All-round performance by Stokes helps England level ODI series

England on Wednesday registered a comfortable 6-wicket win over New Zealand at Mount Maunganui to level the 5-match ODI series 1-1. After a clinical performance on the field, captain Eoin Morgan and all-rounder Ben Stokes with a crucial 88-run stand steered England home with 12.1 overs remaining.

New Delhi: England on Wednesday registered a comfortable 6-wicket win over New Zealand at Mount Maunganui to level the 5-match ODI series 1-1. After a superb display in the field, captain Eoin Morgan and all-rounder Ben Stokes with a crucial 88-run stand steered England home with 12.1 overs remaining.

Chasing a low total of 224, England lost opener Jason Roy (8) in the fourth over. Post Roy, Test specialist Joe Root (9) too got out cheaply. Just when the Blackcaps started to the tighten their grip on the match, Jonny Bairstow and captain Eoin Morgan took charge of the situation and stitched crucial 39-run partnership. Post Bairstow’s dismissal, all-rounder Ben Stokes joined the party and played a gritty knock along with Morgan. Before getting out off Munro the England captain scored a vital 62 off 63 balls. Towards the end, blitzkrieg by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler (36 off 20 balls) ensured England’s 6-wicket win with 73 balls to spare. After clinching two wickets with the ball, Stokes batted sensibly in the run chase. His unbeaten knock of 63 served as the backbone for England in the tricky run chase.

Earlier, after losing the toss New Zealand were asked to bat first. The hosts got off to a horrible start suffering an early double blow by Chris Woakes. The pacer dismissed Colin Munro for one in his first over then Mark Chapman for the same score in his second. Though in-form opener Martin Guptill scored 50 but runs were hard to come by as England stifled New Zealand's batting with a superb display in the field. With four run-outs and a string off sharp catches the hosts never got in the game. Losing wickets at crucial junctures created pressure on the home team. However with a late onslaught by Mitchell Santner (63) who scored his maiden limited overs half-century helped the Blackcaps to reach a moderate total of 223 before the team got all-out. Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali took two wickets apiece.

Ben Stokes was awarded Man of the Match for picking up two wickets, inflicting two run-outs and scoring an unbeaten 63. The third ODI of the bilateral series will take place on 3^rd March in Wellington.

Brief Scores

New Zealand 223 (Santner 63*, Guptill 50, Moeen 2-33, Stokes 2-42)

England 225 for 4 (Stokes 63*, Morgan 62, Boult 2-46)