Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series 2018: England vs New Zealand- 6th match, 5 talking points

The sixth and the final league match of the T20I tri-series was played between between England and New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton. With Australia having already qualified for the finals, the shoot-out for the last spot was between Eoin Morgan’s side and the hosts. New Zealand had just one solitary win in the short series while England had none and for them to qualify, they had to beat the Kiwis by a margin of more than 20 runs.

In pressure games, it always helps if a team knows the score that they need to chase down to qualify for the next round and therefore it was not surprising that New Zealand chose to send England in to bat first after winning the toss. The English were handed early setbacks but eventually ended with 194 for seven in their 20 overs.

New Zealand needed 174 to qualify and set about their chase in an organised manner before some late innings hara-kiri and accurate bowling from the English ensured that the visitors won the nail-biting game by 2 runs. However, this was not enough to stop New Zealand from qualifying for the summit clash.

Here are the 5 talking points from the game.

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#1 Eoin Morgan’s rescue act

After Jason Roy and Alex Hales were sent packing, reducing England to 24 for 2 in just 3.1 overs, captain Eoin Morgan combined with Dawid Malan to rescue the team from yet another embarrassment.

The former Ireland player, who had not scored a half century in the format since Januray 2017, started off on a rather subdued note, but once he got back his momentum, boundaries were the only way forward.

He picked up 21 runs in the 11th over that was bowled by Mitchell Santner and ended the innings with 23 runs in just 5 deliveries, including three sixes and a four.

He remained unbeaten on 80 in 46 deliveries and was aptly aided by Malan, who was dismissed after making 53 in 36 balls.

However, after Malan was sent back by Colin de Grandhomme, none of the other English players were able to settle in and support Morgan.

#2 Boult and Southee stall the runs

At one stage, it seemed that England would score in excess of 210, with the English scorecard reading 117 for the loss of 2 wickets at the end of the 12th over. However, Malan was soon dismissed and it started a down-slide for the visitors. Morgan and Malan had managed a partnership of 93 runs in 54 deliveries and the stage was set for the likes of Jos Buttler and Sam Billings to end the innings on a high.

But Trent Boult and the other bowlers had other plans. The former dismissed Billings with a perfect yorker and after being hit for ten in two balls, sent back Liam Dawson with a back of the length, slower delivery. Southee sent David Willey packing and gave away just 16 runs in his last 12 balls. Ish Sodhi gave away just 4 in his last seven balls, picking up Buttler.

Without these efforts, New Zealand would have had a higher target to chase.

#3 The Kiwi openers begin with a bang, again!

Fresh from the onslaught in their last game again Australia, the New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, once again began on a threatening note.

Munro was the aggressor first up, scoring 57 of the 78 runs for the first wicket. He raced to his 50 in just 18 deliveries, which is the third time in his international career that he has made a 50 in 18 balls or lesser. With 7 massive sixes and 3 fours, he set the stage for yet another high-score chase.

Guptill played the role of a sheet anchor to perfection, upping the ante when Kane Williamson at the other end failed to get going. He made 62 in 47 with three fours and four sixes.

#4 The drama at the end

New Zealand at one stage needed 57 in 30 balls for a win, which was brought down to 31 in 22 deliveries, as Guptill smashed away three sixes in 7 deliveries. After hitting Malan for two sixes in the 17th, he was sent packing by a loopy ball that was played across the line by the batsman. Though only 11 was needed for qualification, New Zealand would have loved to enter the Finals on a high with a victory.

The next over, Ross Taylor was sent back to the pavilion, as he failed to read a slower delivery by Tom Curran. 21 was needed in the last 12 but the 19th over was greeted with a plethora of yorkers by Chris Jordan. He gave away a boundary and over-stepped twice, but came back brilliantly to not allow the free-hit to cost much.

It came down to 12 from 6 balls. The first two balls of the last over were yorkers by Curran for two singles. In the third, Mark Chapman smashed a low full toss for a four towards backward square leg and eventually the batting team needed 4 in the final delivery. Fittingly, Curran pitched in with yet another brilliantly bowled yorker to hand England a nail-biting win by 2 runs.

#5 The Trans-Tasman Finals between the two neighbors

Despite the courageous display with the ball, England could not prevent New Zealand from qualifying for the finals, which will be held on Wednesday at Eden Park in Auckland.

The first of its kind T20I tri-series, which was held in two countries – the first three games were held in Australia, before the matches shifted to New Zealand – ended with Australia going unbeaten and the two other teams ending with 2 wins each, with the Black Caps qualifying due to a superior net run-rate.