England 169 New Zealand 159/8
Result: England won by 10 runs
The BLACKCAPS chances in the ICC Champions Trophy took a hit, when they fell short of England's total by 10 runs in Cardiff today.
England set New Zealand 170 to win in the 24 over match, and it looked out of reach after early wickets but Kane Williamson and debutant Corey Anderson had other ideas.
The pair put on 73 for the sixth wicket and had the Kiwis within 30 runs of victory until Williamson went as he tried for another boundary. Anderson went the next over and the chase was all but over.
The BLACKCAPS now need Australia to beat Sri Lanka tomorrow night to secure a semi-finals spot. If Sri Lanka win, their chances are gone.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and elected to bowl first. The BLACKCAPS made just one change to the team that played Australia on Wednesday. Northern Districts all-rounder Corey Anderson was selected to make his one day debut in place of Tim Southee who was struggling with an ankle injury.
When play finally got underway at 3.45pm after persistent rain for most of the day in Cardiff, the BLACKCAPS made a couple of early breakthroughs. McCullum took a cracker of a catch to dismiss Ian Bell for 10 off the bowling of Mitchell McClenaghan, and then in almost the same fashion Kyle Mills had Jonathan Trott caught for eight by Nathan McCullum.
The wicket meant Kyle Mills became the top wicket taker in Champions Trophy history with 25 scalps.
England were struggling at 25-2, but Alastair Cook and Joe Root restored the innings. They took the home side through to 100 before McClenaghan did the damage again getting Root caught by Luke Ronchi for 38.
Cook looked in good touch as he reached his 50 and smashed a couple into the stands off the spinners. After three drops, McCullum had the captain caught and bowled for 64. A timely wicket for the BLACKCAPS with England 141-4.
After missing out on an earlier lbw of Root, which was over-ruled by the review, Daniel Vettori got Eoin Morgan lbw for 15. At 159 for five England collapsed to be all out for 169 in the 24th over, when they looked like they would get closer to 200 at one point.
Mills got three of the last five wickets, while McClenaghan added another to his tally and the fifth wicket came from a brilliant direct hit run out from James Franklin. Mills finished with four wickets for 30 runs while McClenaghan had 3-36.
Chasing 170 to win, Ronchi never looked comfortable as he tried to get the innings off to a flier and he eventually went for two to James Anderson caught by Trott on the boundary. The in-form Martin Guptill only lasted two more balls as he played on to go for just nine.
Ross Taylor went for just three to a 50:50 lbw call that he reviewed but sadly the review stayed with the on-field decision. The BLACKCAPS were in trouble at 27-3.
Captain McCullum pushed himself up the order and as he desperately tried to up the run rate, he was caught by a brilliant catch on the boundary by Root to go for eight. Franklin tried to do the same and was caught by Trott off Ravi Bopara and New Zealand were 62-5.
Williamson provided the backbone to the run chase with a superb innings of 67 with eight fours and a six, while his partnership with Anderson was worth 73 runs.
Anderson on debut chimed in with an outstanding 30 as he smashed two fours and a six.
New Zealand’s match against Australia last Wednesday was washed out without the minimum of 20 overs per innings being played. The BLACKCAPS had snuck home to a one wicket victory against Sri Lanka in their opening match of the tournament.
Check out the points table http://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/standings
