4 h. ago Harry Brook insists New Zealand T20s 'worth it' as latest washout seals England series win

Two of three matches in series abandoned due to rain but tourists still benefit from team bonding experience

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7 h. ago England win series after washout in final New Zealand T20 but Brook left frustrated

Third T20: NZ 38 for 1 v England. Match abandonedRain means only 25 balls bowled in final match of seriesEngland’s T20 series against New Zealand ended as it had started, with a washout. On a previously dry day, the weather teased and taunted. Rain first intervened at 7.17pm, two minutes after the start of play. After a brief resumption it returned, paused, gave the ground staff a bit of time to mop up, allowed the umpires to schedule a 10pm restart and then fell once again at 9.59pm. Twenty-five balls were bowled.“You don’t want to come all the way over to this part of the world and only play one game,” Harry Brook said. “Very frustrating.” Continue reading...

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8 h. ago Harry Brook: England T20 side’s bonding time in New Zealand made it worthwhile

A washout at Eden Park was the second abandonment of the three-match T20 series.

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9 h. ago New Zealand v England: final men’s T20 abandoned – as it didn’t happen

England’s T20 series against New Zealand finishes on a rather damp note but the tourists claim 1-0 winHere we go! That’s tough on the two Tims, who had made a rollicking start.After three balls: NZ 8-0 (Seifert 8, Robinson 0) Wood’s first ball is an inswinger that swings all the way to the square-leg boundary, with an easy nudge from Tim Seifert. The second ball is a dot, and the third is another four – a full toss, thumped through the covers. But then Continue reading...

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9 h. ago New Zealand v England: final men’s T20 abandoned – live reaction

Updates from Auckland as England win the seriesGet in touch! Share your thoughts with TimHere we go! That’s tough on the two Tims, who had made a rollicking start.After three balls: NZ 8-0 (Seifert 8, Robinson 0) Wood’s first ball is an inswinger that swings all the way to the square-leg boundary, with an easy nudge from Tim Seifert. The second ball is a dot, and the third is another four – a full toss, thumped through the covers. But then Continue reading...

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10 h. ago England clinch T20 series win over New Zealand with Auckland washout

Just 22 balls were possible in the third match in the series.

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32 h. ago England delay team reveal for latest T20 with weather forcing training indoors

Third series game against New Zealand set for FridayBanton ‘still learning’ but relishing second chance England’s preparations for a hot, dry T20 World Cup in India in February brought them on Wednesday to a cool, drizzly Auckland, where they were forced to conduct the final training session ahead of their third game against New Zealand indoors. It is not always obvious what purpose these bilateral series serve, what useful lessons could possibly be being learned – but on this occasion, for at least one of the players, that is not an issue.Tom Banton says he is “still learning now”, and if it is the kind of line regularly trotted out even by players who have long since scaled the pinnacle of their sport in his case it is undeniably true. After forging his reputation as a top-order batter, mostly as an opener, Banton suddenly finds himself in a completely unfamiliar role, coming in at five or six. “There weren’t really too many conversations,” he said. “I just got brought back into t...

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32 h. ago Jofra Archer to miss England’s first ODI in New Zealand with Ashes in mind

The 30-year-old is set to arrive into New Zealand on Saturday morning alongside fellow express quicks Mark Wood and Josh Tongue.

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56 h. ago Adil Rashid insists impressive England ‘still have a long way to go’

The ever-dependable Rashid claimed four for 32 in a 65-run win over New Zealand on Monday.

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3 d. ago Phil Salt happy to sacrifice century chance and let Harry Brook take charge

The pair put on 129 as England crushed New Zealand by 65 runs.

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3 d. ago New Zealand vs England: Harry Brook and Phil Salt power tourists to dominant T20 win

England take 1-0 lead in three-match series in Christchurch after first match was abandoned due to rain

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3 d. ago Harry Brook and Phil Salt power England to dominant T20 win over New Zealand

The duo’s efforts formed the backbone of the tourists’ 236 for four.

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3 d. ago Rashid and Salt star as England thrash New Zealand in second men’s T20I

England, 236-4, beat New Zealand, 171, by 65 runsAdil Rashid takes four wickets after Phil Salt’s 85If rain potentially saved England from defeat in the first game of this series, in the second it arrived too late to help New Zealand. A 129-run partnership between Phil Salt and Harry Brook powered the tourists towards a score of 236 for four and, though the Black Caps demonstrated some mighty power-hitting of their own, they simply could not do it often enough, and too regularly lost wickets in trying.Adil Rashid took four wickets and Jordan Cox three catches as New Zealand were dismissed for 171 with two overs remaining, England winning by 65. By the time the forecast downpour arrived, the heavens opening as if fed up with having cricket balls repeatedly hit into them, the game was over. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago Salt marvels at Brook after England thrash New Zealand in second men’s T20I

England, 236-4, beat New Zealand, 171, by 65 runsRashid takes four wickets after Salt’s 85 and Brook’s 78If the first game of this series was ruined by a downpour, the second was won by a deluge. A 129-run partnership between Phil Salt and Harry Brook powered the tourists towards a score of 236 for four, England smashing 34 boundaries and the record score on this ground, leaving New Zealand a forlorn chase which ended when their last wicket fell with two overs remaining and 65 still required.The Black Caps demonstrated some mighty power-hitting of their own but they simply could not do it often enough, and too regularly lost wickets in trying, with England’s fielding despite a swirling wind as impeccable as their opponents’ had been unreliable. Adil Rashid took four wickets, and Jordan Cox three catches, as New Zealand were dismissed for 171. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago New Zealand chasing 237 to beat England: second men’s T20 international – live

Match at Hagley Oval begins at 7.15am BSTShare your thoughts with Rob via email2nd over: England 24-1 (Salt 20, Bethell 0) Duffy dug that wicket ball in short, which meant it hit high on the bat as Buttler came charging at him. Nicely bowled if he meant it.This Hagley Oval pitch looks better for batting than on Saturday. Salt climbs into a wide ball from Jacob Duffy, blasting it square on the off side for four, then top-edges a pull over the keeper’s head for another boundary. Continue reading...

Society

3 d. ago New Zealand v England: second men’s T20 international – live

Match at Hagley Oval begins at 7.15am BSTCurran rises to England challenge after exileShare your thoughts with Rob via email2nd over: England 24-1 (Salt 20, Bethell 0) Duffy dug that wicket ball in short, which meant it hit high on the bat as Buttler came charging at him. Nicely bowled if he meant it.This Hagley Oval pitch looks better for batting than on Saturday. Salt climbs into a wide ball from Jacob Duffy, blasting it square on the off side for four, then top-edges a pull over the keeper’s head for another boundary. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Sam Curran thankful for ‘reset’ after regaining his England place

The all-rounder impressed in Christchurch.

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5 d. ago Curran and rain to the rescue for wobbly England against New Zealand in T20 opener

Curran hits unbeaten 49 in England’s 153-6‘He’s a very valuable player to us now,’ says Harry BrookEven before the rain fell, the start of England’s winter had become something of a damp squib. On a cool Christchurch evening their batters had been surprised by movement off the seam – “You don’t expect that in white-ball cricket, so when it does do a little bit it’s almost a shock,” said Harry Brook – and becalmed by the spin of Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell, and they duly wobbled their way to 81 for five before first Sam Curran seemed to rescue them, and then the weather definitively did.Only two batters scored more than 20, with the dismissal of Jos Buttler for 29, the former captain becoming the fifth man to fall, concluding a feeble start to England’s innings before Curran’s 49 improved their outlook. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Curran and rain to England’s rescue against New Zealand in T20 opener

First T20: England 153-6. Match abandonedSam Curran hits unbeaten 49Even before the rain fell, the start of England’s winter had become something of a damp squib. On a cool Christchurch evening their batters had been surprised by movement off the seam – “You don’t expect that in white-ball cricket, so when it does do a little bit it’s almost a shock,” said Harry Brook – and becalmed by the spin of Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell. They duly wobbled their way to 81 for five before Sam Curran seemed to rescue them and then the weather definitively did.Only two batters scored more than 20, with the dismissal of Jos Buttler for 29, the former captain becoming the fifth man to fall, concluding a feeble start to the innings before Curran’s 49 improved their outlook. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Harry Brook backs revitalised Sam Curran to make England T20 place his own

Curran hit 49 not out off 35 balls before England’s first match against New Zealand was abandoned due to rain.

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