The stage was set for an exciting encounter as New Zealand hosted England in the first of a three-match One-Day International series, a crucial warm-up for England as they gear up for the Ashes in Australia less than a month away. Winning the toss, New Zealand’s captain Mitch Santner opted to bowl first on a Bay Oval pitch that, despite some grass, appeared conducive to batting, a decision that would quickly pay dividends for the home side. England’s captain Harry Brook, conversely, stated he would have chosen to bat first.
England welcomed back key players Joe Root, Ben Duckett, and Jamie Smith, who had missed the rain-affected T20 series. All-rounder Sam Curran and fast bowler Luke Wood were also looking to make an impact, while Jofra Archer was rested. For New Zealand, Kane Williamson made a much-anticipated return after a seven-month hiatus, alongside opener Will Young, Tom Latham, and Nathan Smith, all rejoining the squad after the T20 matches. A strong wind was noted as a potential factor in play.
Early Collapse for England
The English innings got off to a disastrous start. Fast bowler Matt Henry drew first blood on the very first ball, cleanly bowling Jamie Smith who played the wrong line. Henry continued his impressive spell, while Zakary Foulkes joined the attack from the other end, quickly dismantling England’s top order.
Ben Duckett was next to fall, edging a shorter delivery from Foulkes to a diving Tom Latham behind the stumps. Just a few balls later, Foulkes struck again with an absolute beauty, an inswinger that whistled past Joe Root’s pads to uproot the off stump, leaving England reeling with key wickets gone cheaply. The struggles continued as Jacob Bethell also fell victim to Foulkes, bowled out, leaving England at a precarious 10 runs for 4 wickets.
Brook’s Solo Fight
Captain Harry Brook, however, displayed resilience, opening his account with a superb boundary and attempting to counter-attack the relentless New Zealand bowling. He was joined by Jos Buttler, who also managed a boundary early in his innings, offering a glimmer of hope. But Matt Henry returned to remove Buttler, who edged a good length delivery to Latham, who once again showcased brilliant wicket-keeping. England now found themselves 5 wickets down for just 33 runs.
Sam Curran then walked to the crease, but his stay was short-lived as Zakary Foulkes claimed his fourth wicket of the match, getting Curran caught behind, pushing England deeper into crisis at 56 for 6. Despite the ongoing collapse around him, Harry Brook continued to fight, hitting a magnificent six over mid-wicket and adding more boundaries, refusing to shy away from scoring. Jamie Overton joined Brook at the crease as Matt Henry continued to test the new batsmen with his nagging line and length.
Match Details & Lineups
At the close of the 13.1 overs, England stood at a daunting 65 runs for the loss of 6 wickets, facing an uphill battle against a dominant New Zealand side.
New Zealand Playing XI:
Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Zak Foulkes, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry.
England Playing XI:
Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood.
The first Ashes Test in Australia is scheduled for Perth from November 21 to 25.