LONDON, (Reuters) – Martin Guptill’s fluent unbeaten 103 led New Zealand to a comfortable five-wicket victory over England in the first one-day international at Lord’s yesterday.
Man-of-the-match Guptill shared a third-wicket partnership of 120 with Ross Taylor which laid the platform for the touring side to chase down a target of 228 with 3.1 overs to spare.
“We gave ourselves every opportunity by the way we bowled and fielded and then Martin played a fantastic innings,” New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said at the presentation ceremony.
“We have an experienced team and the way we counter-attacked was pleasing.” England, who completed a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the test series on Tuesday, started well after being put into bat, skipper Alastair Cook and Ian Bell sharing a smooth opening partnership of 45.
But Bell, on 18, edged Tim Southee through to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and the captain fell in identical fashion for 30.
Jonathan Trott and Joe Root repaired the damage with a third-wicket stand of 67 before England lost three wickets in quick succession.
Root was bowled for 30 trying to reverse sweep spinner Nathan McCullum.
HOSTS REELING
Trott, on 37, was caught at deep mid-wicket off McCullum and Eoin Morgan top-edged Mitchell McClenaghan to Ronchi to leave the hosts reeling at 126 for five. Chris Woakes made 36 and
Tim Bresnan 25 but England’s batsmen never got on top of a disciplined attack backed up by excellent fielding and 227 for nine was a disappointing total.
New Zealand made a terrible start to their reply when they lost two wickets in James Anderson’s first over.
Ronchi was caught by Graeme Swann at second slip and Kane Williamson was brilliantly taken one-handed by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. Taylor and Guptill produced the best batting of the day, both striking a succession of crisp boundaries through the off-side as the England bowlers gave them too much width.
Guptill, 26, clipped Woakes through mid-wicket to reach his fifty and he lofted Swann over mid-off for the second of four sixes in his innings.
Taylor crashed another four through point off Woakes to get to his half-century but Anderson made the breakthrough on his return to the attack when the right-hander, on 54, inside-edged a catch to Buttler.
Scoreboard
New Zealand won the toss
ENGLAND
A.Cook c Ronchi b Southee 30
I.Bell c Ronchi b Southee 18
J.Trott c Taylor b N.McCullum 37
J.Root b N.McCullum 30
E.Morgan c Ronchi b McClenaghan 6
J.Buttler c McClenagan b Williamson 14
C.Woakes c Guptill b Mills 36
T.Bresnan b Southee 25
G.Swann c N.McCullum b McClenaghan 15
J.Anderson not out 5
Extras (1nb, 6w, 4lb) 11
TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 227
Fall: 1-45 2-50 3-117 4-124 5-126 6-159 7-182 8-216 9-227
Bowling: McClenaghan 10-0-49-3 Mills 10-0-36-1 Southee
10-2-37-3 N.McCullum 10-0-34-2 Franklin 4-0-29-0 Williamson
6-0-38-1
NEW ZEALAND
L.Ronchi c Swann b Anderson 0
M.Guptill not out 103
K.Williamson c Buttler b Anderson 0
R.Taylor c Buttler b Anderson 54
G.Elliott b Swann 27
B.McCullum c Morgan b Dernbach 5
J.Franklin not out 16
Extras (10w 4b 12lb) 26
TOTAL (for five wickets, 46.5 overs) 231
Fall: 1-1 2-1 3-121 4-168 5-185
Bowling: Anderson 9-0-31-3 Dernbach 10-1-55-1 Woakes 6-0-45-0 Bresnan 9.5-1-36-0 Swann 10-0-33-1 Root 2-0-15-0