Santner’s third over of the innings, with Hales needing a boundary to get to his 10th ODI fifty at the end of the over. The other milestone approaching is that of the fifty-partnership. Drinks taken at the end of the over, and the two batsmen are looking pretty much set at the moment.

After 15 overs,England 78/1 ( Alex Hales 44 , Joe Root 20)

Bit of a misfield by Williamson in the first ball of the over, allowing Williamson to grab a single in the process. Five off the over, including a wide in the fourth delivery.

After 14 overs,England 73/1 ( Alex Hales 42 , Joe Root 18)

Root decides he’s had enough of the patience game, and dances down the pitch to loft Santner down the ground, clearing the long-on boundary. That should be a worrying sign for the Black Caps. Root is a man in form at the moment, and can take the game away from the opposition unless he gets nipped early in his innings.

After 13 overs,England 64/1 ( Alex Hales 40 , Joe Root 11)

Anderson into his second over, and Hales and Root continue to deal in singles in this over, choosing to keep the scoreboard ticking at a steady pace. Hales, meanwhile, is 10 away from his half-century. 

After 13 overs,England 64/1 ( Alex Hales 40 , Joe Root 11)

Anderson into his second over, and Hales and Root continue to deal in singles in this over, choosing to keep the scoreboard ticking at a steady pace. Hales, meanwhile, is 10 away from his half-century. 

With the first powerplay done, New Zealand has introduced Corey Anderson and Mitchell Santner into the attack. It has increasingly become clear that these conditions suit the batsmen better. So now, there will be an attempt to stymie run-scoring by changing the pace on offer for them. The last three matches at Sophia Gardens saw the team batting first score more than 300. That could be repeated today unless the Kiwis take wickets every now and then.

After 12 overs,England 60/1 ( Alex Hales 38 , Joe Root 9)

Spin finally introduced in the 12th over, with Williamson tossing the ball to Mitchell Santner. Just four singles scored off it, with Hales and Root starting to cement a decent stand now.

Joe Root has been dismissed by Mitchell Santner three times in ODIs before today. His average against Mitchell Santner in ODIs before today was 8.67.

After 11 overs,England 56/1 ( Alex Hales 36 , Joe Root 7)

Corey Anderson introduced at the start of the second powerplay. Leading edge off Hales’ bat in the second ball of the over, though it lands beyond the cover fielder’s reach. Some tight running in the fourth ball after Hales guides it towards fine-leg, hurriedly returning for a second run. Six off the over.

Jason Roy’s lean run continues. He’s got the full support of his captain Eoin Morgan although you sense that Trevor Bayliss is perhaps keener to replace him in the side. With an in form Jonny Bairstow and the exciting Sam Billings waiting in the wings, how long can Roy keep his place at the top of the order?

After 10 overs,England 50/1 ( Alex Hales 32 , Joe Root 5)

Milne into his second over. Hales pulls a short delivery towards deep midwicket in the second delivery of the over, but thanks to some sharp fielding in the deep, the Black Caps are able to save a run on this occasion. Hales, though, gets the boundary nevertheless in the last ball of the over, whipping it elegantly towards the same region to bring up the team 50. Nine off the over.

Least runs in any eight consecutive ODI innings by England openers:

64 – JASON ROY*

82 – Vikram Solanki 

90 – Michael Vaughan

First bowling change brings New Zealand a breakthrough. Jason Roy found himself in a strange place and Adam Milne just hit the stumps behind him. New Zealand will be pleased as, even though the odd ball has swung, there has not been much to worry the batsmen. Milne brings pace on a track which seems to be covered by the drier kind of grass. The ball may occasionally stop on the batsmen, so it will be interesting to see to what extent the Kiwi pacers will vary their pace.

As for their length, they have been bowling shorter than they did at the 2015 World Cup for some time now. As Simon Doull explained on TV, that could be to do with the lack of swing produced by white balls used for international cricket now.

After 9 overs,England 41/1 ( Alex Hales 25 , Joe Root 3)

Root, the new batsman at the crease and the centurion in England’s previous game, gets off the mark with a double off a square-drive, while retaining strike at the end of the over with a single.

No joy for Roy again #CT17 #ENGvNZ

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 6, 2017

WICKET! Adam Milne clean bowls Jason Roy for 13. Bowling fast and full pays dividends. England 37-1 off 8 overs #CT17 #ENGvNZ ^WN pic.twitter.com/EQ9JDhct7R

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 6, 2017

After 8 overs,England 37/1 ( Alex Hales 24 , )

Milne introduced into the attack in the eighth over. Roy, who was rather subdued at the other end for a while, gets his second boundary with a straight drive past mid-off. Milne, though, gets the breakthrough in the last ball with a full delivery that rattles Roy’s leg-stump after the batsman shuffles far to his right. Root is the new batsman at the crease.

OUT! Roy shuffled far to his right, and is once again dismissed for a low score, as a full delivery from Milne rattles his leg-stump. He has been having a bad recent run, and his lates outing only makes it worse. England 37/1

Roy b Milne 13(23)

After 7 overs,England 31/0 ( Jason Roy 8 , Alex Hales 23)

Hales decides the only way he’s going to get a boundary now is if he goes aerial, and he makes room for himself for a lofted inside-out shot towards deep point. A minute’s silence is observed after the fourth delivery in memory of the victims in Saturday’s London terror attack. Four runs are all that are gathered in this over.

A minute of silence is respectfully observed in Cardiff to remember those who sadly lost their lives in London on Saturday night. pic.twitter.com/v637zaK0gG

— ICC (@ICC) June 6, 2017

After 6 overs,England 27/0 ( Jason Roy 8 , Alex Hales 19)

Three runs grabbed by Hales in the last ball of the sixth over, pushing it towards the off-side, but once again being denied a boundary thanks to a sluggish outfield. Four off the over.

Trent Boult is still figuring out the best angle to probe here. He has already tried both sides but, after the failed experiment round the wicket, the left-arm seamer is likely to stick to where he started. Unlike Southee, Boult did enjoy his time in England back in 2015. Six wickets in two matches could have been more if not for an injury. NZ’s leading bowler will hope to figure out the best angle for exploiting these blustery conditions soon, since the first five overs have not brought any rewards for the Kiwis.

After 5 overs,England 23/0 ( Jason Roy 7 , Alex Hales 16)

Good, tight over by Southee to keep things tight in the fifth over of the innings, bowling a full toss in the third delivery, while bowling a couple of short ones on a couple of other occasions. Appeals for an lbw with a delivery that angles into Hales’ pad, a decent shout, but the umpire turns it down. Would’ve missed leg anyway. Just one off this over.

After 4 overs,England 22/0 ( Jason Roy 6 , Alex Hales 16)

Hales picks a back-of-length delivery along off in the fourth delivery of Boult’s second over, hitting towards the short square-leg boundary to hammer the first six of the innings. The left-arm seamer responds with a couple of sharp bouncers. Good over for England, with eight coming off it.

After 3 overs,England 14/0 ( Jason Roy 6 , Alex Hales 8)

Hales goes for an on-drive in the first ball of Southee’s second over, picking the gap between mid-on and midwicket. The ball though, slows down before it can reach the boundary rope, saving the Black Caps just one run on that occasion.

Seems weird but England pitches have hardly offered any swing. New Zealand should cash in on these early conditions to take early wickets. 

There is a hint, just a wee bit of swing. Before it stops swinging, NZ have to make use of it.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) June 6, 2017

Tim Southee will be encouraged by the early help he’s getting from the conditions. He took a personal best of 7 for 33 at Wellington as England were crushed in their 2015 World Cup meeting. Southee has not been the same bowler since, taking only 28 wickets from the following 29 games. He had a forgettable ODI series the last time NZ toured England, taking just four wickets in as many matches at an average of 52.50.

After 2 overs,England 9/0 ( Jason Roy 4 , Alex Hales 5)

Trent Boult from the other end. Hales gets off the mark with a boundary as well, timing his square-drive off a back-of-length delivery outside off in the second ball of the over. Both batsmen showing the intent against New Zealand’s new-ball pair.