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 166-4(30), Buttler 30, Root 50, Boult 0-39(7)
Root needed that, he looked a bit out of sorts ahead of the tournament but shows all of his experience on the biggest stage to bring up the 50 in a much-needed partnership with Buttler.
Root 50!
Root and Buttler changing gloves and having a drink. Root is struck on the knee with a low full toss from Boult but he can’t quite put it away.
The next ball hits the fielder on the rink, and Root has had to wait for his half-century here.
But it does come, a flick off his pads into the leg side and Root has a 50!
England 165-4 (29), Buttler 30, Root 45, Neesham 0-30(4)
Jimmy Neesham is back into the attack, New Zealand to continue the rotation of bowlers to try and find a fifth breakthrough.
Both players are finding the singles quite easy to come by and are rotating the strike well, and Buttler adds another six off Neesham, again this one was just picked perfectly and hit down the ground, capitalising with both mid-on and mid-off up in the ring.
Root moves on to 49...
England 155-4 (28), Buttler 28, Root 47, Boult 0-38(6)
Boult is back to inject a bit of pace back into the attack, and Buttler cuts the first ball into the ground but to backward point.
It hasn’t had a huge difference on the scoring, England still just playing singles.
This pair cannot afford to take a risk as another wicket would put Buttler’s side firmly on the back foot.
England 150-4 (27), Buttler 18, Root 46, Ravindra 1-47 (6)
Buttler calls for a drink and it is hot out there in Ahmedabad at this time of year.
But it doesn’t seem like he needs it, hitting Ravindra straight down the ground back over his head for a six, that was a perfect half volley, right in the slot and it has been punished!
The next one is cut away for two, Ravindra is definitely proving easier for the England batters to get away than Santner at the other end.
England 139-4 (26), Buttler 7, Root 45, Santner 1-26 (7)
After a couple of dots, England have a single. It sort of feels like the game is just trickling along here.
Just another few singles from the over, Root on to 45.
England 135-4 (25), Buttler 6, Root 43, Ravindra 1-36 (5)
Sachin Tendulkar was saying the changes in the rules of the game has allowed players to think differently and thinks T20 has allowed players to take more chances and back themselves.
Root had to wait but there is a boundary! A fine sweep goes for four and the Yorkshireman is into the 40s.
England 128-4 (24), Buttler 5, Root 37, Santner 1-22(6)
We’re firmly into the middle overs now where spin takes over, the pace comes off and the runs just become that little bit harder to find.
Santner continues and has not been expensive or offered a lot of width to the batters so far.
Six fielders in the ring forces the batter to take a few chances, but there are still three floating around the boundary.
England 125-4 (23), Buttler 4, Root 36, Ravindra 1-29 (4)
“I remember in 2011 we said we have to remember that a billion people are with us and not on top of our head,” says Sachin Tendulkar on the Sky commentary.
As Ravindra goes for two runs from the first two balls of his fourth over with Buttler just getting a feel for the surface.
England 121-4 (22), Buttler 2, Root 33, Philipps 1-3 (1)
That wicket was just what England didn’t need after the early three, and this will have to be a big partnership from Buttler and Root.
I have to say five did feel slightly high for Moeen Ali, and more concerning for England to lose a wicket like that.
Ali misjudged the ball and went for a big swing but was through the shot before the ball reached him from the slightly part-time spinner in Phillips and England have lost another wicket.
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