New Zealand put in an all-round performance to beat England at the Bay Oval by 4 wickets to go 1-0 ahead in the series. New Zealand outplayed their opponents in all facets of the game. After opting to chase, they rode on Zak Foulkes’ 4-wicket haul and Jacob Duffy’s 3 wickets to keep England down to 223 all out in 35.2 overs despite a tremendous innings from Harry Brook who scored 135 off 101 balls.
In the chase, New Zealand rode on an unbeaten 78 from Daryl Mitchell and a half-century from Michael Bracewell with contributions from others while Brydon Carse picked up 3/45 with ball in hand. New Zealand held their nerves to go 1-0 up in the series.
Harry Brook’s Outstanding Counter-Attacking Ton Takes England To A Competitive 223 in 35.2 overs
Put into bat first. Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett came out to open the batting for England while Matt Henry had ball in hand for New Zealand. Henry gave New Zealand the perfect start as he removed Smith for a golden duck. From over the wicket, he bowled a length delivery swinging into the off and middle stump. Smith was forward to defend and played outside the line without covering for the swing and was beaten on the inside edge as the ball snuck past the inside edge and went through the gates to shatter the stumps. Joe Root came out to bat and got off the mark straightaway.
Zak Foulkes took the new ball from the other end and he removed Ben Duckett for 2 off 4 balls. Foulkes from around the wicket bowled a good length delivery on the middle stump that nipped away after pitching. Duckett was squared up on the back foot and had a poke at it to get a healthy outside edge that flew to the left of the keeper. Latham flew across in front of first slip and took a two-handed stunner. Jacob Bethell came out to bat next and got off the mark soon. Foulkes got another as he removed Root for 2 off 6 balls.
Foulkes bowled full and swinging back in a long way from outside off-stump. Root got across and went forward to drive and tried to go for an expansive stroke without covering for the swing as the head fell over. He played all around it and got beaten on the inside edge. The ball went through the gates and rattled the stumps. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next. Henry continued and bowled a maiden over. Foulkes bowled another maiden over.
Brook broke the shackles as he charged down the pitch to to get on top of the bounce by punching it sweetly through covers for a cracking boundary. Foulkes then got rid of Bethell for 2 off 12 balls. Foulkes bowled it very full and angled back into the off-stump and moved away late to leave Bethell in no man’s land. He looked to defend with a straight bat but was not covering for the swing away from him. The ball shaped away to beat the outside edge and uprooted the off-stump. Jos Buttler came out to bat next.
Buttler got off the mark with a boundary by pulling it past the flying Nathan Smith at square leg for a boundary. Henry continued as Brook completed 1000 ODI runs with a boundary down the ground to left of mid-on. Brook held his shape by playing the lofted off-drive through mid-off for a boundary. Foulkes continued as Brook took him on and pulled it high and handsome over deep forward square leg for the maximum. Brook pressed forward again and drove the ball to the left of cover for a boundary.
Henry continued and removed Buttler for 4 off 8 balls with a boundary to his name. Henry bowled a good length delivery in the channel outside off-stump that shaped away yet again with Buttler poking at it without any significant footwork. He got an outside edge that flew low to the right of the keeper. Latham leapt across and took a one-handed screamer. Sam Curran came out to bat next and survived a close LBW appeal as umpire’s call saved the batter.
Foulkes continued to bowl the final over of powerplay. Brook was on a roll as he clipped it away through backward square leg for a boundary. Then he smashed the same bowler for the maximum by getting underneath it and pulled it over deep midwicket for the maximum. England were 45/5 after 10 overs at the end of the first powerplay.
Henry continued after the powerplay as Sam Curran got to the pitch of the ball to play a neat off-drive to the left of mid-off for a boundary. The 50 came up for England in 10.4 overs. Foulkes continued as Brook latched onto the width and slashed it away through point region for a boundary as he completed 1000 runs across formats against New Zealand. Foulkes then removed Sam Curran for 6 off 10 balls with a boundary to his name.
From around the wicket, Foulkes bowled a short of a length delivery in the channel outside the off-stump with a beautiful seam position angling in and moving away from the southpaw. Curran was a step ahead of his crease and it got big on him as it zipped off the surface. He played it half-heartedly with an open bat face as he felt for it and got an outside edge to Latham who took it easily. Jamie Overton came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Henry continued as Overton hit him powerfully down the ground past mid-off for a boundary.
Foulkes continued as Brook punished him to flick it nicely and beat Ravindra from mid-on for a boundary. England went to 70/6 in 14 overs as we paused for Drinks Break. Henry continued after the break as Overton stood and delivered to get it past mid-on for a boundary. Nathan Smith came into the attack next. Brook looked to pull it away and got hurried for pace as the top edge flew high in the air and over third man for the maximum as he got to his fifty in just 36 balls. It was his 7th ODI fifty.
Jacob Duffy came into the attack next. He bowled a no ball but the free hit yielded nothing for England. Overton launched Duffy by clearing his front leg and clubbing the ball over deep midwicket for the maximum. The 100 came up for England in 17 overs. Smith continued as Brook showed deft touch and opened the face of the bat to guide it through the slip cordon for a boundary as the 50-run stand came up between the two players. Duffy continued and bowled a decent over. Smith continued as New Zealand burnt a review for caught behind against Overton as the decision stood. Overton was hit on the helmet but he passed the concussion test and resumed the innings. England were 111/6 in 20 overs.
Captain Mitchell Santner came into the attack for the first time in the innings. He bowled a decent first over. Smith continued as Overton cleared his front leg to make some room and drove it in the air between cover and mid-off for a boundary. He hit Smith again by clipping it through midwicket for a boundary. Santner continued as Ravindra dropped a tough chance at short fine leg to give Brook a life.
Smith continued as Overton got a thick outside edge past the slips and away to the third man fence for a boundary. Santner continued as Overton smashed him through the leg side by clearing the front leg and played a hard pull shot over midwicket for a boundary. At the completion of 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, England were 140/6.
Jacob Duffy returned to the attack and removed Overton to break the partnership as Overton fell for 46 off 54 balls with 6 fours and a maximum to his name. Duffy bowled a good length delivery outside the off-stump. Overton rode the bounce and closed the bat face trying to work the ball around in the leg side. He got a leading edge that popped up in the off-side. Mitchell at extra cover moved backwards and jumped to get his hands on the ball. The ball popped out of his hands as he went down on his back and managed to complete the catch on the second effort. Brydon Carse came out to bat next and fell first ball for a golden duck as Duffy got two in two balls.
Duffy banged it short outside the off-stump. Carse was on his toes wanting to feel the ball on his first ball and pushed it with a horizontal bat to guide away from backward point but picked up Kane Williamson at backward point inside the ring. Adil Rashid came out to bat next. Santner continued and bowled a decent over. Duffy continued to bowl the hat-trick ball as it was negotiated easily by Brook. Brook then fiercely hit Duffy down the ground past mid-on for a boundary. England got to 150 in 27.3 overs. Brook then launched Duffy by hanging back and swinging across the line with a mighty heave over midwicket for the maximum. Drinks was taken at the score of 161/8 in 28 overs.
Santner continued after the break and bowled a tight over. Duffy then removed Rashid for 4 off 12 balls. He bowled a full length delivery on the off-stump line. Rashid on the front foot looked to flick the ball through midwicket. He didn’t read the slower variation from Duffy and played with hard hands to chip a straightforward catch to Michael Bracewell at midwicket who dived to his right and comfortably completed the catch. Luke Wood came out to bat next. England were 166/9 in 30 overs.
Santner continued and bowled a quiet over. Duffy continued as Brook took him on by reaching out and slapping it over extra cover for the maximum. He was in the zone as Brook dispatched the length ball over midwicket for the maximum. Brook completed a hat-trick of sixes to reach his hundred as the low full toss on the pads, was hit by Brook as he got down on one knee and helped it on its way sweeping over backward square leg for the maximum as he got there in 82 balls and notched up his second ODI ton. 20 runs came off this Duffy over.
Santner continued and bowled another good over. Matt Henry returned for another spell as Brook to him on by going down low to play a whip and got the top edge to fly away over fine leg for the maximum. He launched Henry again by staying leg side and heaved it away over midwicket for the maximum as the 200 came up for England in 33.5 overs. Brook was not done yet as he launched another maximum by clubbing it over midwicket for the maximum.
Nathan Smith came back into the attack as he was greeted by a maximum from Harry Brook who backed away and used the angle really well to lift his front leg and pulled it over long leg for the maximum. Brook managed to get a brace while Luke Wood got into the act by playing late and opened the face of the bat to get the gap between backward point and deep third man for a boundary.
Santner continued and ended the innings as a magnificent innings from Harry Brook came to an end as he fell for 135 off 101 balls with 9 fours and 11 sixes to his name. Santner bowled a length delivery pitching on the leg stump line. Brook was down on one knee and swept it once more. He hit it high in the air without control. The deep square leg didn’t have to move an inch and found himself right underneath it to complete the catch. Luke Wood remained unbeaten on 5 off 4 balls with a boundary to his name as England were bowled out for 223 in 35.2 overs. 17 extras given by the fielding side.
For New Zealand, Zak Foulkes was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand with figures of 4/41 in 7 overs. Jacob Duffy chipped in with 3/55 in 6 overs. Matt Henry chipped in with 2/53 in 9 overs. Captain Mitchell Santner bowled well for his 1/22 in 7.2 overs. Nathan Smith gave away 49 runs in 6 overs. It meant that New Zealand needed 224 to win the match off 50 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Daryl Mitchell’s Unbeaten 78 takes New Zealand over the line by 4 wickets in 36.4 overs
Chasing 224 for the win, Will Young and Rachin Ravindra came out to bat for New Zealand while Luke Wood had ball in hand for England. Ravindra got off the mark in delightful fashion by flicking it away to vacant square leg for a boundary. Brydon Carse had ball in hand from the other end. Young got his first boundary away by playing a glorious square drive through covers and backward point for a boundary. Carse got the breakthrough for England as he removed Young for 5 off 7 balls with a boundary to his name.
Carse bowled a full length delivery angling back on middle and leg stump line. Young was forward with his head falling in the off-side. She got into a tangle trying to whip the ball across and it hit the pad first before crashing onto the stumps. Kane Williamson came out to bat next and fell first ball for a golden duck. Carse bowled a back of a length delivery pitching outside off-stump angled it in as the ball seams away from the right-hander. Williamson played it very late with soft hands but the seam movement took the outside edge and carried behind the stumps. Jos Buttler dived to his right to take a two-handed catch. Daryl Mitchell came out to bat next.
Wood continued as Ravindra pulled the short ball without footwork to the vacant midwicket fence. Ravindra successfully negotiated the hat-trick ball from Carse. Ravindra crashed Carse through extra cover region for a boundary. Wood got into the act next as he got rid of Ravindra for 17 off 17 balls with 3 fours to his name. Wood bowled a good length delivery on the fifth stump line angled back in. Ravindra on the front foot pushed late at the ball and got a thick outside edge as the ball carried to Overton at second slip who made no mistake. Tom Latham came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary as he offered the full face of the bat as the ball travelled off the middle of the bat to beat Brook at mid-off for a boundary.
Carse continued and bowled a decent over. Wood continued as Latham took advantage of the ball on the pads as he flicked it uppishly between square leg and deep backward square leg for a boundary. Carse continued as Mitchell whacked it away by swivelling and dispatching a powerful pull through midwicket for a boundary. Wood continued as Mitchell got onto the front foot and lofted it through the line as he presented a full face of the bat to play a lofted drive over the umpire’s head for a boundary.
Carse continued as Latham got a streaky boundary away by going for the cut shot but ended up chopping between his off-stump and the keeper for a lucky boundary. At the completion of powerplay after 10 overs, New Zealand were well-placed at 59/1 and on course to win this game. Adil Rashid came into the attack post the powerplay. Rashid bowled a decent first over. Carse continued and got rid of Latham for 24 off 24 balls with 3 fours to his name.
Carse from around the wicket bowled full and angling into the middle stump. Latham was pinned on the crease as he looked to flick this wobble seam delivery that straightened up off the surface. The Kiwi wicket-keeper missed it on the inside edge and got hit on the front pad. There was appeal for LBW and the umpire raised his finger. Latham did not bother to review as that was stone dead. Michael Bracewell came out to bat next. Carse bowled a no ball as the free hit yielded only a single. Bracewell survived a scare as a possible run out chance was missed by England. Rashid continued and bowled another tight over.
Jamie Overton came into the attack next. Bracewell got the outside edge from Overton that went to first slip where Joe Root above all people dropped a sitter to give the batter a life. Drinks was taken with England at 75/4 in 14 overs. Rashid continued after the break. Mitchell played the hard sweep by getting down on one knee and got his head forward and fetched the sweep well in front of his body and broomed it through square leg for a boundary.
Overton continued as Bracewell smashed him into the leg side by staying deep inside the crease and pulled it in the air for a boundary at midwicket region. Bracewell took on Rashid and hammering it away through the off-side for a boundary through extra covers. Bracewell took on Rashid again as he drove the ball through extra covers where the fielder dived, but the ball won the race. The 100 came up for New Zealand in 16.3 overs. Overton continued and bowled a miserly over.
Rashid continued and bowled a decent over. Jamie Overton came back into the attack as Bracewell played it straight down the ground past mid-off for a boundary. New Zealand were 114/4 in 20 overs. Sam Curran came into the attack next. The 50-run stand came up between Mitchell and Bracewell. Jamie Overton continued as Bracewell swung across the line and pulled it to the right of deep square leg for a boundary. Sam Curran bowled a decent over.
Rashid continued as Mitchell got a reprieve as Luke Wood dropped a sitter at backward point. Sam bowled another decent over as New Zealand at the halfway stage of the chase were 142/4 in 25 overs. Rashid continued as Mitchell hit the low full toss by getting down on one knee and rolled his wrists to nail the reverse sweep all along the ground past backward point for a boundary. Mitchell survived a LBW appeal against him by Rashid as the England team lost their review. Rashid was punished by Mitchell as he got down on one knee and played the conventional sweep to deflect it through fine leg for a boundary. The 150 came up for New Zealand in 25.3 overs. Mitchell got to his 10th ODI fifty in 81 balls as he held the innings together.
Bracewell then pulled it hard with full control over square leg for a boundary. Bracewell reached his half-century off 50 balls. Bracewell was then run out against the run of play for 51 off 51 balls with 6 fours to his name. A risky single that he attempted as Jamie Overton hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. Captain Mitchell Santner came out to bat next. Carse bowled a quiet over.
Luke Wood returned to the attack as Mitchell shuffled across inside its line and used the pace of the bowler to nail the scoop over the left of the keeper for the maximum. Carse returned and overstepped as well. The free hit yielded a boundary as the low full toss as Santner bent his back knee and opened the bat face and sliced it over point for a boundary. At the completion of 30 overs, New Zealand were 177/5. We also paused for the Drinks Break.
Wood continued after the break and burnt a review against Santner as England lost both the reviews. Carse bowled another no ball but this time the free hit yielded a dot ball. Wood continued as Santner got a reprieve from Brydon Carse as he dropped a tough chance. Mitchell smashed Wood through the off-side as he waited for it and spank it up and over point for a boundary. Carse continued and bowled a good over. Carse finished his excellent spell.
Adil Rashid came back into the attack as Santner welcomed him back with the maximum by heaving down the ground for the maximum as the 200 came up for New Zealand in 34.1 overs. Santner was in a hurry as he went straight down the ground over the bowler’s head over long-on for the maximum. Rashid hit back though getting rid of Santner for 27 off 25 balls with one four and two sixes to his name.
Rashid bowled a flighted googly outside the off-stump which was a half volley for the left-hander. He got underneath it and swung with all his might. The ball spun away taking the power of the shot and was hit high in the air but did not get enough distance on it. Overton at long-off moved to his left and got underneath it to take a fine catch. Nathan Smith came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Jamie Overton came back into the attack as Smith rode the bounce and pushed at the ball to open the bat face to slice between Duckett at short third man and Bethell at backward point for a boundary.
Rashid continued as Mitchell was in a hurry as he picked the fuller length ball and danced down the pitch to loft it down the ground for the maximum. Soon, Mitchell hit the winning runs as he stepped back and pulled the short ball over backward square leg as the ball raced away to the fence for a boundary to end the game. Mitchell remained unbeaten on 78 off 91 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes to his name while Smith was unbeaten on 5 off 7 balls with a boundary to his name as the target was achieved with 4 wickets and 13.2 overs left. 17 extras given by England team.
Brydon Carse was the pick of the bowlers for England as he finished with 3/45 in 10 overs. Luke Wood finished with 1/54 in 8 overs. Adil Rashid finished with 1/69 in 8.4 overs. Jamie Overton bowled 6 overs for 30 runs while Sam Curran gave away 24 runs in 4 overs. So, New Zealand won by 4 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Despite his team losing, England captain Harry Brook was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding innings.
What Lies Ahead
New Zealand have gone 1-0 ahead in the 3-match ODI series. The bandwagon will now move to Seddon Park in Hamilton for the second ODI on 29th October 2025. New Zealand will look to seal the series on that day while England will look to bounce back and level the series at 1-1 to force a decider. Which way is it going to go? Only time will tell.
Also Read: NZ vs ENG: Harry Brook’s Outstanding Ton Takes England To A Competitive Total