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| First T20, Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street: |
| New Zealand 139-9 (20 overs): Phillips 41 (38); L Wood 3-37, Carse 3-23 |
| England 143-3 (14 overs): Malan 54 (42), Brook 43 (27) |
| England won by seven wickets with 36 balls to spare |
| Scorecard |
England comprehensively thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets with a professional performance in the first T20 of their four-match series at Chester-le-Street.
Switching formats for their first action since the Ashes a month ago, the hosts romped to victory in a chase of 140 with six overs to spare.
They lost Jonny Bairstow to the second ball of the chase but Dawid Malan made a composed 54 from 42 balls.
The left-hander fell with 24 needed from 48 but Harry Brook struck an unbeaten 27-ball 43 to take England home – two towering sixes reinforcing the surprise at his omission from England’s provisional squad for their 50-over World Cup defence in India this autumn.
A composed bowling performance from England set up the win by restricting New Zealand to 139-9.
Luke Wood was hit for three sixes in the first over but recovered to take 3-37 while pace bowler Brydon Carse claimed an impressive 3-23 on his T20 debut – the tourists never able to get going after their fast start.
The four-match series continues on Friday in Manchester.
Wood & Carse impress
When Allen pumped Wood over mid-off before thrashing the left-armer twice over the leg side, a score well in excess of 160 looked likely.
But, having dragged their length back in the absence of new-ball swing, Wood nicked off classy opener Devon Conway for three from eight balls as the turnaround began.
The tall and pacey Carse bowled well, hitting a hard length. He conceded one from his first over and bowled Allen in his second – the opener hitting 18 from his first five balls but only three from his next 10.
Wood mixed his pace effectively. He bowled Tim Seifert with a slower ball for nine and had Glenn Phillips, the only New Zealand batter to threaten with 41 from 38, taken at long-off with another cutter – a wicket that ended any hopes of a big finish for New Zealand.
Bowling the final over, Carse then bowled Adam Milne with another length ball before Ish Sodhi skied him to Sam Curran in the deep.
In between Wood and Carse’s bursts, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid – England’s three spinners who will have a large role to play in India – took a wicket apiece.
More to follow
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