Thursday 1 August 2013

England Left Feeling a Bit Guptill

The first ODI of a 3 match warm up before the Champion's Trophy took place between England and New Zealand at Lord's, New Zealand won the toss and fielded, handing a New Zealand debut to the former Australian international Luke Ronchi, England playing Chris Woakes and Jade Dernbach. Kyle Mills and Mitchell McClenaghan began well, keeping England to 23 off the first six, Cook and Ian Bell finding boundaries hard to come by. After the first powerplay, England had 45 but then Southee found some swing and Bell edged behind for 18. And soon after, the same thing happened again, Cook edging to Ronchi off Southee for 30 and England were rocked back at 50-2. Jonathan Trott and Joe Root began the rebuilding operation, taking their time against some tight bowling, and only a couple of boundaries came in the next 10 overs, so at halfway it was 104-2, Nathan McCullum going for 20 off his first five overs. Then it began to unravel a bit, as Root was bowled by McCullum reverse sweeping a quicker ball for 30. Then it was 2 in 6 for McCullum as Trott picked out Taylor on the midwicket boundary for 37, and there was enough time for Morgan (6) to freeze on a bouncer from McClenaghan next over, with the ball looping off the bat and going straight up in the air for Ronchi to get an easy catch, 126-6 in the 30th over. Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler struggled to score, and apart from a McCullum slip that led to an all run four, there wasn't much coming as New Zealand kept the ball away from the boundary. The pressure finally got to Buttler, as a nice friendly off break from Kane Williamson was reverse swept by Buttler straight to McClenaghan at point, 159-6.
Woakes then became the fourth to fall in the 30s, holing out to the cover sweeper off Mills for 36 and England crawled past 200 with 23 balls to go and could only finish 227-9, Bresnan and Swann falling, Southee the pick of the bowlers with 3-37.
England needed a quick start, and they got it, Jimmy Anderson having Ronchi smartly held by Swann at 2nd slip, and Williamson taken by a diving Buttler as New Zealand 1-2 at the end of the first over. Unfortunately Jade Dernbach then served up 2 wides and 9 runs straight away easing Ross Taylor into the game. Martin Guptill watched the carnage at the other end, then let Taylor ease to 27 before deciding to target Woakes's first over, with the third ball disappearing to the Grand Stand fence and then going for the hook, which flew straight to Bresnan at fine leg, who went for the catch, only to parry it over the fence for six, 50 up in the 10th and England in need of some luck. More runs flowed freely as Woakes went for nine more in his next and (after a break), 12 off his third as Guptill got to fifty off 64 and the 100 (and 100 partnership) was up in the 23rd. Guptill then went about his business, swinging Swann over long off for six and Taylor was feeling a bit left out, so went to a 71 ball fifty in taking 7 off the hapless Woakes next over. Cook, turned back to Anderson, who picked up Taylor for 54 2nd ball, 120-3, New Zealand on top with only another 100 to win and plenty of batting left.
Dernbach looked to have Grant Elliot LBW, only for him to review and it overturned for the massive inside edge Aleem Dar had failed to notice. Elliot wouldn't last too much longer, bowled by Swann for 27, but it was Guptill's day, he launched Dernbach for his third six and even though Brendan McCullum was caught for 15, Guptill heaved another six into the Grand Stand before pulling the winning four through square leg to bring up a 123 ball hundred as New Zealand won with 19 balls to spare to go 1-0 up.