Eoin Morgan and Joe Root put on 198 for the third wicket, both scoring centuries. Photo / AP
Eoin Morgan and Joe Root put on 198 for the third wicket, both scoring centuries. Photo / AP
England plundered New Zealand's bowling attack to win by seven wickets, record their highest one-day international chase and level the five-match series 2-2 heading to Durham on Saturday.
Conversely, New Zealand's 349 for seven was the most runs they had scored to lose an ODI. Bowlers from both sides took another battering. The series has yielded 2676 runs where the average team score has been 334.50 and the run rate 7.23.
England hauled in the total with six overs to spare. Their previous highest chase to win was 306 against Pakistan at Karachi in 2000.
Today belonged to the sublime batting of their top four who tore into New Zealand's pace quartet as if afraid of missing last orders at the adjacent Larwood and Voce Tavern. Quite what those two fine Nottinghamshire bowlers would have made of bat dominating ball in such a fashion would be riveting.
Bigger bats, shorter boundaries, stable pitches, powerplay fields and a cache of Twenty20 knowledge have contributed to the trend but such results in the last four matches will likely fast track a tweaking of the laws next week at the International Cricket Council's chief executives meeting.
Eoin Morgan scored 113 runs from 82 balls, his eighth ODI century, but arguably his most important as he endeavours to stamp his leadership credentials on this revamped England team.
He formed a 198-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root who was almost as formidable, making his sixth century in the format, finishing on 106 from 97. The crowd launched into full chorus singing 'Hey, Jude' but inserting the Yorkshire batsman's name.
The Morgan-Root stand was the best for any England wicket against New Zealand and the second best for the third wicket against any opposition.
Eoin Morgan looks to the heavens after scoring a century. Photo / AP
Alex Hales' 67 off 38 and Jason Roy's 38 off 35 also can't be forgotten as catalysts.
The brutality was palpable. None of the New Zealand's bowlers went at less than seven runs per over, regardless of how they adjusted their pace or lengths. Ben Wheeler in particular was dealt a dose of reality with none for 75 from eight overs after taking three for 63 on debut. That included a maiden to start.
Clearly the absence of Trent Boult has impacted on their ranks but, on this occasion, it's hard to argue he would have made a definitive impact. Given the territory, New Zealand needed Robin Hood.
In contrast to England's smooth trajectory, the visitors' assault suffered a hiccup in the batting powerplay from overs 35-39. Ross Taylor was out on the third ball for 42 off 55 balls, leaving Mark Wood and Steve Finn to restrict the visitors to 23 runs, including 20 dot balls. The pair's performance reflected in strong figures by modern standards. Wood had one for 49 and Finn one for 51 from their allotment.
Their parsimony was juxtaposed by New Zealand's gluttony against David Willey (10-0-89-2) and Adil Rashid (8-0-75-1). Rashid went for 28 from the 48th over when Mitchell Santner took him for four sixes and a four on his way to a career-blossoming 44 from 19 balls.
England's Joe Root celebrates a century. Photo / AP
Grant Elliott finished with 55 from 52 balls after struggling to 13 off 21 by the end of the powerplay. At one point he had 20 off 33. Four boundaries off seven balls corrected those earlier difficulties.
Earlier, Kane Williamson was New Zealand's strongest batsman with 90 from 70 balls.
The No.3 passed 50 in 39 balls eking out his methodical brand. It was the 25th time he has passed the mark in 78 ODIs.
Williamson became the fifth fastest ODI batsman to record 3000 runs, completing the feat in 73 innings and, to put his effort in context, sits behind Hashim Amla (57), Sir Vivian Richards (69) and Gordon Greenidge and Gary Kirsten (72). The next fastest New Zealander is Martin Guptill in 90 innings.
Total runs scored in the series: England: 1425 New Zealand: 1251.
Williamson's technique made the innings look effortless. The supreme compliment is the complacency which creeps in with the expectation he will score such substantial runs every game. That's what happens when you average 47.37, the highest of any New Zealand batsman to have played 10 or more innings in the format. Glenn Turner's 47 is next.
Rain threatened but failed to steal the limelight from the visitors' top four who laid a platform of 217 for three by the 35th over.
Taylor and Williamson made their ninth century partnership in 37 ODI innings.
Earlier, Brendon McCullum (35 off 31) and Martin Guptill (53 from 66) put on 88 for the opening stand, pushing their average in 41 outings at the top to 40.64.
