Well, hell of a game, that. An encounter curtailed by rain and some pretty squiffy regulations still served up a whopping 763 runs in 96 overs. Oy vey. Brilliant batting by Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler...well, most of them really.
The good news is, there’s more of this to come. Three more, to be precise, the next on Sunday. See you then, and good night.
New Zealand win by 13 runs (D/L)
45.6: England 365-9 (Finn 6, Jordan 3)
Swing and a miss, and that’s that.
45.5: England 365-9 (Finn 6, Jordan 3) - require another 14 runs to win
Another smack, but only for two. 14 from one...
45.4: England 363-9 (Finn 4, Jordan 3) - require another 16 runs to win
Finn smokes a four through mid-wicket.
Updated
45.3: England 359-9 (Finn 0, Jordan 3) - require another 20 runs to win
Remember Jordan’s injured here too...and he hits it down the ground for one.
45.2: England 358-9 (Finn 0, Jordan 2) - require another 21 runs to win
Jordan smacks it but only for two.
45.1: England 356-9 (Finn 0, Jordan 0) - require another 23 runs to win
The batsman didn’t cross apparently, so Finn’s on strike. Ah. Elliott is the bowler...swing and a miss, but they run a bye.
WICKET! Rashid c Boult b N. McCullum 34
Sensational! Rashid goes down the ground, it’s heading for six...Southee catches but goes over the boundary...but throws to Boult before his feet hit the ground beyond the ropes! Unbelievable. England need 24 from six balls.
Updated
44.5: England 355-7 (Rashid 34, Jordan 0) - require another 24 runs to win
Chris Jordan is the new batsman, but Rashid is on strike...and he flays it for four through the covers!
WICKET! Plunkett c B.McCullum b N.McCullum 44
Plunkett skies it to the New Zealand skipper. 28 runs needed from eight balls.
44.3: England 351-7 (Rashid 30, Plunkett 44) - require another 28 runs to win
Dot ball.
44.2: England 351-7 (Rashid 30, Plunkett 44) - require another 28 runs to win
Six over mid-wicket!
44.1: England 345-7 (Rashid 30, Plunkett 38) - require another 34 runs to win
Nathan McCullum is the bowler, and Plunkett hits it back at him. No run.
Going ball-by-ball now...
44th over: England 345-7 (Rashid 30, Plunkett 38) - require another 34 runs to win
Southee completes his over...and Rashid swings and misses. So 34 from two overs.
The teams are out. It’s on!
Looks like Grant Elliott is going to bowl one of the remaining overs. Crikey. Some big brass ones on Brendon.
“34 off 13,” sighs Simon McMahon. “Oh well. At least England can be grateful it’s not 22 off 1.”
Game to restart. Reduced to 46 overs. Because finishing at 9.25 rather than 9.45 makes a MASSIVE difference to everyone. Grow up, cricket.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 12, 2015
Play to start at 9.10pm BST
...it’ll be a 46 over game. So 2.1 overs for England with a target of 379.
So England will require 34 runs in 13 balls.
Lawks.
And the covers are coming off...
It has stopped raining though...
Wouldn’t be the end of the world for England to lose a few overs here. They’re obviously going to have to smack it around anyway, so with three wickets remaining the less time they have to lose those wickets, with a reduced target, the better.
Get this game on! @NickMiller79 pic.twitter.com/afHyJV6f5Y
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 12, 2015
Apparently if they are to get all the overs in, they need to start playing in about seven minutes, which seems unlikely now, as the removal of the covers has very much halted now...
Ho! What’s this! Bit of activity out in the middle, with the groundstaff shuffling around and possibly starting to remove some covers...
Lucas is in Streatham, apparently, which is about two/three miles away...
.@NickMiller79 It's stopped raining here #EngvNZ
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) June 12, 2015
@TheCricketGeek The World Cup was two ODIs ago.
— Mark Patterson (@MarkPattersonBR) June 12, 2015
THIS IS RUBBISH. BUGGER OFF RAIN YOU ABYSMAL SOD. WE’VE GOT A DEAD GOOD CRICKET MATCH GOING HERE.
Play suspended for rain!
44th over: England 345-7 (Rashid 30, Plunkett 38) - require another 54 runs to win
Southee’s taking the ‘wide and very full’ approach, which isn’t a bad idea. Both batsmen get singles, then Plunkett hits one straight to cover, goes through for the single and should’ve been run out, but the throw missed. Absolutely superb batting then from Rashid, stepping across his stumps and flicking it over a vacant mid-wicket for four....
AND THEY’RE OFF AS THE RAIN GETS HEAVIER! Oh lawdy! Not popular at the Oval.
The Duckworth Lewis par at this stage is 354...
Updated
43rd over: England 338-7 (Rashid 25, Plunkett 36) - require another 61 runs to win
Santner has the ball, which could be a gamble but with only one over left from McClenaghan, it’s one McCullum has to take. And Plunkett greets him with an absolute beauty, going inside-out over wide long-off for six. A single, then Rashid repeats the big shot but this time it bounces just inside the ropes.
It’s now thundering and raining bloody hard about a mile south of the Oval...although not actually at the Oval, where they’re singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ in their shirt sleeves.
Updated
42nd over: England 327-7 (Rashid 21, Plunkett 29) - require another 72 runs to win
The rain might well be passing. Southee’s back on, and Rashid hits a full-toss for a single...then Plunkett does the same but hits it high in the air, Guptill circles under it both drops the catch. Their ground-fielding has been good, but the catching has been poor today. Plunkett then absolutely nails a six over long-on, before dabbing to third man and they sprint through for a well-run two...then another two from a well-struck hit down the ground. Excellent over for England, 14 from it.
41st over: England 313-7 (Rashid 20, Plunkett 16) - require another 86 runs to win
New Zealand are, quite understandably, taking their time here, giving the rain every chance. Plunkett goes for a big shot but only edges it onto his shoulder, and it falls just short of the slips. Four runs from the over, and that’s Boult’s overs done.
40th over: England 309-7 (Rashid 19, Plunkett 13) - require another 90 runs to win
Starting to rain at the Oval, which is bad news for England as the D/L par score is 345. Still, Plunkett’s going down swinging, smashing a four down the ground, then Rashid sweeps one of his own backward of square. Ten overs to go, 90 runs to get, but there’s a roll of thunder...
39th over: England 296-7 (Rashid 13, Plunkett 7) - require another 103 runs to win
Drop! Rashid slashes at one, and Taylor sort of goes too far to his left, then parries the ball up in the air instead of catching the thing, and it falls to the turf. Rashid then of course belts the next ball down the ground for four, before guiding it just past the slip to third man for a single.
38th over: England 289-7 (Rashid 7, Plunkett 6) - require another 110 runs to win
Rashid is setting up like a right-handed Shiv Chanderpaul, his feet almost pointing down the pitch...and it works, driving two then slapping a four through the covers. Plunkett takes a big swing but misses. Still going to be tense, this, even if New Zealand are heavy favourites.
37th over: England 282-7 (Rashid 0, Plunkett 6) - require another 117 runs to win
Liam Plunkett is the new man, and he starts with a woof, picking up two then driving Boult over mid-off for four. Boult then goes for a slower ball but it slips out of his hand and barely hits the cut strip. Interesting that Plunkett is in ahead of Chris Jordan - injury, perhaps?
WICKET! Billings c Guptill b Boult 12 - England 275-7
Ah, well that was a bit soft. Billings tries to cut a shortish one from Boult, and he does, but hits it straight to Guptill at backward-point.
36th over: England 275-6 (Rashid 0, Billings 12) - require another 124 runs to win
Rashid of course got a rapid load o’ runs in the first game, which was sort of lost among Root and Buttler’s riotous scoring. He’ll need a good few here.
WICKET! Morgan c Elliott b McClenaghan 88 - England 274-6
Big, big moment. Morgan comes down the pitch and goes for a big inside-out shot, but can only hit it straight to Grant Elliott on the cover boundary. Great innings of 88 from 47, but that tips the balance in New Zealand’s favour.
Updated
35th over: England 273-5 (Morgan 88, Billings 10) - require another 126 runs to win
Boult manages to calm things down a little, limiting England to four singles from the over. They will require 126 runs from 90 balls to win this one, and that is most certainly doable.
34th over: England 269-5 (Morgan 86, Billings 8) - require another 130 runs to win
McClenaghan’s back, and Billings gets in on the fun by driving him straight down the ground and to the boundary. Probably didn’t time it perfectly, but still collected his four runs, bagging another two with a slapped shot out to deep cover.
Updated
33rd over: England 261-5 (Morgan 85, Billings 1) - require another 138 runs to win
Ivan Drago is the new batsman, and he punches his first couple of shots with some power but straight to the man at short cover, then he gets off the mark with a nudge to mid-wicket as Boult comes around the wicket.
WICKET! Buttler c Ronchi b Boult 41 - England 259-5
Well, New Zealand needed that. Buttler goes for a cut for one that perhaps wasn’t quite short enough and he edges behind where Ronchi takes a low catch.
Updated
32nd over: England 259-4 (Morgan 85, Buttler 41) - require another 140 runs to win
Santner continues, and for the first few balls the batsman are quite quiet, with a couple of singles, but it turns out they were just toying with him as Morgan goes inside out and launches a whopping six over wide mid-off. It’s apparently now the highest aggregate ODI ever in England. Not bad chaps, well done indeed.
31st over: England 249-4 (Morgan 77, Buttler 39) - require another 150 runs to win
Buttler times the undercrackers off a drive but it goes straight to the cover sweeper, then he collects four with a fine clip off his hips. Great controlled batting from Buttler, very much the junior partner despite his strike rate of pushing 120.
Not bad...
And How's That? @NickMiller79. pic.twitter.com/mV5ECxIy9e
— toby stone (@tobystone1) June 12, 2015
30th over: England 241-4 (Morgan 77, Buttler 32) - require another 158 runs to win
Santner’s back on, and he’s round the wicket...but no more luck there, as Morgan makes room and wallops the thing straight, straight, straight back over his head for six. Santner then tries to starve Morgan of room by going leg side, but the skipper just sweeps him for four, before repeating the first shot of the over and casually swatting it straight down the ground for another six. 18 from the over.
David Horn here, with a belter: “Sam Billings & Ivan Drago ... not just the hair, but the square jaw, steely eyes and, err cheeky grin.”
29th over: England 223-4 (Morgan 60, Buttler 31) - require another 176 runs to win
Southee again, and Morgan dances down and to the right, bringing up a 50 with a sensational inside-out four that lashes past the fielders before they can work out what’s going on. He follows that up with a belted boundary down the ground, then another much like the first, if a bit more aerial.
“Am I the only who thinks that Adil Rashid, with that high front arm in his bowling action, looks a little like a slow loris?” asks Will Riddington.
28th over: England 209-4 (Morgan 47, Buttler 30) - require another 190 runs to win
Buttler goes big again, but gets under one from McClenaghan and it goes straight but high in the air...and the fielder can’t quite get there. New Zealand being quite unlucky where catches are falling, here. Morgan then plays a delightful upper-cut ramp thing shot that looks as if it’s a certain four, but Boult at third-man races round to save a couple of runs. Another couple come from another swat down the ground, but Morgan didn’t really get all of that one.
Much better Finn lookalike shout from the boy Lucas here...
@NickMiller79 Finn is Tamsin Greig
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) June 12, 2015
27th over: England 202-4 (Morgan 43, Buttler 27) - require another 197 runs to win
Southee’s back on, and Buttler takes a step down the pitch and rockets one past him and to the boundary. Good stuff this - aggressive without being reckless. And as I type that Buttler plays a slightly silly airy, nothing shot outside off stump off the back foot that flies off the edge to Taylor...but he drops the chance. Very catchable that, but it just looked like Taylor didn’t pick it up in the slips.
You can't chase 400 without playing attacking shots. If you want to criticise anyone here have a word with the bowlers
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 12, 2015
26th over: England 196-4 (Morgan 42, Buttler 22) - require another 203 runs to win
You’d be pretty annoyed if you were England, getting it in the neck for wickets coming from attacking shots, when everyone’s been (rightly) pissing and whining for years that they haven’t learned and they don’t play aggressive enough cricket and blah blah blah. Anyway, there’s Buttler, playing another big hit, as the ball whistles past the fielders and to the fence via a murderous pull from the England keeper.
Maverick lookalike shout from Ali Bicknell: “What about Finn and Diego Costa??”
Thoughts?
25th over: England 191-4 (Morgan 41, Buttler 18) - require another 208 runs to win
Morgan launches one that comes down with ice on it, plopping over the boundary for a big six. Presumably the commentators don’t approve. Buttler then grabs a boundary with a flick off his pads, two with a more delicate flick then a big six via a big hoik over straight mid-wicket. Attacking shots...BUT WHAT IF THEY’D GOT OUT TO THEM?
24th over: England 172-4 (Morgan 34, Buttler 6) - require another 227 runs to win
Buttler cuts a couple, and the commentators are complaining that England, having played aggressively to get in a good position, lost a few wickets through playing aggressive shots. Can’t please some people.
A lookalike suggestion with a very important clarification...
Eoin Morgan looks like Lance Armstrong but doesn't do PEDs @NickMiller79
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 12, 2015
23rd over: England 169-4 (Morgan 34, Buttler 4) - require another 230 runs to win
A selection of hard-hit singles, all to men in the deep, keep England ticking along, but the way they’ve been going New Zealand will consider conceding five runs from the over as a big win.
22nd over: England 164-4 (Morgan 32, Buttler 1) - require another 235 runs to win
Jossles Buttler is the new man, and gets off the mark with a pushed single to the covers.
Some culture from Arup Saikia: “I think Stokes looks like Vincent van Gogh but doesn’t paint and Plunkett looks like D H Lawrence but doesn’t write.”
Any other lookalike nominations from this England team?
WICKET! Stokes c Ronchi b McClenaghan 28 - England 163-4
The Guptill Experiement is binned, but the first thing McClenaghan does with the ball betwixt his palms is drop one short that Morgan nails wide of mid-wicket and to the boundary. However, Stokes then backs away and flings the bat at the ball, but edges straight through to Ronchi. Bah.
Updated
21st over: England 158-3 (Morgan 27, Stokes 28) - require another 241 runs to win
Still, the proper spinner doesn’t have much luck either, as McCullum (N) is smacked right over his head for six by Morgan, who a few balls slaps another just wide of a diving mid-on for four. 25 runs from the last two overs. Good this, cricket, iznit?
20th over: England 145-3 (Morgan 15, Stokes 27) - require another 254 runs to win
How’s this for funk? Martin Guptill is bowling, and immediately sends down some absolute filth that Stokes gets rid of, post-haste, to the extra-cover boundary. A few singles, then the same ball as the first, with the same result, threatening the same bit of advertising board. A gamble from McCullum bringing Guppers on, and, erm, well, it wasn’t a brilliant one.
19th over: England 133-3 (Morgan 12, Stokes 18) - require another 266 runs to win
Lively out there. Morgan top-edges two - one to short third-man, one over the covers - that both fall agonisingly short of the fielders, before Stokes damn near puts a hole in the scoreboard with a massive six over straight mid-on. Some singles, then a wonderfully-placed, if not timed back-foot push brings three for Stokes off the final ball. It’s on, this, you know.
Updated
18th over: England 119-3 (Morgan 10, Stokes 6) - require another 280 runs to win
Morgan tickles three off his pads, then after Stokes cuts a single he launches one with Santner’s spin way over straight mid-wicket. Woooooooof. Santner is making a list, and checking it twice....*cough*...is this thing on?
No need to panic. Jos Buttler will score one of the fastest hundreds ever in a bit
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 12, 2015
Updated
17th over: England 107-3 (Morgan 0, Stokes 5) - require another 291 runs to win
Stokes goes for the reverse-sweep straight away, because of course he does, getting two for his troubles before a single to the leg side. A leg-bye, then Stokes then gets a couple more with what we’ll call a late cut, but was probably a thick edge.
Meanwhile, a suggestion of funk...
Is it too funky to send Jordan in to smack it around in the hope that he gets 40 off 15 and if he goes early, it's no loss @NickMiller79
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 12, 2015
Updated
16th over: England 100-3 (Morgan 0, Stokes 0) - require another 299 runs to win
Well. Yes. Hmmm.
Updated
WICKET! Hales c Boult Santner 54 - England 100-3
The skipper is the new bat, but they crosses so Hales is on strike and is beaten by a ripper that turns past his outside edge, then next ball he goes for the big one but again top-edges a slog-sweep. This one goes a bit further, but Boult steadies himself on the deep mid-wicket boundary and takes the catch.
Updated
WICKET! Root c N.McCullum b Santner 6 - England 100-2
Ton-up for England as Root drives pleasantly inside-out against Santner’s left-arm spin for two. However, less pleasant is the slog-sweep he attempts, which he reaches for and perhaps it bounces a bit, but whatever the cause, it catches a top edge and goes straight up in the air, and McCullum (N) pouches a straightforward one.
Updated
15th over: England 98-1 (Root 4, Hales 54) - require another 301 runs to win
McCullum minor continues, and England go milking, four singles coming from a super rapid but relatively uneventful over.
14th over: England 94-1 (Root 2, Hales 52) - require another 305 runs to win
More spin as Mitchell Santner comes into the attack. Hales nails one straight down the ground, but it goes straight to long-on so he only gets one. A couple of balls later he goes to 50 with a rather more delicate effort, late cutting through third man for four.
13th over: England 87-1 (Root 1, Hales 46) - require another 312 runs to win
Joe Roooooooooooot is the new man, and a couple more singles come from the over.
Lee Smith’s been at the keyboard: “So England will need to score 400 in consecutive ODI’s not sure if that has ever been done (someone not as lazy as me can check) but will the white ball fever get them there?”
As it goes South Africa managed it in the World Cup just gone - first against West Indies, then Ireland. Here you go.
WICKET! Roy c Taylor b N.McCullum 39 - England 85-1
Roy plays a delightful back-foot drive for four, but the next ball he goes for a reverse-sweep and gets it a bit more ‘airy’ than he was after, and it sails gently into Ross Taylor’s mitts at short third-man.
Updated
12th over: England 81-0 (Roy 35, Hales 45) - require another 318 runs to win
Roy climbs into one that looked like six off the bat, but was more high than long and bounces just in front of the ropes, where a brilliant dive from Southee saves a couple o’ runs. Hales then gets four with one of the weirdest shots you’ll see, winding up for a big swing to a short ball...but he notices it’s a slower one and he stops the shot, the ball flicking the back of his bat and floating past Ronchi and to the fine leg fence.
11th over: England 74-0 (Roy 32, Hales 41) - require another 325 runs to win
Brother Nathan has the ball, and the batsmen trade delicately dabbed singles, before Roy gets out the reverse sweep to collect four through gullyish. Roy miscues one into the leg side, they go for one, hesitate and as a result has to dive desperately to make his ground....which he does....just. Although that would’ve been out with a direct hit from the deep.
10th over: England 65-0 (Roy 24, Hales 40) - require another 334 runs to win
Matt Prior, Sky commentator, is talking about ‘the window to a team’s soul.’ Blimey. Meanwhile, in the middle, Hales is making hay with new bowler Mitch McClenaghan, slapping him over mid-on for four then flicking another high over straight mid-wicket for six of the Queen’s runs. And there’s another half dozen for old Liz, as Hales absolutely belts the tar out of a short ball, it going over the fence without getting much more than about 15ft in the air.
9th over: England 49-0 (Roy 24, Hales 24) - require another 350 runs to win
Southee gives a rare full toss to Roy, and the Surrey man lashes it past a diving fielder in the covers, before an overcompensation of a long-hop is swat-pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single. One more Hales single from the over, and England have started pretty well, but are already about three runs off the required rate.
8th over: England 42-0 (Roy 19, Hales 22) - require another 357 runs to win
Ah, now, here we go - Hales finally connects with a big one, plonking Boult into the stands over long-on, before swatting the following delivery through the covers for a more classical four.
Colum’s back, and doing that very rare thing of recognising a slight misunderstanding on the internet. Praise be! “Oh, right. I hadn’t looked at it that way and I should have. I take back my dismissive comment! (does withdrawing a ‘dismissive’ make it a ‘missive’?)“
For you, Colum - absolutely.
Updated
7th over: England 31-0 (Roy 19, Hales 11) - require another 368 runs to win
Roy pulls a single out to deep square, and that’s it from another duck’s bottom tight over, this time from Southee, until the last ball which Hales leg-glances to the same spot.
6th over: England 29-0 (Roy 18, Hales 10) - require another 370 runs to win
These two certainly aren’t being shy, intent-wise, but not connecting with too much. Hales tries one of those long-levered, Mr Tickle hoiks that would end up in Croydon somewhere if he got hold of it, but doesn’t, then has to dig out a couple of yorkers. Just a single from a splendidly-bowled over.
5th over: England 28-0 (Roy 17, Hales 10) - require another 371 runs to win
Another couple of dot balls, before Roy breaks the cruel yoke of oppressive bowling by inching across his stumps and clipping a ball on about middle stump past fine leg for four. A good, quick single polishes the over off.
4th over: England 23-0 (Roy 12, Hales 10) - require another 376 runs to win
Well, lookey here - a maiden! Not for the want of trying from Hales, who takes a couple of whopping swings but barely connects with anything.
Kieron Shaw’s been on: “As a devoted England fan, can we please get started on a careless backlash, as I’m constantly bored without one? If that Jason Roy fails to get a blistering century right now, I say we bully him first. He’s done nothing so far in his 2 international innings. Nothing.
“Then that Adil Rashid got a bit big for his boots with his bloody humility and charm after one very good game 4 days ago, after which everyone except him decided he was a game-changer in Tests, which he’s never played, so he’s definitely a tall poppy now. Let’s start on him too. Bloody Rashid. Who does he think he is? A front-line Test bowler? Don’t make me laugh!”
3rd over: England 23-0 (Roy 12, Hales 10) - require another 376 runs to win
Couple of vaguely unconvincing shots from Roy - one a leading edge over the covers, another a big slash that goes over the slips - but they bring him six runs nonetheless. Then he edges to second slip, where McCullum, Nathan has a simple chance, chest-high, fingers to the sky, but he grasps at it...looks like he’s caught it...looks like he’s dropped it...looks like he’s caught it again....but it’s down. Oh Nathan.
2nd over: England 17-0 (Roy 6, Hales 10) - require another 382 runs to win
Trint Boult is in from the other end, and he starts with a truly whiffy couple of deliveries - one on Hales’ hip that he absent mindedly flips fine for four, then the next is short and outside off and it’s chopped through point for another boundary. Ultra-defensive field placements from McCullum here - just one (1) slip is in place. Lordy.
Colum writes, rather dismissively: ‘“... since several of their biggest hitters got nowt the other day.” It’s alright for Joe Root to come out with that sort of nonsense, but not a sensible person. The fact they got nowt does not in any way indicate what they’ll get today.’
Well, no, obviously, but it does indicate that if they can get 400 without Roy, Stokes, Hales and Billings contributing, the general line-up has some potential, at least.
Updated
1st over: England 7-0 (Roy 6, Hales 0) - require another 392 runs to win
Jason Roy avoids another golden duck, then collects his first runs off the bat with a wee clip behind square for two, before swatting a Tum Southee long-hop through mid-wicket for four. He looked a little edgy in those first few balls, but the boundary well and truly settled him down.
Hello everybody. What do you reckon then? The nice thing about this England team - and this might still be the glow from Edgbaston lingering on - is that you’d think there’s half a chance of them getting these runs, especially when you consider, as Joe Root pointed out before the game, that several of their biggest hitters got nowt the other day.
Anyway, thoughts to Nick.Miller@theGuardian.com or tweet @NickMiller79
That’s all from me. The right honourable Nick Miller will be here soon to talk you through England’s superbly timed chase/demise for 240.
Right, some e-mails before I shoot off:
“Poor old Jordan – he had a rough game by the look of it! 10.77 ‘economy’ rate…Might he drop out for the next one?” asks Ben Dean.
Well, Harvey Lock’s suggestion that David Willey should come in for him for the next game is one I agree with. Every game with Willey on the sidelines is a game wasted. Might have an excuse to “drop” Jordan as he left the field with a side-strain which saved him from bowling his 10th (not that he would have done anyway, to be fair, unless Morgan wanted to punish him!).
50th over: New Zealand 398-5 (Taylor 119, Santner 15)
A single from Santner brings Taylor on strike and he gets a four off the second ball, directing a low full-toss through square leg and the despairing dive of David Willey (on as a sub for Jordan). A well run two and then Taylor is hit in front and there’s an appeal. It’s turned down and subsequently review – impact of stumps is umpire’s call so original call stands. A good finish means only two off the last two balls.
ENGLAND REQUIRE 399 FOR VICTORY
Updated
49th over: New Zealand 388-5 (Taylor 113, Santner 13)
Stokes to bowl and Taylor starts with a six to his preferred midwicket! Just singles from the next two before a misfield from Morgan at mid-off allows Taylor to get two, much to Stokes’ frustration. The next ball goes to Morgan and he stops it cleanly, bringing cheers to which he raises his cap. The crowd are soon applauding Taylor as he threads one through cover-point for four!
48th over: New Zealand 374-5 (Taylor 100, Santner 12)
Good over from Finn until the last ball which Santner smashes over mid-wicket for four. Taylor completes a fine century.
CENTURY FOR ROSS TAYLOR!
His 13th ODI hundred, and it’s a good-un: 87 balls, eight fours, three sixes!
Updated
47th over: New Zealand 365-5 (Taylor 96, Santner 7)
Santner mistimes over mid-on but the ball runs away for four! Finn then saves three by palming well at short fine-leg as Taylor tries to go around the corner. Good finish from England.
46th over: New Zealand 357-5 (Taylor 94, Satner 1)
A wicket for Finn but he’s soon hit behind point by Taylor, who snatches a short-ball well.
WICKET! Ronchi c Buttler b Finn 33 (New Zealand 352-5)
Good pace and bounce from Finn – Ronchi tries to angle it away but just gets a thin edge through to the keeper.
45th over: New Zealand 351-4 (Taylor 89, Ronchi 33)
Just seven from the over. Yeah, “just” seems about right. A low full-toss was put to mid-wicket for four but not too much bad stuff after that. PROGRESS.
44th over: New Zealand (Taylor 83, Ronchi 32)
Ronchi gives himself room and hits a good length ball over Plunkett’s head for six! Plunkett then follows Ronchi as he looks to attempt the same move but this time the Aussi-Kiwi whips him behind square leg for four. Slower-ball (leggie) dragged down and Ronchi has so much time to cart that over cover for four! 15 from the over.
43rd over: New Zealand 328-6 (Taylor 82, Ronchi 18)
Cracking shot from Ronchi, as he tees Jordan down the ground. Length no good but still a cracking shot for six! Two balls later and it’s six again – a high flick to the leg side. Smart end to the over but grim, really.
42nd over: New Zealand 313-4 (Taylor 81, Ronchi 5)
Ronchi off the mark with a two, then another. He’ll be dealing in carnage, soon...
41st over: New Zealand 307-4 (Taylor 80)
Jordan to Elliott and it’s SIX over square leg and then SIX over midwicket. Then, to the penultimate ball of the over, he threads one through extra-cover for four! Quality batting. And now he’s gone. The first straight yorker of the match gets a wicket. Funny that.
WICKET! Elliott lbw Jordan 32 (New Zealand 307-4)
Jordan ends an expensive over with a yorker that pings Elliott’s toe on about middle and leg. Gonners.
40th over: New Zealand 289-3 (Taylor 79, Elliott 15)
Two runs and a wide and then Taylor has to dive back in his crease to stop himself from being run out. He then uppercuts Finn for six! Great shot. The next ball is a no ball as a slower one comes out wrong and it’s guided to third man for a single.
39th over: New Zealand 279-3 (Taylor 72, Elliott 14)
Three well-run, ermm, runs for Elliott, before Taylor crashes a Jordan short-ball to square leg for four. Then a tickle fine down the leg-side brings another four. That’s 11 off the first three balls! A leave and then a huge six into the top deck of the OCS Stand - monstrous!
38th over: New Zealand 261-3 (Taylor 57, Elliott 11)
A full-toss from Stokes but this time it’s just placed through cover for four by Grant Elliott. A play and a miss is followed by a glorious square-drive from Elliott. Taylor then gets on strike and throws his hands at a short, wide one and gets six over point!
37th over: New Zealand 246-3 (Taylor 51, Elliott 2)
Rashid starts with a no-ball first up. He gets away with the free-hit but is plundered for a huge six over mid-wicket when Taylor gets on strike. It’s his fifty, which has taken 52 balls. Impressive after a slow start. Nearly a run-out as Elliot is sent back when he’s a third of the way down –Billings with the throw but it misses.
Updated
36th over: New Zealand 235-5 (Taylor 43, Elliot 0)
Batting Power Play and it nearly results in a wicket straightway as Taylor thumps the ball to Root’s right at short-cover. He gets two hands to it but can’t hold on. Two. Then Williamson is gone as he hits a full toss to mid-on.
WICKET! Williamson c Plunkett b Stokes 93 (New Zealand 235-3)
Full toss that is eventually adjudged below waist height - Williamson hits it to mid-on, who takes sharp low catch.
Updated
35th over: New Zealand 232-2 (Williamson 93, Taylor 40)
Adil Rashid back into the attack and he’s started well. But a full-toss looks to go for four but Roy cuts it off for just one. Tidy.
34th over: New Zealand 229-2 (Williamson 92, Taylor 38)
Good pace from Stokes but little control as Taylor can swipe a hook and top-edge for four over the keeper’s head. Stokes gets away with another short-one at the end of the over which should probably have been called wide.
33rd over: New Zealand 223-2 (Williamson 92, Taylor 33)
Williamson trying to get Finn’s slower ball away but no luck as it stops in the pitch and bounces. A full-toss is then mis-timed through to mid-wicket. Good over, just two from it.
This, really...
At the risk of repeating myself, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker, yorker rec.
— peter hayter (@phaytercricket) June 12, 2015
32nd over: New Zealand 221-2 (Williamson 90, Taylor 32)
Nothing much, really. Seriously, apart from a wide, nothing much from the Stokes over, on both accounts. Batsmen aren’t worried, bowlers aren’t worrying.
31st over: New Zealand 218-2 (Williamson 89, Taylor 31)
Steven Finn back into the attack and he’s taken for two successive fours by Williamson: the first off the back foot through mid-wicket, the second straight down the ground. Glorious from Kane. Then he nearly chops on twice as Finn cramps him for room.
30th over: New Zealand 209-2 (Williamson 80, Taylor 31)
No boundaries but still nine runs from the over. Excellent work from these two to spot the twos early and ensure any good balls are at least pushed for singles. An e-mail from Simon Gates:
“NZ are going to get over 400 here, aren’t they? Will it be a glorious record breaking run chase, or an abject surrender?
“I know what my money’s on.”
29th over: New Zealand 200-2 (Williamson 77, Taylor 26)
Excellent stuff from Williamson. First, he smacks a short-ball from Rashid to mid-wicket for six. Then, he uses his hands expertly to hit him aerially over mid-off, twice, both for four!
28th over: New Zealand 184-2 (Williamson 62, Taylor 25)
Williamson skips down to a Root full-toss and flays it for four down mid-wicket way.
Anybody thinking that England are going to roll over New Zealand for a 210 run victory second time around are clearly living in cloud cuckoo land,” David Keech, from Sensible Sense Land. “The key is to keep the approach even in adversity.
“Golden rule: Be competitive in every match. Do not descend into the bad old days when, let’s be honest, England had no chance of winning even before a ball was bowled. Whatever happens this match, win or lose, England need to hold their heads high and be able to say, ‘We gave it our best shot’.”
27th over: New Zealand 177-2 (Williamson 54, Taylor 24)
Couple of paddles, one around the corner, another right over the keepers head, bring four runs in total for Ross Taylor. Alex Hales has to do a bit of fielding and the banter emitted from the stands behind him is reaching “airport on the way to Marbella” levels. HAHAHA LOOK AT YOUR BAG!!! WHAT ARE YOU, SOME SORT OF WOMAN? AHAHAHAHAHAHA
26th over: New Zealand 169-2 (Williamson 54, Taylor 18)
Root into the attack and he’s continuing from his summer-long angler of around the wicket to the right-handers. Smart start, with just four singles from the over.
25th over: New Zealand 165-2 (Williamson 52, Taylor 16)
Rashid gets a bit luck with a short ball that Williamson is unable to take full value from but Taylor makes amends with the last ball, skipping down and meeting Rashid on the full volley to hit him over mid-wicket for a one-bounce four.
Updated
24th over: New Zealand 159-2 (Williamson 51, Taylor 11)
Williamson thumps a four through midwicket and then pinches a single to third man for his half-century (52 balls). Plunkett finishes with a brilliant bouncer that takes Taylor’s glove and clips the grill for a scampered run.
23rd over: New Zealand 150-2 (Williamson 45, Taylor 10)
Good work from Jason Roy saves a couple as Williamson goes down the wicket to Rashid and hits him aerially in the direction of mid-wicket. Short-ball is then put away well by Williamson, who rocks back and thumps him through square leg for four.
22nd over: New Zealand 142-2 (Williamson 38, Taylor 9)
Plunkett into the attack to replace the expensive Stokes but he’s tickled fine for four, first ball. Later, Williamson is on stroke and guides the ball effortlessly through third-man for four. The over ends with a hard cut from Taylor that Jason Roy palms away. He’s caught tougher chances.
21st over: New Zealand 130-2 (Williamson 33, Taylor 2)
Taylor finally gets off the mark as he swipes a full toss through mid-wicket but just for one. Williamson gets another before Taylor pushes down the ground for another. Good over from Adil.
20th over: New Zealand 127-2 (Williamson 32, Taylor 0)
Good pace form Stokes but he strays wide and is cracked through point by Williamson. Too full and he’s eased through cover for another four! And another, even better this one as the ball was straighter and needed working through the gap between cover and mid off. Three fours on the bounce.
19th over: New Zealand 115-2 (Williamson 19, Taylor 0)
Good five from Rashid to Taylor there, as the new batsman plays warily, without too much conviction. Turn, too, as the last ball starts outside leg and takes the outside half of Taylor’s bat, as it spins onto middle stump.
18th over: New Zealand 114-2 (Williamson 19)
Good running from the pair sees Guptill get to his fifty off his 51st ball (six fours, one six). Good fielding from Morgan at mid-off saves some runs. And then Stokes gets Guppy, who works the ball to Chris Jordan. Good plan from Morgan who put the fielder in very deliberately.
WICKET! Guptill c Jordan b Stokes 50 (New Zealand 114-2)
Guptill tries to work one off his hip but can only find Jordan, who was brought in at short-ish mid-wicket for that very shot.
Updated
17th over: New Zealand 112-1 (Guptill 48, Williamson 19)
Guptill reaches for a Rashid full-toss and puts it over the man at mid-wicket for four. Rashid follows up with two better balls; the second taking the thick outside edge. Another full-toss and Guptill hammers this, aerirally, past Rashid and then Root, which is powerless to stop the straight four.
16th over: New Zealand 103-1 (Guptill 39, Williamson 19)
Ben Stokes starts with a loosener down the leg-side but he’s spot on for the next five balls. The final ball is dragged down, which is a shame, but good work by the fielder running around the leg-side boundary makes sure it’s only two.
George Rogers on e-mail has some interesting points on Adil Rashid and England’s change in approach to ODI cricket:
‘The typical argument against Rashid’s selection is that he would be hittable and go for lots of runs. That in the limited overs form of the game he becomes dangerous for exactly the reason that batsmen will be forced to try and hit him.
“Now, didn’t this logic used to run the other way around? Wasn’t the logic for Test selection that you needed to select bowlers who were going to take 20 wickets. And the logic for ODI’s was that you needed to select bowlers who were going to be able to keep things tight and not go for runs?
“I understand the shift in ODI thinking to taking wickets being the ultimate arbiter of containing big hitters in the final overs. And obviously, Test Match cricket has always had a use for containing bowlers allowing others to attack, or limiting the damage done during difficult sessions.”
15th over: New Zealand 100-1 (Guptill 39, Williamson 17)
Rashid’s first ball is worked towards square leg where Alex Hales runs in and doesn’t pick the ball up cleanly. Instead of trying to correct his error, he stands there, looking at the ground, as the ball dribbles towards the boundary. At the last moment, he figures he should give it a chase after all. Too late. Four. Garbage.
14th over: New Zealand 93-1 (Guptill 38, Williamson 11)
No seam or swing for Plunkett, and both batsmen seem comfortable to work him on length. Adil Rashid up next...
13th over: New Zealand 89-1 (Gupltill 35, Williamson 10)
Another goodie from Jordan. Williamson shows nice touch to get three off the back foot through the covers, before modest returns from the remaining five deliveries.
“Matt Prior’s retirement leaves a beard-shaped hole in the English first-class game,” writes John Starbuck. “No doubt Moeen Ali will do his best but, judging by the OBO’s pictures so far, there seem to be a few more willing to have a go. Does anyone still attempt to grow and maintain a beard for an entire series/tour these days?”
I would say that there are a healthy number of beards in the English game. However, your point about growing them for a series/tour is an interesting one. I’d say 99% of modern beards are indefinitely grown. Blame Twenty20. Or Giles Clarke.
12th over: New Zealand 85-1 (Guptill 34, Williamson 7)
Plunkett starts with a leg side wide before Williamson works him through mid-wicket for three.
An e-mail from Peter Salmon: “As an Australian I’d just like to mention Steve Smith’s century against the West Indies. The wagons are circling.”
Come on Peter – could you not piss on someone else’s chips?
11th over: New Zealand 79-1 (Guptill 33, Williamson 3)
A calm has descended with men allowed out but Morgan’s employing a short-cover and short mid-on to Williamson, which is making the non-striker’s end quite clustered. Decent over from Jordan goes for just 2.
Updated
Right, now that we’re done with the Power Play, a couple of plugs.
As the 10th anniversary of England’s first Twenty20 match approaches, Barney Ronay looks at how England dropped the Twenty20 ball while John Ashdown runs through that first XI to see what they’re up to now.
10th over: New Zealand 77-1 (Guptill 33, Williamson 2)
Guptill is doing that thing now where he looks like the best player to have ever played the game. He hits Plunkett on the up through extra-cover before punching him down the ground – both for four!
9th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Guptill 24, Williamson 1)
Couple of singles early on see Kane get off the mark. Guptill doesn’t quite time a short-ball from Finn so he just gets two for it before pinching the strike with the penultimate ball.
8th over: 62-1 (Guptill 20, Williamson 0)
Plunkett into the attack and he makes the breakthrough with his second ball. B-Mac is no more. Kane Williamson into the middle but Guptill is on strike and A single gets Kane on strike and Plunkett has him on his heels with a fast short one.
WICKET! McCullum c Stokes b Plunkett 39 (New Zealand 60-1)
Plunkett’s extra pace gets McCullum as he tries to send him into the Shard but can only sky him to Stokes at mid-wicket.
Updated
7th over: New Zealand 60-0 (MCCullum 39, Guptill 18)
Finn a bit all over the place now in search for something a bit less predictable. A couple of wides and then the fourth legal ball of the innings is guided over gully for four!
“I might be getting my timelines a bit mixed up, but was the first ODI the first England game since Trevor Bayliss was announced as the new coach? Certainly the first ODI. Some new coach, some impact! More Boof than Moores. Though mind you was it also the first full game (certainly ODI) under Strauss as Supreme Cricket Overlord? Who saw that coming!”
Your timelines are fine, Robin Hazlehurst, though Paul Farbrace is in charge until the ODIs are done.
6th over: New Zealand 50-0 (Guptill 16, McCullum 33)
McCullum’s here, everyone. Four down the ground is followed by a six over point and then another six over square leg and out of the ground! The introduction of a new ball allows Morgan and Jordan to have a chin-wag at the bottom of the bowler’s mark. Presumably, “careful – this is the only one we’ve got left”. And another four, though this is a strange one: McCullum edges onto his helmet and the ball goes past Stokes at second slip, who comes forward and then sticks out a hand as it shoots past him.
5th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Guptill 16, McCullum 12)
Bit of class from Guppy as he leans forward into Finn and drives him through the covers for four! Soon the first six of the day - Guptill top-edges to square leg.
4th over: New Zealand 19-0 (Guptill 6, McCullum 12)
First ball of the over and McCullum is again charging towards Jordan but missing completely. He’ll do himself a mischief. He exchanges the strike with Guptill and then, staying still this time, he connects perfectly to a wide ball from Jordan to hammer it through cover-point.
Playing by numbers is not a good thing right? Or has the 50 overs game changed that much? #ENGvNZ @Vitu_E
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 12, 2015
Updated
3rd over: England 12-0 (Guptill 5, McCullum 7)
Guptill off the mark and Finn’s first ball to McCullum is hit over the head of mid on. But it plugs and the fielder (Alex Hales) gets it in for two. Flayed single to fine-leg brings Guptill back on strike as Finn tests his patience with a couple that nip away off the seam. Buttler’s loving it. Then he’s too short and wide and Guptill flays him through point for four! Buttler sad.
Updated
2nd over: New Zealand 4-0 (Guptill 0, McCullum 4)
McCullum jumps back and flips his hands on a short-ball to work it high over mid-wicket, to the long boundary, for four. Jordan corrects well and is outside off stump, leading McCullum to skip down and swing wildly. He misses.
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Guptill 0, McCullum 0)
Steven Finn with an aggressive brand of good length bowling. He gets Guptill to play and miss, nearly chop on and then smacks him on the knuckles with the last ball of the over. A maiden.
Our first e-mail of the day comes from Finbar Anslow in Milan.
“One of the few disadvantages to living in Italy is that you never get to see cricket and now I can’t even find any YouTubes of Jos in action being posted after the first ODI match .. any advice?”
Afraid not, Finbar. Can I interest you in Jos in action against Yorkshire?
Jos Buttler blasts unbeaten 71 as Lancashire Lightning win off last ball
New Zealand have won the toss and elected to bat first and inflict some first-innings carnage of their own.
England are unchanged, while Tim Southee returns for Matt Henry.
England: AD Hales, JJ Roy, JE Root, EJG Morgan*, BA Stokes, JC Buttler†, SW Billings, AU Rashid, CJ Jordan, LE Plunkett, ST Finn
New Zealand: MJ Guptill, BB McCullum*, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, GD Elliott, MJ Santner, L Ronchi†, NL McCullum,TG Southee, MJ McClenaghan, TA Boult
Part of me wants England to get rolled for 150 today so we can identify milquetoasts who are retrospectively banned from enjoying the 400.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) June 12, 2015
Updated
Afternoon OBO-ers. Vithushan Ehantharajah here to continue the fanfare that is this damn fine era.
Where 0-1 means sod all and 202-6 means even less. Where Brendon McCullum is forced to go without three slips because England are so ruddy, bloody good and the no.10 batsman hits his first two balls for six. 400! What is this world?!
Where they have a bloody leg-spinner who’s only little but he spins it so many ways you forget which way is up and who invented the bifocal. They make history mean nothing. They are the here and now; the stay a little longers; the tick followed tocks; the Alan Shearer giving a Sikh boy tickets to a Barclays Premier League game because he once took a bus into Newcastle and then got lifted up by one of possibly two people and so thought, “I want to play football” and then did and thought, “I want to be a pundit” and then did and we all got angry at him because we didn’t like the pundit bit. They are the here and now.
They are the England ODI team!
Sorry about that. Got caught up in it all. England are 1-0 up in this five match series. Tim Southee seems likely to return for New Zealand.
Ah well, it was good while it lasted.
Updated
Good morning. Vithushan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Ali Martin’s preview of the match:
While England may be only one game into their new era of one-day cricket, these are clearly heady times. Such is the confidence coursing through the veins of the team that, after compiling their first total north of 400 runs at Edgbaston on Monday, Joe Root believes they can better that performance when they take on New Zealand in Friday’s second one-day international at a sold-out Oval.
Root’s point – and it is a fair one – is that four of their biggest hitters in Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Ben Stokes and Sam Billings contributed only 33 runs between them to an otherwise 50-over all-you-can-eat buffet in Birmingham that saw 408 for nine posted before the tourists were bowled out for 198. Get those three firing and Eoin Morgan’s side, on another batsman-friendly pitch, can continue kicking off the shackles that dogged the winter’s harrowing World Cup campaign.
“You’ve got guys who are explosive batters who didn’t get off the ground the other day,” said Root, after England trained in glorious south London sunshine. “We have shown that we can do it now and what we want is to try and replicate it. We won’t do it every week but we’ll take that approach into every match.”
