England v New Zealand LIVE: Result and reaction from Cricket World Cup 2023 opener as Kiwis win by nine wickets
England take on New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup opener at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad
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Your support makes all the difference.England’s World Cup defence began with a punishing nine-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad as New Zealand helped themselves to a slice of revenge four years in the making.
Organisers scheduled a repeat of the 2019 final to kick off this year’s tournament, but rather than a nail-biter to match the tension of that Lord’s classic, they had to settle for a thoroughly one-sided affair.
England needed a super over and a boundary countback to get their hands on the trophy last time around, but two majestic hundreds from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra meant the Black Caps romped home in the rerun with almost 14 overs to spare.
Conway finished 152 not out while his Wellington team-mate Ravindra reeled off an unbeaten 123 - more than double his previous ODI best.
The absence of Ben Stokes with a hip injury robbed the reigning champions of some middle-order firepower but their score of 282 for nine was nowhere near enough to constrain an outstanding Kiwi chase.
Follow the latest news and updates from England vs New Zealand below and get the latest match odds and tips here.
England 64-2 (13), Root 15, Brook 0, Santner 1-15 (4)
Harry Brook is the new batter and with one ball left in the over from Mitchell Santner he defends it well enough. Brook is into the team in the absence of Ben Stokes.
Can he impress?
Wicket! Jonny Bairstow ct. Daryl Mitchell b. Mitchell Santner 33 (35), England 64-2 (12.5)
Got him!
Jonny Bairstow looks to go over the top and cheaply lifts the ball to the boundary at deep mid on. Daryl Mitchell is waiting and takes the simplest of catches to send the second England opener back to the pavilion.
England 64-1 (12.4), Bairstow 33, Root 15, Santner 0-15 (3.4)
Matt Henry has left the pitch, possibly for a bathroom break, possibly because of a niggle. That’s one to keep an eye on as Mitchell Santner continues.
Joe Root turns him into the legside for one and Jonny Bairstow follows suit to keep his tally ticking over.
The England batters are content to work the spinner into the gaps and wait for a loose delivery...
England 61-1 (12), Bairstow 32, Root 13, Boult 0-28 (4)
Here comes Trent Boult.
The left-arm seamer is re-introduced into the attack after taking a little bit of tap from Bairstow earlier in the innings. Boult has a great record against Root especially when swinging the ball back into his pads. There’s not much movement in Ahmedabad today though.
Six! After a couple of dot balls Root drops low and reverse ramps Boult over the wicket keeper’s head for a maximum! He’s absolutely nailed that one.
Root then takes one from the last ball and keeps the strike.
England 54-1 (11), Bairstow 32, Root 6, Santner 0-12 (3)
The 11th over of England’s innings sees New Zealand spread the field after the end of the powerplay allowing Root and Bairstow to milk Santner away for three consecutive singles.
The left-arm spinner decides to dart the final three balls into Bairstow’s pads and there’s no way through the offside field for the England opener.
Just three from the over.
England 51-1 (10), Bairstow 31, Root 4, Henry 1-21 (5)
Matt Henry continues after dismissing Dawid Malan in his previous over. Joe Root having eased to three from his first four balls is on strike and he prods forward angling his bat to shape the ball away to gully.
The next delivery is fuller from Henry and he draws a booming drive from Root who misses it and looks disappointed at his stroke.
Root gets off strike with a push into the legside and the field spreds out for Jonny Bairstow though he just pushes a couple of drives to the fielder at mid off.
The final ball of the over is smoked through cover and brings Bairstow a boundary! England bring up 50.
England 46-1 (9), Bairstow 27, Root 3, Santner 0-9 (2)
Santner has just taken the pace off and the runs have started to come in singles rather than boundaries to the specialist white-ball spinner.
Root and Bairstow just knocking the ball into the gaps.
England 41-1 (8), Bairstow 24, Root 1, Henry 1-16 (4)
Malan went on the fourth ball of the over to bring Joe Root to the crease. He has experience in India and is widely considered one of the best players of spin in the world.
He’s off the mark with a scampered single, but it is hot out there and I wonder how long it will take for that to take it’s toll on both bowlers and batters today.
Wicket! Malan out caught behind for 14! England 40-1
A first sign of extra bounce, Henry bowls one a bit short, it loops over Bairstow and almost over Latham as well.
It’s hot and humid and that might start taking his toll, but Malan has edged behind trying to drive the ball, just wafted at it without any foot movement, Latham this time holds on to the catch and Henry has his first wicket of the tournament.
England 39-0 (7), Bairstow 23, Malan 14, Henry 0-14 (3)
Mitchell Santner will come on to try and find a breakthrough, with Latham already making a change, but only two fielders are allowed outside the ring in the first powerplay (the first 10 overs).
And he starts with a wide, Bairstow drives the next but only up to long off and will pick up a single.
But the lack of pace seems to be stemming the boundary rate, with Bairstow retreating into his crease and having to work it into the gaps.
Malan pulls out the reverse sweep, and was dropped on 14 the ball before! the ball skidded and kept low and Latham couldn’t hold onto it.
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