KEY POINTS:
HOBART - Andrew Flintoff has guided England to their first win of summer after his side defeated New Zealand by three wickets in their Commonwealth Bank Series one-day international in Hobart today.
After New Zealand reached 205 for nine from their 50 overs, England responded with 206 for seven, ending the chase on the second-last ball of the final over at Bellerive Oval.
Allrounder Andrew Flintoff was the key figure in England's chase, finishing unbeaten on 72 and hitting the winning runs of Craig McMillan.
Ian Bell scored 45 for the English while spinner Jeetan Patel was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, returning two for 34 off 10 overs.
Earlier in the day England paceman James Anderson and the slow bowlers helped strangle New Zealand into another batting collapse, before they staggered to 205 for nine.
Anderson finished with figures of four for 42 off 10 overs, while Paul Collingwood and Monty Panesar squeezed the life out of the Black Caps during the middle stages, Collingwood taking two for 25 off 10 overs and Panesar one for 36 off 10. Allrounder Andrew Flintoff chimed in with two wickets.
All but one of New Zealand's batsmen reached double figures, however, none of them were able to go on and make the vital big score to justify skipper Stephen Fleming's decision to bat first. Nathan Astle the best of the Kiwis with 45.
It could have been much worse for New Zealand if it was not for tail-enders Franklin (20), Mark Gillespie (10) and Shane Bond (22*) who negotiated the score past 200 after their side was in danger of being dismissed inside fifty overs.
New Zealand's next match is against Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand
B McCullum c Vaughan b Anderson 16
N Astle b Collingwood 45
S Fleming b Anderson 12
R Taylor c Vaughan b Anderson 1
P Fulton c Vaughan b Flintoff 27
C McMillan c and b Collingwood 22
D Vettori lbw b Panesar 11
J Franklin c Collingwood b Flintoff 20
S Bond not out 22
M Gillespie b Anderson 10
Extras (9lb, 10w) 19
Total (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 205
Fall: 26 (McCullum), 61 (Fleming), 67 (Taylor), 97 (Astle), 127 (Fulton), 144 (Vettori), 146 (McMillan), 185 (Franklin), 205 (Gillespie).
Bowling: J Lewis 9-0-51-0 (1w), J Anderson 10-0-42-4 (3w), A Flintoff 10-1-37-2 (2w), M Panesar 10-0-36-1 (4w), P Collingwood 10-1-25-2, J Dalrymple 1-0-5-0.
England
A Strauss lbw b Franklin 28
M Vaughan c Taylor b Franklin 17
I Bell lbw b Patel 45
E Joyce run out 5
P Collingwood c Taylor b Patel 10
A Flintoff not out 72
P Nixon run out 15
J Dalrymple c Patel b Gillespie 1
J Lewis not out 2
Extras (1lb, 8nb, 2w) 11
Total (for 7 wkts, 49.5 overs) 206
Fall: 39 (Vaughan), 62 (Strauss), 79 (Joyce), 98 (Collingwood), 138 (Bell), 198 (Nixon), 201 (Dalrymple).
Bowling: J Franklin 9-1-34-2, S Bond 8-0-29-0 (2w, 2nb), M Gillespie 6-0-40-1 (5nb), N Astle 2-0-4-0, J Patel 10-1-34-2 (1nb), D Vettori 10-0-42-0, C McMillan 4.5-0-22-0.
Result: England won by three wickets.
- NZ HERALD, NZPA
