What we learned from England’s ODI defeat to New Zealand in Cardiff
1st ODI: New Zealand 297-2 (Mitchell 118*, Conway 111*) beat England 291-6 (Buttler 72 | Ravindra 3-48) by eight wickets
SOPHIA GARDENS — This opening one-day international against New Zealand had the air of a trial match about it such is the competition for places ahead of the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
That tournament starts with these two teams facing off again in Ahmedabad on 5 October, a rematch of the 2019 final that Ben Stokes, playing his first ODI in 14 months after coming out of retirement in this format, dominated to hand the trophy to England for the first time.
Before then, though, there are a few selection dilemmas to iron out across this four-match series.
Chief among them is how to fit Harry Brook into the World Cup squad. But amid all the noise about that particular topic and the return of the talismanic Stokes – who made 52 from 69 balls – it was captain Jos Buttler who reminded everybody that it is actually his form that is likely to prove pivotal to England’s World Cup chances.
Buttler, on his 33rd birthday, produced a sublime knock of 72 from 68 balls before he eventually fell in the 48th over. And it is his ability to replicate that form from No 5 in the order that will go a long way towards helping England defend their title in India.
Yet if England’s bowlers replicate this performance during a match New Zealand won easily, then there’s not much Buttler the batter will be able to do.
This was a team missing Mark Wood and Moeen Ali, England rotating their bowlers throughout this series. But an attack that included ODI debutant Gus Atkinson were unable to get close to defending a target of 292 as the tourists handed out a huge, morale-sapping thrashing to Buttler’s men.
On the plus side, Liam Livingstone gave a timely reminder of his talents with the bat, scoring only his third 50-plus score for England as he struck 52 from 40 deliveries from No 6.
The all-rounder’s ability to bowl spin will be crucial in India. But it is his power hitting, seen when he struck a 42-ball hundred in a Twenty20 against Pakistan in July 2021 and 66 from 22 in an ODI against the Netherlands in Amsterdam last summer, that is his key strength.
Livingstone is the biggest hitter in the squad – bigger even than Brook. And he showed just why when muscling Kyle Jamieson for three successive sixes in the 43rd over of England’s innings.
Brook failed to make the most of a surprise opportunity to open the batting alongside Dawid Malan in this match, scoring just 25 from 41 balls.
Both were pitched into what felt like a shootout for a World Cup place after regular openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow were ruled out.
Brook failed to do what was required at the top of the order, failing to go hard enough when the ball was new and with just two fielders out during the Powerplay.
Roy’s absence with a back spasm is a worry, the 33-year-old having missed matches in both the last two major tournaments he has played. He will need to prove his fitness and show some form in the remaining three matches of this series to lock in his place for India. Bairstow was also missing, England saying they are being ultra-cautious over the shoulder pain he felt during Tuesday’s final T20 against the Black Caps.
Of the stand-ins, Malan won out this time, starting slowly as he always does but eventually scoring 54 from 53 balls.
This is what the 35-year-old does – scores runs in an unfussy and unspectacular way.
The pitch in Cardiff was slow and not always easy to time the ball on. Witness Joe Root’s six from 15 balls. This is how things will be during the World Cup in India.
Malan’s best day is nowhere near that of Brook, whose ceiling is so much higher. Yet reliability in a squad for a seven-week tournament cannot be underestimated. Maybe both will find themselves in the 15 for the World Cup before the deadline to finalise squads on 28 September.
For that to happen a bowler would need to drop out. On this showing, there are plenty of candidates to drop out, with Reece Topley and Atkinson faring particularly badly here.
Play of the day
The short ball from Lockie Ferguson in the 16th over that caught Harry Brook by surprise and caught his front glove to end the Yorkshireman’s underwhelming innings of 25 from 41 balls.
Stat of the day
This was Ben Stokes’ first ODI half-century in two-and-a-half years when he scored 99 against India at Pune in March 2021.
Player of the day: Daryl Mitchell
The New Zealand opener’s fourth ODI hundred, brought up in just 84 balls, was just too good for England, helping his team cruise to victory during a 180-run stand in 152 balls with fellow century-maker Devon Conway.
