New Zealand stun England in World Cup opener with a sensational 9 wicket win – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor)
New Zealand made a sensational start to their World Cup campaign annihilating defending champions England by 9 wickets in a lopsided replay of the last World Cup final.
Beaten in the last encounter by England, the Kiwis were merciless in their demolition of one of the current favourites, leaving the Englishmen spent and dismayed.
It topped off a great day for New Zealand sport as the All Blacks were rampant in the Rugby World Cup in France as well destroying Uruguay 73-0 to storm into the quarter finals.
The win also underlines and throws out an ominous warning that the Kiwis are ready to take that extra step this time around.
England will be desperate for answers to their bowling dilemmas which apart from Sam Curran, made no impact on Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra who scored at will scattering the field as they raced to unbeaten centuries.
Conway smashed 152 off 121 balls with 3 sixers and 19 fours and Ravindra matched him with 123 off 96 balls with 5 sixers and 11 fours in a record breaking run chase that took only 32.2 overs to end England’s misery.
Travelling under the radar much like in the last edition where they stormed into the final losing a last gasp thriller, New Zealand was emphatic in this game leaving England pondering where to from here.
The wicket at Ahmedabad suggested a high scoring game, but England’s batting failed to fire falling to the varied New Zealand attack led by Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips who struck at regular intervals to contain them to an under par 292 for 9 in their allotted overs.
Joe Root scored 77 off 86 balls and skipper Jos Buttler 43 off 42 balls while the rest got reasonable starts but were unable to convert them into a winning total.
New Zealand were then rocked in the second over when Sam Curran found the edge of Will Young’s bat with the total on 10. It proved to be their last moment of joy.
Prolific opener Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra stepped up and took control thereafter with a breathtaking array of strokeplay smashing the hapless England attack to all parts as they raced to the target in just 32.2 overs.
