KEY POINTS:
New Zealand beat England by six wickets in the opening match of their one-day cricket series at Westpac Stadium here tonight.
Set 131 for victory, after England were dismissed in the 50th over, New Zealand made short work of the chase, reaching the target on the last ball of the 30th over.
An opening stand of 61 between Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum set the tone for a relaxed pursuit while Ross Taylor (24) and Peter Fulton (1) were unbeaten at the close.
Ryder made 31 off 50 deliveries and McCullum a run-a-ball 42 to capitalise on a fine all round performance by Black Caps bowling attack. Stuart Borad took three for 26 off nine in a losing cause.
Chris Martin and medium pacer Scott Styris were the pick of the bowlers, each taking two for 22, while Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills were all economical before second spinner Jeetan Patel mopped up the tail with two for 14 off 6.4 overs.
English pace bowler Stuart Broad took three for 26 off nine overs in a losing cause.
The second match on the series is on Tuesday at Hamilton's Seddon Park.
NZ V ENGLAND COLLATED ONE-DAY SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard from the first one-day cricket international played between New Zealand and England at Westpac Stadium here today.
England
A Cook b Martin 11
P Mustard b Styris 31
I Bell b Martin 5
K Pietersen b Oram 6
P Collingwood run out (Taylor) 12
O Shah run out (How) 20
R Bopara c Fulton b Styris 3
G Swann run out (How) 7
S Broad not out 18
R Sidebottom c and b Patel 4
J Anderson b Patel 3
Extras (4lb, 6w) 10
Total: (all out, 49.4 overs) 130
Fall: 34 (Cook), 42 (Bell), 55 (Pietersen), 67 (Mustard), 80 (Collingwood), 91 (Bopara), 103 (Swann), 104 (Bopara), 120 (Sidebottom), 130 (Anderson)
Bowling: K Mills 9-0-27-0 (4w), C Martin 8-1-22-2, J Oram 8-0-20-1, S Styris 10-1-22-2 (1w), D Vettori 8-1-21-0, J Patel 6.4-0-14-2.
New Zealand
J Ryder c sub (Wright) b Broad 31
B McCullum c Mustard b Broad 42
J How c Mustard b Sidebottom 28
R Taylor not out 24
S Styris c Sidebottom b Broad 0
P Fulton not out 1
Extras (2b, 2lb, 1w) 5
Total: (for 4 wkts, 30 overs) 131
Fall: 61 (Ryder), 83 (McCul lum), 122 (How), 127 (Styris)
Bowling: R Sidebottom 9-1-34-1 (1w), J Anderson 5-0-35-0, S Broad 9-2-26-3, G Swann 3-0-17-0, P Collingwood 4-0-15-0
Result: New Zealand won by 6 wkts, lead five-match series 1-0.
Man of the Match: Scott Styris
- NZPA
