England 285 for 8 (Buttler 79, Root 71) v New Zealand
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Kane Williamson said New Zealand would focus on their own side rather than how Ben Stokes might improve England
Ben Stokes made a quiet return to England colours as he fell for 12 in the first ODI at Seddon Park, but contributions through the order carried them to 285 for 8 after being put in. Jos Buttler top-scored with 79 off 65 balls and Joe Root made another half-century on his return after missing the tri-series, but New Zealand kept chipping away to prevent a charge over 300.
The spinners, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, the latter playing his first ODI since last May, shared took two wickets apiece although Santner was the more consistent. Tim Southee and Trent Boult were impressive at the start and the end, while Colin de Grandhomme and Colin Munro got through 10 overs for 51 which was more than acceptable.
New Zealand closed the innings well, the last 10 overs bringing just 67 runs. The average score batting first at Seddon Park this decade is 283, but much could depend on whether the dew comes down – last year New Zealand chased 280 with time to spare against South Africa and earlier this season charged over the line against Pakistan by five wickets needing 263.
It had been no surprise, therefore, that Kane Williamson was keen for a chase given the history of the ground. England’s openers couldn’t make a free-flowing start against some skilful bowling from Southee and Boult, a scratchy Jonny Bairstow edging Boult to slip in the fourth over.
Root and Jason Roy played sensibly, realising the conditions didn’t allow an all-out assault in the Powerplay and were content to work the ball around. They built a stand of 79 in 14 overs to form a solid base, before New Zealand’s spinners started to have an impact.
Roy had been dropped by Sodhi, a forceful return catch, but after launching the first six of the match he was defeated by Santner’s arm ball for 49. Captain Eoin Morgan brought up England’s 100 with a pulled six over off Sodhi yet the legspinner had the final say when he deceived Morgan next ball with a googly that was chipped to mid-off.
That meant Stokes arrived in the 23rd over, to warm applause, for his first innings for England since September 24. He was off the mark first ball; offered a low return chance to Boult on 2; played one well-placed reverse sweep; then top-edged a slog-sweep off Santner which looped to short third man. It left England 139 for 4 in the 29th over and in need of a stabilising stand.
Root had played serenely to reach fifty off 53 balls – his eighth half-century in 11 matches since the start of the Australia tour – while Buttler kicked the innings on with three consecutive sixes off Sodhi, striking wonderfully cleanly straight down the ground.
Again, though, New Zealand nipped in when Colin Munro deceived Root with a knuckle ball which he played around, having been given a life at short cover on 69, to continue his wait for a century.
Moeen Ali, another of England’s returning cohort who missed the tri-series, located his range with a straight drive for six off Munro then Boult’s eighth over when for 14 as England reached the 40-over mark on 217 for 5 and set for another push towards 300.
That ambition was dented when Moeen skied a Sodhi googly to cover and Chris Woakes was sharply held on his followthrough by Boult after he, too, was given a life on 2 – a miss by Henry Nicholls at deep midwicket off Sodhi. Buttler was kept relatively quiet at the death, but did manage to send Boult’s final delivery straight down the ground and hauled Southee over deep midwicket, his fifth sixth, to lift England to what should be a competitive total.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo