England vs. New Zealand, Only T20: Highlights, Scorecard, Report from Manchester
England topped off a fantastic few weeks of cricket as they won Tuesday's standalone T20 international against New Zealand by 56 runs at Old Trafford.
Joe Root once again was the main man with the bat for England as they reached a very defendable 191 for seven from their 20 overs.
Despite Kane Williamson's heroics and a fast start from the Kiwis, England's bowlers proved too good, and the hosts claimed victory with 22 balls to spare.
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England won the toss and opted to bat first. Jason Roy teed off early on as he smashed a couple of sixes before being run out in the third over for 23 after good work in the field from Williamson.
The run rate did not slow, though, as Root joined Alex Hales at the crease, the pair pushing England to 60 runs from the opening power play.
Hales fell to a terrific catch from Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum for a 23-ball 27, with Jonny Bairstow—the hero from Durham on Saturday—falling for just one after a beauty from Mitchell Santner, per Cricbuzz:
With two wickets down in quick succession, the Black Caps were able to take back some control in the game.
Skipper Eoin Morgan did not last too long himself as he fell for four in the 12th over, leaving his side 101 for four.
| Batsmen | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Jason Roy | run out (Williamson/Ronchi) | 23 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 176.9 |
| Alex Hales | c B McCullum b Mitchell Santner | 27 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 117.4 |
| Joe Root | c M Guptill b McClenaghan | 68 | 46 | 8 | 1 | 147.8 |
| Jonathan Bairstow (wk) | b Mitchell Santner | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.0 |
| Eoin Morgan (c) | c Ross Taylor b M Henry | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 66.7 |
| Sam Billings | c Ronchi b McClenaghan | 21 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 190.9 |
| Ben Stokes | not out | 24 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 184.6 |
| David Willey | c Mitchell Santner b Southee | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 200.0 |
| Adil Rashid | not out | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 233.3 |
| Extras | 10 | (b - 1 w - 7, nb - 0, lb - 2) | ||||
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Nb | Wd |
| Mitchell Santner | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitchell McClenaghan | 4 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Tim Southee | 4 | 0 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nathan McCullum | 4 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Matt Henry | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
However, international T20 debutant Sam Billings proved a good partner for Root when he came to the crease.
Billings smashed 21 from 15 balls, while the ever-consistent Root sailed past the half-century mark, showing some terrific imagination on the way, per Wisden's Lawrence Booth:
Billings and Root both went in quick succession, the latter holing out to Martin Guptill after a terrific innings of 68.
Ben Stokes' handy 24 and small contributions from David Willey and Adil Rashid took England to what looked a very respectable 191 for seven from their 20 overs.
The Kiwis were not messing around in the chase, Guptill hitting a four off the first ball of the innings before Willey cleaned him up two balls later.
McCullum, having underwhelmed in the one-day series with the bat, looked to have found his rhythm on Tuesday and was looking dangerous as he hit four huge sixes in racing to 35 from 14 balls.
| Batsman | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Martin Guptill | b D Willey | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 200.0 |
| Brendon McCullum (c) | b Mark Wood | 35 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 233.3 |
| Kane Williamson | run out (D Willey) | 57 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 154.1 |
| Ross Taylor | c D Willey b Adil Rashid | 17 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 130.8 |
| Colin Munro | b Stokes | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.0 |
| Luke Ronchi (wk) | c Bairstow b Stokes | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 125.0 |
| Mitchell Santner | b Mark Wood | 9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 69.2 |
| Nathan McCullum | c Finn b D Willey | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 |
| Tim Southee | c E Morgan b Mark Wood | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Matt Henry | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Mitchell McClenaghan | c Bairstow b D Willey | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Extras | 2 | (b - 0 w - 1, nb - 0, lb - 1) | ||||
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Nb | Wd |
| David Willey | 2.2 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Steven Finn | 4 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Wood | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Adil Rashid | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Stokes | 3 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
However, an intelligent yorker from Mark Wood saw the Kiwi skipper tucked up, and he played onto his stumps and departed with New Zealand at 48 for two after four overs.
With Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease, the Black Caps still looked like favourites to win, especially when Bairstow put down a sitter behind the stumps to remove the former off the bowling of Stokes.
The breakthrough did come a few balls later in the ninth over as Taylor skied one off Rashid and caught by Willey at mid-off.
New batsman Colin Munro went soon after as he was bowled by Stokes for one going for a huge leg-side slog to just his second ball.
Luke Ronchi then fell for five as he attempted to chip a short Stokes ball over the wicketkeeper's head, but he could only spoon it into Bairstow's gloves, per the Cricketer:
Williamson's continued presence at the crease looked to be New Zealand's last chance, and the exquisite right-hander reached 50 with Santner as his partner, the pair keeping up with the rate.
However, the 15th over changed the match. First Wood bowled Santner with a straight one before excellent fielding from Willey saw Williamson finally dismissed, run out for 57 as Nathan McCullum tried to get him on strike.
The last ball of the over saw Tim Southee well caught by Morgan, and with the Kiwis at 131 for 8, England had taken control.
McCullum was caught sweeping by Steven Finn behind the wicket for three, and last man Mitchell McClenaghan went one ball later to top off a collapse from New Zealand and hand England a convincing victory.
Their latest T20 victory and triumph in the ODI series will give England a terrific amount of confidence heading into the Ashes later in the summer.
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