6 weeks and 47 matches later, through rain and sunshine, heartache, heart break and euphoria hosts England took on the last editions runners up New Zealand at the home of cricket for a shot at the cricket world cup. Kane Williamson won the all important toss and elected to bat, on a greenish wicket that was very hard to read.
The England pace duo Woakes and Archer got the ball moving in all directions and troubling the batsman, but their early length was just short enough that the LBW shouts were too high and the edges were just too far. Martin Guptil for a moment threatened to cut lose but just as he was settling in Woakes hit the right length to trap him in front.
New Zealand’s rock in this World Cup, captain Kane Williamson came in and he was focused from the start. Given the took his time but that played into the hands of England, as Nichols the other Kiwi opener was struggling as well.
The English bowlers maintained a great line and length and even though the Kiwi’s had a good second slot of 10 overs the scoreboard wasn’t still moving fast enough. And once Liam Plunkett dismissed Williamson and Nichols, the Kiwi’s were struggling. England kept maintaining the pressure as the Kiwi’s found it hard and hard to increase the scoring. The English bowlers also kept chipping away at the batsman taking regular wickets to slow down any progress. Tom Latham hung for a bit helping to move the total past 200 but key wickets fell at the other end and the Kiwi’s struggled to break free.
They stumbled on to 241, just scoring 62/3 runs in the last 10. But runs in the board against a team who has lost 3 world cup final chases meant we had a game in hand.
When it came to England’s reply, Roy and Bairstow started the same way they did against Australia. However unlike Starc and co, Trent was dropping thunder Boults and Henry was throwing hand grenades as they made the English openers dance on their toes. However luck it seemed was on England’s side as they managed to get a solid enough start to put their chase on track.
But cricket indeed is a funny game, even when England was looking settled, New Zealand applied enough pressure with the ball that easy runs kept drying up and once a string of dot balls were strung together the batsman did funny things. The frustration got the best of Root, Bairstow luck ran out with a chop on and Morgan was caught brilliantly at deep at deep point and suddenly 242 looked like 342.
Nevertheless, this England side bat well and bat deep, just when things were going awry, Jos Butler joined Ben Stokes and the pair orchestrated the great escape. First the pair safely negotiated de Grandhomme who was bowling grenades without losing anymore wickets, then they made sure they got the measure of the wicket, and while they were getting used to the conditions they made sure they rotated the strike and kept the scoreboard ticking. Something India failed to do in their run chase. Once the nerves settled they put on 55 runs in the 10 over block from 31-40, slowly but surely increasing the scoring as they went. Butler made sure he went at run a ball while Stokes was reducing his runs to ball deficit. They put on 110 runs for the 5th wicket and brought England within firing distance. But when things were looking good another twist unfolded with Butler being holed out at deep point for a well made 59.
England stumbled as Stokes fought on. He brought them to within 15 from the last over. Stokes slog swept Boult for 6, then hoicked the next ball to midwicket and as he dived to save himself from a run out the ball ricocheted off him for 4 giving 6 runs. England needed 3 from 2. First Rashid was run out going for 2 to give Stokes the strike. Then Stokes went for 2 for the last ball only for Wood to be run out at the non strikers end. We have a Super Over.
Player of the match: Kane Williamson
New Zealand 241/8
H Nichols 55(77)
T Latham 47(56)
C Woakes 3/37(9)
L Plunkett 3/42(10)
England 241/10
B Stokes 84*(98)
J Butler 59(60)
L Furgeson 3/50(10)
J Neesham 3/43(7)
M Henry 1/40(10)
Image Courtesy : Getty Images & ICC International Cricket Council