Phil Salt led the way as England completed a record 65-run win over New Zealand in the second T20I in Christchurch.
England posted 236-4, the highest total at Hagley Oval, as Salt (85) and captain Harry Brook (78) shared a decisive 129-run partnership for the third wicket.
Jos Buttler (4) departed cheaply to Jacob Duffy (1-44), with Jacob Bethell (24) following suit when he was dismissed by Michael Bracewell (1-36), but Salt and Brook then took centre stage before Kyle Jamieson (2-47) removed them both in the 18th over.
In reply, England bowled New Zealand out for 171 with two overs remaining after Brydon Carse (2-27) accounted for Tim Robinson (7) and Rachin Ravindra (8) in the second over before Mark Chapman (28) and Tim Seifert (39) responded with a 69-run partnership.
However, the duo were unable to repeat Salt and Brook’s fireworks as the Black Caps slumped to an emphatic defeat, Adil Rashid impressing with figures of 4-32, while Luke Wood (2-36) and Liam Dawson (2-38) also chipped in as England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the first T20I was abandoned due to rain.
Salt helps England to post record total
Duffy (1-44) made an early breakthrough for New Zealand, having Buttler caught at mid-off in the second over.
Bethell (24) shared a 44-run partnership with Salt to bring England to 68-2 in the powerplay, the highest at Hagley Oval, but then miscued Bracewell to mid-on.
Salt brought up his half-century off 33 balls in the 10th over as he partnered with Brook to take England to a commanding 197-2.
Salt and Brook added 129 runs for the third wicket, with the England opener smashing 11 fours and one six, while the skipper hit six fours and five sixes.
New Zealand struggled to limit England’s scoring for the majority of their innings, but Jamieson removed Brook and Salt in the 18th over to offer some reprieve.
Sam Curran (8no) made a thunderous start to his innings by hitting Jamieson for six and Tom Banton (29no) dispatched Matt Henry (0-45) for three fours and a six in the penultimate over as their unbeaten partnership worth 38 runs took England to 236-4.
Rashid stars as New Zealand bowled out
Carse was the first to strike for England when he had Robinson caught at mid-on and Ravindra nicked behind to Buttler in the second over.
Chapman and Seifert briefly steadied things for New Zealand, but Dawson made the breakthrough when the former holed out to mid-on.
Seifert attempted a slog-sweep off Rashid, but Jordan Cox took a great tumbling catch at long-on to leave New Zealand 94-4 after the 11th over.
Dawson struck again in the 12th to see the end of Bracewell (2), and Rashid sent Daryl Mitchell (9) back to the dugout after he holed out to deep midwicket.
The England leg-spinner then struck twice in the 17th over to dismiss James Neesham (17) and Mitchell Santner (36), with New Zealand 164-8 and still needing 73 more runs.
Wood mopped up the tail in the following over when he had Matt Henry caught at deep midwicket and Duffy dismissed via Brook’s catch at mid-off.
Brook pleased to contribute for England
England captain Harry Brook, who scored 78 off 35 balls:
“It is always nice to contribute and pleasing to do it with Phil, who has been very successful for us in this new era.
“We were just calm and composed, looked to manipulate the field and put pressure on the New Zealand bowlers.
“It was nice to hit a few out of the park.”
New Zealand beaten by ‘smart’ England
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner:
“The pitch was flatter than it was the other night. There wasn’t that steep bounce that we got, while England were very smart.
“They hit to the short side but also got a lot of twos to the big side. They kept ticking over, there were no small overs.
“Whenever you get a hundred partnership in a T20 it is tough to stop. We threw different options at Salt and Brook but they kept going.
“[In the chase], England picked up early wickets which makes it tough. We holed out a lot of the time to the bigger side.”
New Zealand vs England – white-ball schedule
All times UK and Ireland
- First T20 (Christchurch): Match abandoned
- Second T20: Monday October 20 – Christchurch – England won by 65 runs
- Third T20: Thursday October 23 (7.15am) – Auckland
- First ODI: Sunday October 26 (1am) – Mount Maunganui
- Second ODI: Wednesday October 29 (1am) – Hamilton
- Third ODI: Saturday November 1 (1am) – Wellington
