England produced a commanding all-round display to defeat New Zealand by 65 runs in the second T20I at the Hagley Oval, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After the first match was washed out, Phil Salt (85 off 56) and Harry Brook (78 off 35) put on a stunning 129-run partnership for the third wicket to propel England to 236/4 — their joint-highest T20 total against the Kiwis. England skipper Harry Brook, leading from the front, praised his bowlers for a complete performance.
It’s exactly what we’ve been talking about. We’ve done well from the start of my captaincy at taking wickets, so to get 10 was awesome. The spinners were phenomenal — Daws bowled four overs straight into the wind and did a great job.
New Zealand Pay For Bowling Gamble
Opting to bowl first, Mitchell Santner’s men struggled to contain England’s aggressive batting. Jos Buttler fell early for four, but Salt and Brook tore into the Kiwi attack, targeting the shorter boundaries and rotating strike smartly.
Some good batting by England. The pitch was flatter, and they played it smart — hitting to the short side, running well to the big one. Whenever you get a 100-run stand in T20s, it’s tough to stop. We threw different options at them, but they just kept going.
Salt smashed 10 fours and 4 sixes before falling short of a century, while Brook’s blistering knock featured seven fours and five sixes. Tom Banton (29 off 12)* provided a quick finish as England posted an imposing total.
Rashid Spins England To Victory
The hosts never got going in their chase. Brydon Carse struck twice in quick succession to remove Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra, and from there, New Zealand never recovered.
Adil Rashid then dismantled the middle order with a superb 4 for 32, dismissing Seifert (39), Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, and Santner (36) as England bowled the Kiwis out for 171 in 18 overs. Brook, named Player of the Match, credited the partnership with Salt for setting up the win.
It felt good. Always nice to contribute, and to do it alongside Salty who’s been brilliant for us. We kept each other calm and composed, just trying to manipulate the field and put them under pressure.
England Eye Series Win in Auckland
With a 1-0 lead, England will head to Eden Park, Auckland, for the third and final T20I on Thursday, aiming to seal the series.
Brief Scores: England 236/4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 85, Harry Brook 78; Jamieson 2-47) New Zealand 171 all out in 18 overs (Seifert 39, Santner 36; Rashid 4-32, Wood 2-36) England won by 65 runs.
