England have continued this year’s T20I winning streak as they comfortably beat the hosts New Zealand in the first T20I of five-match T20I series at Hagley Oval (Christchurch) on Friday (1st November).
After winning the toss, the English team decided to field first. New Zealand batsmen struggled against the disciplined English bowlers in the entire innings. The hosts lost their wickets at regular intervals.
In the late of that innings, Kiwi batsmen Ross Taylor and Daryl Mitchell provided the crucial 56 runs partnership for the fifth wicket. While Taylor scored 44 runs, Mitchell played the knock of unbeaten 30 runs off just 17 balls. Before their partnership, Tim Seifert also played a fighting knock of 32 runs. At the end of 20 overs, New Zealand managed to score 153/5.
English pacer Chris Jordan once again impressed with his bowling effort. He was the only bowler in that innings to pick up more than one wicket as he had the bowling figures of 4-0-28-2.
England chased down that target in 18.3 overs
In reply, the maiden half-century from James Vince guided the visitors to the comfortable victory. Vince scored 59 runs off 38 balls (7 fours and 2 sixes). Also, opener Jonny Bairstow and captain Eoin Morgan also played some vital roles in that successful chasing. While Bairstow scored 35 runs, Morgan remained not out on 34 runs off 21 balls.
The visitors were always successful to build up the 30+ partnerships. But the third wicket partnership of Vince-Morgan added the crucial 54 runs. These batting performances helped England to chase down the target in 18.3 overs after losing three wickets (154/3).
Only the left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner managed to pick up wickets in that innings as he took all the three wickets. He had the bowling figures of 4-0-23-3 but the other New Zealand bowlers failed to break the English partnerships.
England won that match by seven wickets (with nine balls remaining). With that victory, England have taken the 1-0 lead in this series with four to go. It was England’s sixth successive T20I victory, including fifth straight T20I victories this year.