Trent Boult Shows His Class as New Zealand Square ODI Series with England

What is the best word to describe the first two games of the ODI series between England and New Zealand: Exciting, perhaps? How about exhilarating, or entertaining?

It has certainly been engrossing for those watching, whether in the grounds or on television, particularly at the Oval as the Kiwis levelled the series in a ridiculously high-scoring encounter.

If you’re one of the poor bowlers who has been involved so far, however, the word that might sum things up perfectly is "exposed."

The two teams have combined to plunder 1,369 runs already.

It must be remembered that New Zealand only batted 31.1 overs in defeat at Edgbaston on Tuesday, while rain cut short England’s brave chase by 24 balls on Friday.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

While batsmen on both sides have filled their boots, seamers and spinners alike have struggled to stem the flow of runs.

The scoreboards have not so much been ticking over as spinning at a nonstop rate. A total of 42 sixes have been struck, making it feel at times like a home-run derby you’d be more accustomed to seeing in baseball.

Despite the carnage, one bowler has come through relatively unscathed—Trent Boult.

No bowler on either side has an economy rate under six an over other than Boult (5.40), while his six wickets see him sit as the leading wicket-taker from either team.

The left-armer picked up four for 55 in the first match at Edgbaston, astonishing figures considering his side conceded 408 in 50 overs:

At the Oval, Boult was just as impressive.

It was the 25-year-old who Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum turned to when England were flying along with Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler at the crease and the required rate steadily dropping.

Needing just the 399 for victory, the hosts were beginning to make the seemingly impossible look seriously probable until Boult dismissed Buttler for 41.

He also removed Sam Billings for 12 as he ended with two for 53. His 10 overs included 36 dot balls, and bowling him out so early seemed a gamble that could backfire on McCullum until the heavens opened to shorten the contest.

It might seem odd considering the batting feats during the day-nighter, but you could seriously argue that Boult should have been man of the match instead of team-mate Ross Taylor.

Charlie Reynolds certainly felt it should have gone to the bowler, per his tweet: 

To wrap up a fine personal performance, Boult combined with new-ball partner Tim Southee to pull off a superb catch in the deep, seeing off Adil Rashid as England's last remaining hope of victory disappeared:

"

Best bowling ... and fielding ... combination in world cricket! ;) https://t.co/sPlFNrOp2a @trent_boult @BLACKCAPS #EngvNZ

— Jess (@BlackCapsNo1Fan) June 12, 2015"

Boult has carried over his form from the Cricket World Cup earlier this year, having finished that tournament level with Australia’s Mitchell Starc at the top of the wicket-taking charts (they both took 22).

The seamer sat in fifth in the ICC player rankings in ODI cricket at the end of May, and he could rise even higher by the time the current series is over.

The key to Boult’s success is not speed but swing. Nick Compton, an opening batsman who scored two Test centuries for England during their last tour in New Zealand in 2013, was full of praise for the man from Rotura, telling the Daily Mail:

"

Everyone’s talking about Australia’s Mitchells - Johnson and Starc - but England have Boult to worry about first, and he is up there with the best. 

He’s not as quick as the two Aussies but he has so much discipline — he hardly bowls a bad ball. Plus, he swings it both ways — a bit like a left-arm version of Jimmy Anderson — and if you can do that in England you’re always going to be a handful.

Johnson and Starc deal more with fear, while Boult is more about testing your technique and wearing you down. He’s the kind of bowler who makes you play so your defence has to be really tight.

"

Whether it is in Test or one-day cricket, Boult is now the spearhead of New Zealand’s attack.

He has stood out like a sore thumb in the two 50-over games against England to date, and it was no surprise that his colleagues rushed to congratulate him after he had completed his final over at the Oval.

Without him, New Zealand may well have been heading to the Ageas Bowl on Sunday for the third ODI in a must-win situation. Instead, the series is all square with everything to play for.