Top Black Caps v England clashes - who has history on their side for Cricket World Cup clash?

Cameron McMillan looks back on the history of limited over encounters between New Zealand and England.

Today's Cricket World Cup group A match between the Black Caps and England will be the 78th ODI between the two sides.

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New Zealand lead the ledger with 38 wins compared to England's 33. There have been two ties.

The first meeting
July 18, 1973, Swansea - England won by 7 wickets
Just the sixth official ODI in cricket history and New Zealand's second outing in the shortened version, England were vastly more experienced having played in the first four ODIs. A 55-over affair, New Zealand were all out for 158 in the 53rd over with Vic Pollard top scoring with 55. New Zealand didn't get much out of their top order with opener Glenn Turner the only batsman in the top five to pass four and he needed 69 balls to reach 26. In the chase England opener Dennis Amiss scored 100 for his second ODI ton, after becoming the first player to reach triple figures a year earlier against Australia, as the hosts (though the game was played in Wales) reached 159 for three in the 46th over.

Biggest New Zealand win
February 16, 2002, Wellington - New Zealand won by 155 runs
The second ODI of a five-match series on New Zealand soil, New Zealand batted first making 244 - not exactly a mammoth total. Craig McMillan top-scored with 69 while Stephen Fleming (40) and Lou Vincent (36) chipped in. In reply England were bowled out for just 89 - three runs shy of their worst total in all ODIs. Graham Thorpe was the only England batsman in the top six to make double figures and he reached just 10. Andrew Flintoff top scored with 26 - the second-lowest high score in an England innings.

Andre Adams opened the bowling for New Zealand and finished with 3-13 from seven overs. Nathan Astle bettered that with 3-4 from 2.2 overs. New Zealand went on to win the series 3-2.

Biggest England win
July 17, 1978, Manchester - England won by 126 runs
Game two of the two-match series, New Zealand and England clashed at Old Trafford after opening the series in Scarborough of all places - the last ever match at the North Marine Road Ground. In another 55-over match, England posted a strong 278 for five with Clive Radley making 117 and David Gower 50. It was a rare off day for Richard Hadlee who had 1-70 from his 11 overs while three of England's five wickets were run outs. In the chase, New Zealand made 152 all out from 41.2 overs with a late flurry from Lance Cairns (60 from 43 balls) saving New Zealand from a complete embarrassment.

Closest non-tie
June 25, 2008, The Oval - New Zealand won by one wicket
January 13, 1983, MCG - New Zealand won by two runs
New Zealand and England have been involved in two ties (1997 and 2008) both played at Napier's McLean Park. In terms of wickets - the closest ODI was the 2008 encounter at the Oval when New Zealand won a dramatic match by one wicket. Final pairing Kyle Mills and Mark Gillespie came to the crease in the 47th over with 13 runs to win the 4th ODI of the series. Earlier Grant Elliott was run out in controversial circumstances when he collided with Ryan Sidebottom. The match remained heated in the final overs as Mills struck a six off England captain Paul Collingwood, who decided to appeal for the Elliott run out, in the penultimate over before Mills and Gilliespie scratched about in the 50th over to be left needing two off the last ball. With Gillespie on strike he could only manage a single to complete a tie before a wayward throw saw the New Zealand pair scramble the winning run.

New Zealand also has a two-run win in the history books against England. During the 1983 Benson & Hedges World Series, the two sides faced off at the MCG and New Zealand made 239 from their 50 overs. David Gower made 122 in England's chase but they stil fell two runs short of victory. England number eight Vic Marks needed three of the final ball to win the match but was bowled by Martin Snedden.

Best World Cup encounter
March 15, 1992, Wellington - New Zealand won by seven wickets
New Zealand and England have met seven times at the Cricket World Cup with England winning the first three encounters (1975, 79, 83) however the Black Caps have won the last four matches. They have only met once in the last three World Cup with New Zealand winning the 2007 match-up by six wickets after chasing down 210 in St Lucia.

The last time they met at a World Cup on New Zealand soil was also in Wellington. In the 1992 tournament both sides went into the group-play match unbeaten and England had plenty of confidence after sweeping New Zealand in a three-match series prior to the World Cup. Batting first, England struggled with the slow opening pairing of Dipak Patel and Chris Harris but Graeme Hick (56 off 70), Alex Stewart (41 off 59) and Robin Smith (38 off 72) managed to get their side to 200 for eight off 50 overs. Mark Greatbatch hit a quickfire (for 1992 standards) 35 before Andrew Jones (78) and Martin Crowe (73) secured the win. Despite a second loss to Zimbabwe in their next match, England beat South Africa in the semifinals before losing the final to Pakistan.

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