Sports Reporter :
The New Zealand cricket team made an auspicious start in the ICC World Cup defeating England cricket team by nine wickets in the opening match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Sent into bat first, England piled up 282 for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs.
In reply, the Kiwis coasted home making 283 for the loss of one wicket when they had 13.4 overs to spare.
New Zealand made a sorrow start as their opener Will Young (0) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off Sam Curran when the Kiwis score was just 10.
Opener Devon Conway and one-down Rachin Ravindra powered their team to anchor the victory target.
They scored together 273 runs for the unbroken second wicket partnership before they reach the winning target.
Conway remained unbeaten with 152. His 121-ball innings was studded with 19 fours and three sixers.
Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten with 123. His 96-ball knock was laced with five sixes and 11 fours. Ravindra took one wicket for 76 runs. He was adjudged the Man of the Match for his all-round performance.
Earlier, the Lions had a solid start as openers Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan put on together 40 runs in the opening stand before Malan (14) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Tom Latham off Matt Henry.
One-down Joe Root and second-down Harry Brook built another notable partnership contributing together 30 runs in the three-wicket stand before Brook (25) was dismissed by Ravindra when England’s score was 96 for the loss of three wickets.
Joe Root and Jos Buttler built the most notable partnership adding together 70 runs in the five-wicket stand before Buttler was caught behind by Latham off Henry when England’s total was 188 for the loss of five wickets.
Buttler hit a polished 43. His 42-ball innings had two sixes and two fours.
Then, Root and Liam Livingstone added together 33 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Livingstone (20) was dismissed by Trent Boult when England’s score was 221 for the loss of six wickets.
Root was bowled out by Glenn Phillips when the Lions total was 229 for the loss of seven wickets.
Root top-scored with 77 runs. His 86-ball innings was belted with four fours and a sixer.
After Root’s departure, England failed to build any notable partnership.
Henry captured three wickets in the space of 48 runs, while Phillips and Mitchell Satner bagged two wickets each instead of 17 and 37 runs respectively. Boult took one wicket for 48 runs.
