Tag: England vs New Zealand

BRISBANE: England openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales laid a solid foundation with a half-century each before the pacers led them to a convincing 20-run victory over New Zealand to keep their hopes intact for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final qualification.

Set to chase 180, New Zealand fell 20 runs short despite a blistering 62-run knock from Glenn Phillips.

The side had a dismal start to the run chase as they lost their openers – Devon Conway (3) and Finn Allen (13) – for a paltry score of 28/2 in five overs.

Following the early setback, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Glenn Phillips scripted the recovery with an anchoring 91-run partnership for the third wicket.

Williamson, however, was finding it hard to score at a rapid pace unlike his partner Phillips, and as a result, fell to Ben Stokes’ slower delivery while attempting to glide. He scored a run-a-ball 40 including three boundaries.

New Zealand’s batting lineup then began to crumble as James Neesham (6) and Daryl Mitchell fell in the 16th and 17th overs respectively, causing their side to slip to 131/5.

England’s young pacer Sam Curran, who bowled a magnificent final over, struck the gold for his side in the 18th as he undid Phillips to put his side in the commanding position.

Phillips top-scored for New Zealand with 62 off just 36 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and three sixes.

Curran and Chris Woakes bagged two wickets each, while Mark Wood and Stokes made one scalp each.

England, batting first after winning the toss, amassed a decent total of 179/6 in their quota of 20 overs, thanks to brilliant half-centuries from Buttler and Hales.

In a must-win game, the English openers chipped in and laid a solid foundation for a defendable total with a magnificent 81-run partnership.

Hales remained the core aggressor of the 62-ball stand and brought up his 11th T20I half-century.

His stay at the crease, however, remained brief and fell in the 11th over, soon after amassing the landmark. He scored 52 off 40 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries and a six.

England skipper Buttler, on the other hand, stood firm and stitched brief partnerships with Moeen Ali (5), Liam Livingstone (20), and Harry Brook (7) and took his side past the 160-run mark in the 19th over.

The right-handed batter then fell in the same over, courtesy of a brilliant piece of fielding by Tim Southee and Kane Williamson.

He top-scored for the side with a terrific 73 off just 47 balls, laced with seven boundaries and two sixes.

Lockie Ferguson bagged two wickets for New Zealand but was expensive, while Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi struck out a batter each.

LEEDS: New Zealand’s middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell equalled the Australian batting great Sir Don Bradman’s 92-years-old record in the recently-concluded Test series against England.

The recently-concluded Test series was majorly dominated by the home side as they whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 yesterday but if the touring side had to draw a positive from their frustrating outing, it would have surely been the splendid form of Mitchell.

The right-handed batter, who remained the top-scorer of the three-match series with 538 runs from six innings at an average of 107.6, registered a historic record to his name.

The 31-years-old scored 109 in the last Test and had earlier piled 108 at Lord’s and 190 at Trent Bridge. Following his triple tons, the Kiwi batter has become the only overseas batter after batting icon Sir Don Bradman to slam a ton in each of the first three Tests of a series in England.

Additionally, Mitchell is the only cricketer from New Zealand to score three successive hundreds against England in a Test series.

It is pertinent to mention here that England, under the new leadership of the head coach Brendon McCullum and the captain Ben Stokes drew cherishing results in their first assignment as they clean swept New Zealand 3-0.

READ: PCB confirms tri-series against Bangladesh and New Zealand ahead of WC

LEEDS: England’s spinner Jack Leach shone with two five-fers before the right-handed batter shone with a century and a half-century to power the home side to complete the clean sweep over New Zealand.

Set to chase 296 in the third and final Test, the English batters displayed brilliance as they sealed a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over the touring side.

In the run chase, the hosts had an unwanted start as they lost their opener, Alex Lees, cheaply, who walked back to the pavilion following a mix-up between the wickets after scoring a mere nine.

Zack Crawley then ran into the newly-joined Ollie Pope and added 34 runs for the second wicket before the former, who is struggling to score big, as he fell into the touring side’s plan after scoring 25.

With the home side struggling at 51-2, Pope and Joe Root then anchored the run chase as they put on a brilliant show of sheer resilience and dominance. The pair batted for more than 26 overs; both scoring fifties and added 134 runs to the team’s total before the conclusion of Day 4.

The veteran Kiwi pacer Tim Southee then shattered England’s dominant pair in the first over of the final day as he castled Pope with a ripper as the home side slipped to 185-3. The right-handed batter scored 82 off 108 balls with the help of 12 boundaries.

Last inning’s centurion Bairstow then joined Root at the crease and dominated the touring side’s bowlers. The pair put on an unbeaten 111-run partnership at a rapid pace and steered the side to the victory in no time.

Root remained unbeaten with his gritty knock of 86 off 125 balls, laced with 12 boundaries including a six, while Bairstow shone with a blistering 71 not-out off just 44 deliveries with the help of eight boundaries and three sixes.

For New Zealand, Michael Bracewell and Southee remained the only two bowlers to pick a wicket each in the second innings.

For his 10 wickets in the match, Leach was awarded the Player of the Match Award, while Root was adjudged the Player of the Series for his 396 runs and a wicket.

READ: Pakistan squad holds scenario-based practice ahead of Sri Lanka tour

LEEDS: England’s newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes achieved a unique milestone in the longest format of the game as the left-hander became just the third batter to hit hundred sixes.

The English all-rounder Stokes reached the unique milestone and equalled Australia’s legendary wicket-keeper batter, Adam Gilchrist, as he hit his hundredth six in Tests. His head coach Brendon McCullum, tops the chart with 107 sixes.

Ben Stokes is inching towards the #1 spot 📈#ENGvNZ | #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/ZfeBQwu03D

— ICC (@ICC) June 25, 2022

 

With Stokes becoming just the third batter to hit hundred sixes in Test cricket, he has also become the first player to hit hundred sixes and claimed as many wickets in the longest format of the game.

In the match, Stokes played a brief knock of 18 runs in 13 balls and smashed two boundaries and a six. That six bolstered the all-rounder to amass his century of sixes in Test cricket.

It is pertinent to mention here that the right-arm pacer Stokes has bagged 137 wickets in 81 matches at an average of 32.67 and an economy rate of 3.29.

READ: ‘Great cricket supporters’ Finch lauds Sri Lankan fans for their support

LEEDS: England’s last match hero Jonny Bairstow shone in the third Test with a gritty century as he and the debutant Jamie Overton put on a valiant partnership to neutralize the early havoc by the New Zealand bowlers on the second day.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s overnight pair of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell resumed the proceedings for the touring side at 225/5 before the latter’s valiant knock of 55 runs after adding 18 runs into the team’s total on the second day.

Following their partnership, the touring batting tail began to crumble as the side was losing wickets at an alarming rate. New Zealand’s top-scorer Mitchell, on the other hand, held his ground firm and scored his third consecutive century.

The right-handed batter top-scored for the side with 109 runs off 228 balls, laced with nine boundaries and three sixes.

With Mitchell’s dismissal in the 116th over, the tailenders did little to none to resist the strong English bowling attack and the side was soon bowled out for 329 in the second session.

For England, Jack Leach starred with a five-fer, while Stuart Broad chipped in with his three. Overton and Matthew Potts, on the other hand, struck out a batter each.

In response, the home side was off to a dismal start as the Kiwi pacers ran through the English top order and the hosts were struggling at 55-6 in the 12th over.

Following the early horror, the pair of Bairstow and Overton neutralized the trouble as they displayed sheer grit to bring their side back in the game and carried their bats till the stumps.

England’s last match hero Bairstow amassed his century, while Overton is 11 away from the milestone on his debut when the umpires dislodged the bails.

Following their astounding unbeaten partnership, England manage to find themselves in a comfortable position as they finished on 264-6 in 49 overs.

Bairstow (130) and Overton (89) will now resume the proceedings for the home side on the third day.

READ: Carey rescues Australia to seal consolation win over Sri Lanka in fifth ODI 

LEEDS: New Zealand’s reliable pair of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell stood firm with their unbeaten fifth-wicket century-plus partnership as the touring side finished on 225/5 at the conclusion of the first day of the ongoing third Test.

At the Toss, the New Zealand captain Kane Williamson opted to bat first after the coin flipped in his favour in the third match of the series, led by the hosts 2-0.

Batting first, the touring side sustained early trouble as they lost three wickets at an alarming rate with their returning captain Williamson also making his way back after scoring 31 off 64.

The left-handed opener Tom Latham was the first casualty for the side as he fell to veteran pacer Stuart Broad for a duck in the first over. His opening partner Will Young, on the other hand, could only manage to score 20 to his name before England spinner Jack Leach trapped him in his legs.

The pair of Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls then attempted to anchor the innings for the touring side but could only add 21 runs to the team’s total before England’s debutant Jamie Overton castled the latter to claim his first Test wicket. Conway scored 26 off 62 balls with the help of five boundaries.

What a moment 👏 A first Test wicket for @JamieOverton 🙌

Scorecard/clips: https://t.co/AIVHwazVYX

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #ENGvNZ 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/kCq88XI4Gl

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2022

 

With the side struggling to get going at 83/4, Nicholls, who was looking to keep his end tight put on a valuable 40-run partnership with Mitchell before losing his wicket in an unusual way as his straight drive took off from the middle of Mitchell’s bat and went straight to the fielder at mid-off. The bizarre dismissal put an end to Nicholls’ gritty knock of 19 runs, for which he faced 99 balls.

What on earth!? 😅🙈

Scorecard/clips: https://t.co/AIVHwaRwQv

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #ENGvNZ 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/yb41LrnDr9

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2022

The pair of Mitchell and Blundell seemed to remain unaffected by the bizarre dismissal of Nicholls as they went on to neutralise the threat by the strong English bowling attack and remained unbeaten till the conclusion of the opening day.

New Zealand’s top-scorer of the ongoing series Mitchell starred again as he remained unbeaten with his astonishing 78 off 159 balls, laced with six boundaries and two sixes. Blundell, on the other hand, is five short of his half-century.

The duo will now resume the proceedings for the touring side on 225/5 on the second day of the third Test, while the English bowlers will be looking to break their partnership.

READ: Wasim Akram reveals how he would have bowled to Virat Kohli 

LEEDS: Right-arm seamer from Surrey, Jamie Overton will make his Test debut in the third and final Test against New Zealand as the veteran pacer James Anderson has been ruled out with an ankle injury, England’s Test captain Ben Stokes announced on Wednesday. 

Overton, who received a maiden call-up to the Test squad following his incredible run in the ongoing County Championship, will be replacing the injured Anderson to make his Test debut tomorrow.

“Unfortunately Jimmy’s not pulled up as well as we would have liked him too, so Jamie Overton’s going to make his debut this week,” Stokes told Sky Sports.

“It’s unfortunate for Jimmy, but we’ve got a massive test against India coming up as well. I’m not too sure how serious it is, to be honest. He’s just got a bit of a puffy ankle,” he added.

With Overton making his debut in the third Test means his brother Craig Overton will miss out to make it into the Playing XI.

“That’s the only change this week. As tempting as it was to get both twins out there playing for England, Jamie’s the only change,” Stokes announced.

It is pertinent to mention here that England have an unassailable 2-0 lead against the world Test champions, following five-wicket wins at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.

READ: Yasir Shah returns as Pakistan announce Test squad for Sri Lanka tour 

LEEDS: England’s newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes has missed his side’s scheduled training session ahead of the third Test of the series against New Zealand.

Stokes has not yet joined the team in Leeds after becoming ill over the weekend while at home in Cockermouth.

According to an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) spokesperson, Stokes had returned a negative result from a Covid test taken on Tuesday morning.

The skipper, however, is being kept away from the squad as a precautionary measure.

Ben Stokes must prove his fitness before the third Test against New Zealand, after the England captain missed the first day of training at Headingley through illness.

By @Cricket_Ali https://t.co/n5YDuJRUZI

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 21, 2022

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECB did not appoint Stokes’ deputy and will be needed to name an interim captain if the all-rounder does not recover in time.

READ: Cricket Australia’s Amazon documentary to feature historic Pakistan Tour 

LEEDS: England’s right-arm pacer earned a maiden Test call-up as England Men’s selection panel have named a 14-member squad for the third Test against New Zealand starting at Headingley on 23 June.

Following his amazing run in the ongoing County Championship, the Surrey seamer Jamie Overton has received a call-up to the Test squad for the first time and will join his brother Craig in the squad.

The right-arm pacer has been in exceptional form for the league leaders Surrey in the Division One of the County Championship as he bagged 21 wickets at an average of 21.61.

The recently-announced England Test squad will report to Headingley on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the match starting on Thursday. England lead the three-match series 2-0.

ENGLAND SQUAD: Ben Stokes (Durham), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Alex Lees (Durham), Craig Overton (Somerset), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire)

READ: Conway, Bracewell test Covid positive, Williamson rejoins

NOTTINGHAM: Jonny Bairstow slammed a match-winning knock of 136 runs off 92 balls coupled with England skipper Ben Stokes’ unbeaten 75 off 70 balls helped England to a remarkable five-wicket win against New Zealand in the second Test on Tuesday, clinching the Test series 2-0.

Bairstow displayed a phenomenal show of power hitting in red-ball cricket as he took only 77 balls to reach the ninth century of his career helping his team to claim the highest-ever target of 299 runs at Trent Bridge.

England chased down the historic target in just 50 overs at an astonishing run rate of around six per over.

The crowd showed in numbers to witness the thrilling final day and were not disappointed by Bairstow and the skipper Stokes, who rained boundaries.

Bairstow smashed 7 gigantic sixes and 14 fours in his glittering knock, while, Stokes hit 10 fours and four sixes to take his side home.

New Zealand were bowled out at 284 before Lunch after they resumed the second inning from 224/7 on the final day.

England, on the other hand, went through a dismal start losing the first wicket in the second over as opener Zak Crawley was dismissed on a duck by Trent Boult in his first over.

England continued to move towards the target while losing wickets at regular intervals and lost 4 wickets at 93 before Tea. England’s top scorer of the first inning, Joe Root, fell cheaply facing just four balls, caught and bowled by Boult.

The final session was dominated by England thanks to the blistering knocks by Bairstow and Stokes, who completely stormed through the New Zealand bowling. Bairstow only left the crease after setting his side in a comfortable position.

Boult starred with the ball for New Zealand but his three wickets went in vain as the Kiwi bowlers leaked too many runs and looked helpless in front of England’s forceful attack with the bat.

England now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series against the touring side. England won the first Test at Lord’s by five wickets.

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