New Zealand Vs England Highlights, 1st ODI: Brook's Century In Vain As Black Caps Seal 4-Wicket Win

Helloo cricket lovers! We’re back with another live blog, and it’s a cracker of a morning lined up, New Zealand and England are all set to lock horns in the first ODI at Bay Oval. Expect boundaries, banter, and plenty of drama as these two sides kick off their series. Grab your coffee and stay tuned, the action’s about to get real.

New Zealand have won the toss and have opted to bowl first against England.

England (Playing XI): Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood

New Zealand (Playing XI): Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy

The England openers, Jamie Smith and Duckett, are out in the middle, ready to take on New Zealand. Matt Henry starts the proceedings for New Zealand, and wow, what a start. First ball, Jamie Smith presses forward, trying to block, but a tiny gap between bat and pad lets the ball sneak through and smash into the top of middle stump.

Bowled! Smith departs for a duck, New Zealand roaring, England in shock.

And now Joe Root walks out to the crease, tasked with steadying the innings after such a nightmare start. The pressure is on, and the crowd is buzzing, this game is heating up already.

Just when England thought they might steady after losing Smith, another blow! Duckett faces Foulkes, who bowls a peach from around the wicket.

The ball comes back with the angle, nips away just enough, and Duckett edges it, straight to Latham. But what a catch. Latham dives to his left and snares it clean with two hands. Both England openers are back in the pavilion, 2 for 2, and New Zealand are loving it.

Jacob Bethell comes to the crease.

ENG 5/2 (1.4)

And just like that, Joe Root’s stay at the crease is over! Foulkes strikes again, this time with a clever inswinger that jagged back in. Root tries to play an ambitious on-drive, but he’s caught in no-man’s land, leaning across the line, and the ball sneaks through, smashing into the stumps. England are in a full-blown crisis here, 5 for 3, and New Zealand are loving every second of it.

And it’s another one for New Zealands! Jacob Bethell faces Foulkes, and it’s a beauty, full, angling in, then nipping away at the last moment. Bethell thinks he’s got it covered, nudges forward, and gone. Off-stump crashes to the deck. England are in real trouble now, 5 for 4, and Foulkes is absolutely on fire.

Finally, some fireworks from England. Brook faces Foulkes and smashes one straight into the stands, SIX. A fraction short, and he’s all over it, transferring his weight perfectly onto the back foot to send it soaring beyond deep mid-wicket. Back-to-back boundaries, and England get a tiny spark in this top-order collapse.

Matt Henry over-pitches, and Jamie Overton makes him pay! He leans into the drive, timing it beautifully, and the ball races past the diving mid-off fielder for FOUR. England get a bit of breathing space as Overton finds some rhythm after that brutal top-order collapse.

Jacob Duffy keeps the pressure on England. He bowls a tricky, hard-length delivery to Jamie Overton, who goes for the pull but just can’t get it right. The ball balloons safely to mid-on, no run. Dot ball, and New Zealand keep England pinned down.

Jamie Overton is finding his groove! First, Nathan Smith bowls a short one, and Overton reads it perfectly, backs away and slaps it uppishly through the gap at extra cover for FOUR. No messing around, he’s alert and timing it beautifully.

And he’s not done yet! Next ball, a fuller delivery, and Overton shuffles across, flicking it neatly between mid-on and mid-wicket. Back-to-back boundaries, and England finally get a bit of momentum in this collapsing innings.

And Brook is turning up the heat. Jacob Duffy bowls a short one, and Brook is all over it, pulls it hard and flat, sending it soaring into the gap between deep backward square leg and deep mid-wicket for SIX. England finally have some fireworks in this innings.

What a masterclass from Harry Brook! Jacob Duffy floats a full-toss down leg, probably trying a slower ball, but Brook shovels it over deep backward square leg for SIX, and that’s his century. His second in ODIs, and it’s been a one-man show so far. Brook takes off his helmet, soaking in the ovation from the dressing room. England finally have a true innings to be proud of.

And that's that for Brook's valiant innings. It was a superb performance from the Three Lions batter, but with little to no support at the other end, he felt like he had to accelerate the run rate. However, all he manages to do is find Nathan Smith at deep midwicket.

A well-deserved standing ovation for Brook, and England are all out at 223.

Will Young and Rachin Ravindra are the opening batters for the Kiwis, while Luke Wood had the new ball for England. It has been a contrasting start, with Young taking his time, while Ravindra, once he got the strike, coming out guns blazing.

After dispatching his first delivery to the boundary, Ravindra attempted to to play a drive, with the ball going *just* over Bethell. A half chance, maybe?

It's full, straight, and fast from Carse, and it beats Young's defence. Off the edge and on to the stumps, and New Zealand lose their first wicket. Kane Williamson is the new batter.

What just happened?! Williamson departed as quickly as he came on. Another terrific ball from Carse, and the outswing beats Williamson's defense. Gets an outside edge, and Buttler takes it on the dive. That's Williamson's first-ever ODI golden duck – wow!

Carse is on a hat-trick, but he'll have to wait. Daryl Mitchell is the new batter.

Ravindra's gone! The opener was looking dangerous during his brief stay at the crease, but Wood sends him back to pavilion with a very good seam delivery. Ravindra tried to play a drive, but edges it to Overton at second slip. Tom Latham is the new batter.

Theres a bit of a half in play as there's some issue with Carse's boots. Meanwhile, New Zealand, despite the three-wicket setback, have continued to get boundaries, with Latham deciding to be the one who will take the risks. Mitchell, after a slow start, joins in, dispatching Carse through deep midwicket for a boundary.

With the first powerplay over, England turn to spin with Rashid. New Zealand keep the scorecard ticking, with Latham looking really good against Rashid's wronguns. It's not easy going for the batters, but the singles and doubles are helping them inch closer to the target – 159 runs needed from 39 overs.

Huge moment in the match, as Latham – who was looking dangerous – having to depart. Carse gets yet another wicket, this time his wobble seam ball hitting straight on the pads. The umpire's finger goes up, and the Kiwi batter opts not to burn a review. Michael Bracewell is the new batter.

Bracewell put down!! Another wobble seam from Overton, this time getting a thick outside edge. It just about carried to Root, standing at first slip. At the end, it was a regulation catch, but he drops it. A big, big miss right before the drinks break.

Bracewell is showing off his confidence with some terrific placement, hitting Rashid for two boundaries to take New Zealand 100 up. The required rate is below four-an-over at the moment, with just 123 needed from 198 balls.

After a couple of overs without a boundary, Bracewell punishes an overpitched delivery from Overton, driving it over mid-off for four runs. New Zealand need just 110 runs more from 30 overs.

Another dropped catch by England, this time for Mitchell. The batter tried to scoop the flighted delivery, and it was straight at Wood at backward point. It was a straightforward grab, at perfect height, but Wood puts it down.

A simple single off Curran, and Mitchell reaches a patient, well-taken half-century. Another fifty for the 34-year-old – his tenth in ODI – right when his team needed it the most. Bracewell follows suit, pulling a shorter delivery towards backward square leg for a boundary, reaching 51 off 50 deliveries.

What a calamity! Right after reaching his fifty, Bracewell decided to risk it all trying to take a single that was never there. Overton gets a direct hit at the stumps, and the Kiwi batter is well short of the crease. This was not needed at all. Mitchell Santner is the new batter.

Mitchell knows that he has to lead the Black Caps innings. With no boundaries in the last three overs, Mitchell relieves the pressure with a wonderfully played six, using Wood's pace to scoop it over short fine leg for a maximum.

Short and fast from Wood, and Santner tried to direct it towards the leg side with a pull shot. It was up in the air, with Carse rushing in from deep backward square leg. However, it's just short of his grasp. A half chance for sure.

Bang, bang, and OUT! Santner suddenly caught fire, hitting Rashid for two massive sixes. A case of over-confidence, maybe, as he tries to hit another big shot. This time, though, it was a wrongun, and Santner can't time it well. It goes *high* into the night sky, and Overton does very well to hold on to it, just in front of the ropes.

Turns out to be a really poor final over from Rashid, with two gifts allowing Mitchell to win it in style. A four-wicket victory for the hosts, but they were made to fight for it. At the end, Mitchell and Bracewell took the Kiwis over the line, with 13.2 overs to spare.