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 35-0 (6), Bairstow 21, Malan 13, Henry 0-14 (3)
Henry has hardly bowled to Bairstow, but he doesn’t look comfortable first ball, taking his hand off the bat in a vague attempt at a drive that goes straight to the fielder.
Interestingly, he also doesn’t look comfortable against Henry who has bowled very well in the powerplay so far and seems to be getting more movement than Boult at the other end.
Bairstow gets one away for four but it’s not well-timed, hit the toe of the bat and only just looped over mid-off in the ring.
Bairstow follows it up with another one that glances towards third man, with Boult unable to cut off the ball on the rope.
England 26-0 (5), Bairstow 12, Malan 13, Boult 0-21 (3)
Malan strokes Boult to the boundary for 4, he threw his hands at a wide delivery and sends the ball over short third.
Boult had been pushing the line for a wide call and does receive one, the first extras of the tournament, in the fifth over.
The New Zealand bowler tightened up his line for the rest of the over, with Malan having to defend off the stumps.
England 21-0 (4), Bairstow 12, Malan 9, Henry 0-5 (2)
Henry is causing problems for Malan, but England will be hoping any hint of seam movement does not last long, he has been moving the ball both ways here.
Malan just waited for Henry to bowl one wide, and the waiting paid off when he stroked a half-volley to the off-side boundary after the bowler had bowled eight balls before going for a single run.
England 16-0 (3), Bairstow 12, Malan 4, Boult 0-16 (2)
Boult will want to have a tighter second over after going for 12 in the first of the game, and Bairstow is able to get a single, from the second ball of the over to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Quick aggressive running from England and Malan has a two, with a clip into the leg side. The left-hander has another drive into the off side but cover is able to dive low and get a hand to it.
England 12-0 (2), Bairstow 11, Malan 1, Henry 0-0 (1)
Matt Henry has a big lbw appeal first ball of the second over, there’s a debate over whether to review the delivery to Malan, and they have gone for it, stand-in captain Tom Latham agreeing with the bowler.
Fortunately for Malan, DRS showed the ball going over the stumps, and the England opener misses the next one, which was a wobble-seam delivery outside the off stump.
After scoring 12 in the first over off Boult, this had been more difficult for Malan and England and it’s a maiden over from Henry.
England 12-0 (1), Bairstow 11, Malan 1, Boult 0-12, (1)
Bairstow defends the first ball down the pitch back to the bowler, a marked difference from the ball that flicked off his pad to the boundary in their only warm-up against Bangladesh.
But the next ball is smashed to the boundary for six, it looked just like a clip off the legs but it has flown off the bat and over the ropes, then pinching a single.
This has been a good start from England, and they have another boundary off the second last ball of the over, this is a quick surface so could be a high-scoring clash.
England vs New Zealand
It will be interesting to see how New Zealand fare without Lockie Ferguson who was injured on the eve of the game .
Ferguson bowled well during the pre-tournament series in England, but it will be Trent Boult to open.
England vs New Zealand
England vs New Zealand
The teams are out, the flags are being spread out in the massive 134,000-seater Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The stadium is far from full, with a few England and New Zealand fans dotted around, but it’s time for the anthems...and who better to be an ambassador for the tournament in India than Sachin Tendulkar.
England captain Jos Buttler speaking at the toss:
“It looks like a really good wicket so we just can’t wait to get going. We’re in a really good place as a team.
“We’re very proud to be world champions and what we achieved four years ago but this is something new. We’re not defending anything, we’re here to attack and win it again.
“Ben [Stokes] is going to miss this game with a little hip niggle. We are hoping he’ll be fit for our next one.”
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