BIRMINGHAM : Jos Buttler’s 129 and a hundred from Joe Root helped England to a record 210-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Edgbaston as they launched their ‘new era’ of limited overs cricket in style.
It was England’s biggest victory, in terms of runs, in all ODI cricket beating their 202-run margin against India at Lord’s way back during the inaugural 1975 World Cup.
England’s total of 408 for nine, their highest in all ODI cricket, was built on the back of hundreds by wicket-keeper Buttler and Joe Root (104).
It surpassed the 391 for four that England made against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge in 2005 — the previous highest in any ODI in England.
Buttler’s stand of 177 with Adil Rashid (69) was also a new seventh-wicket record in all one-day internationals, topping the 130 shared by Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Heath Streak against England in Harare in 2001.
England dismissed World Cup finalists New Zealand for 198 with more than 18 overs to spare, fast bowler Steven Finn (four for 35) and leg-spinner Rashid (four for 55) doing the bulk of the damage.
England had threatened a huge score while Root, who made 104, and captain Eoin Morgan (50) were putting on 121 for the third wicket.
But they lost four wickets for 31 runs, including the well-set Morgan and Root, to be 202 for six.
It was a slump from which recent England teams might not have recovered, but Buttler and Rashid continued to go for their shots.
“There was a game within a game there,” said man-of-the-match Buttler, who faced just 77 balls including 13 fours and five sixes.
“But we saw that out and it allowed us to attack later in the innings.
“Credit to Joe Root on the way he played. It gave everyone confidence to follow his lead.”
Trent Boult took four wickets for 55 runs in his maximum 10 overs, but only two of those overs were faced by England’s seventh-wicket duo.
England’s total was a far cry from their meagre 123 during the Black Caps’ eight-wicket World Cup win in Wellington in February — the previous ODI between the teams. (AGENCIES)
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