New Zealand beat England by four wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Meanwhile, Harry Brook’s splendid hundred went in vain.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first. Matt Henry and Zakary Foulkes were lethal at the top and they ran through the England top order. And half the England line-up was back in the pavilion when the score was 33.
England’s captain Brook, however, played a sensational captain’s knock to take his team out of danger. He came to the crease in the third over. The 26-year-old handled the fire of the Kiwi pacers and stitched two partnerships that gave England’s bowlers something to fight with. With Jamie Overton, he put on a partnership of 87 that provided the much-needed solidity to the innings. The right-hander then added 57 runs with Luke Wood for the last wicket to take England to 223, where Wood’s contribution was five.
Brook was brilliant throughout the innings, scoring 135 off 101 balls. His tally included nine fours and eleven sixes at a strike rate of 133.66.
New Zealand, in reply, chased the target easily in 36.4 overs thanks to Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell’s 92 runs partnership that almost sealed the match for the Black Caps. Mitchell remained unbeaten at 78 while Bracewell scored 51. Brook was adjudged the Player of the Match.
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