Brook makes 135 but England struggle in the first ODI against NZ

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP):

Harry Brook hit 11 sixes in an extraordinary captain’s knock of 135, outshining other England Ashes stars in a four-wicket loss to New Zealand in the first One-Day cricket international.

Brook came to the crease with England on 4-2 in the second over. He survived more disarray as they slipped to 56-6, then batted through to be the last man out in England’s innings of 223 from 35.2 overs.

New Zealand reached 224-6 with 80 balls remaining.

Among other players potentially bound for the Ashes series which starts in Perth, Australia in less than a month, Ben Duckett made two, Joe Root two, Jacob Bethell two, Jos Buttler four and Sam Curran six.

New Zealand lost Kane Williamson for a golden duck in his first international match in seven months and slipped to 24-3 before Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell shared a 92-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Bracewell made 51 after being dropped by Root at slip on two and Mitchell steered New Zealand home, finishing 78 not out after being dropped on 33. Mitchell’s father John coached the England team to victory in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England last month.

Brook shone for the imperious nature of his innings in a losing cause. Matt Henry and Zak Foulkes had shared six wickets as they wrecked the England top order after New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner made a hesitant decision to bat after winning the toss.

Brook contributed more than 60 per cent of England’s total, posted his second ODI century and highest score in the format, passed 1,000 ODI runs during his innings and at its end his batting average in New Zealand across all three formats was 76.

He put on 87 for the seventh wicket with Jamie Overton who posted his highest ODI score of 46 and 57 for the last wicket with Luke Wood (5). Apart from Brook and Overton, the England scoreboard read 0, 2, 2, 2, 4, 6, 0, 4 and 5.

“I felt like I was in good touch,” Brook said. “Obviously, we didn’t get off to a great start and I tried to take it on myself to have a counterpunch and fortunately it came off today.

“It’s a do-or-die moment and fortunately I’ve been on the right side of that a few times. I thought we started really nice with the ball, just struggled to take wickets throughout the middle.”

England’s top-order slumps

Santner paused after winning the toss and admitted he was unsure his decision to bowl was the right one. There were patches of light grass on the wicket at Bay Oval, but otherwise it looked a good batting track. Brook was unequivocal: he would have batted first.

Santner’s reservations would have melted away when the first ball of the match bowled by Henry seamed back through Jamie Smith’s defensive push and shattered his stumps.

Foulkes, bowling for the first time in a One-Day International, had Duckett superbly caught by wicketkeeper Tom Latham with the third ball of the second over and bowled Root three balls later.