England v New Zealand LIVE: Result and reaction from Cricket World Cup 2023 opener as Kiwis win by nine wickets
England take on New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup opener at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad
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Your support makes all the difference.England’s World Cup defence began with a punishing nine-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad as New Zealand helped themselves to a slice of revenge four years in the making.
Organisers scheduled a repeat of the 2019 final to kick off this year’s tournament, but rather than a nail-biter to match the tension of that Lord’s classic, they had to settle for a thoroughly one-sided affair.
England needed a super over and a boundary countback to get their hands on the trophy last time around, but two majestic hundreds from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra meant the Black Caps romped home in the rerun with almost 14 overs to spare.
Conway finished 152 not out while his Wellington team-mate Ravindra reeled off an unbeaten 123 - more than double his previous ODI best.
The absence of Ben Stokes with a hip injury robbed the reigning champions of some middle-order firepower but their score of 282 for nine was nowhere near enough to constrain an outstanding Kiwi chase.
Follow the latest news and updates from England vs New Zealand below and get the latest match odds and tips here.
New Zealand 37-1 (6), Conway 14, Ravindra 22, Curran 1-10 (3)
Curran has gone for a run! After two maidens, including a wicket maiden with his first over, he has finally conceded a run from the first ball of his third.
The first five balls went for singles and then Ravindra nailed one through the covers final ball of the over.
New Zealand 27-1 (5), Conway 11, Ravindra 16, Woakes 0-31 (3)
Buttler is showing faith in Woakes here, he spoke about loyalty ahead of the tournament and believing in his players, although that was after Roy was axed in favour of Harry Brook.
This is a much better over from Woakes who just looks like he’s settled down slightly into a more comfortable rhythm.
There is another boundary for Ravindra, but it’s a wide flash rather than a controlled shot, with a bit of width on offer and it did hang in the air.
Unfortunately for Woakes and England however, the last ball of the over is flicked off the pads for another boundary.
New Zealand 19-1 (4), Conway 11, Ravindra 8, Curran 1-0 (2) (need 264 to win)
Curran has yet to go for a run here, and the first ball of the over is similarly tight, and the second is an lbw shout against Conway and Buttler has decided not to review, and the replays show it would have just clipped the bails on umpire’s call.
Curran has not let up the pressure here and it is a tale of two ends here, and he bowls another maiden.
New Zealand 19-1 (3), Conway 11, Ravindra 8, Woakes 0-19 (2) (need 264 to win)
Woakes is back for a second over despite his first going for 10, and Conway who scored all those runs just starts with a tap back to the bowler.
There was almost a run-out chance, with Curran’s shy at the stumps just going wide of the stumps at the bowler’s end and Conway would have been out if he hit.
But the third one is too full and straight and Ravindra is off the mark with a boundary, he dragged it back too much and goes too short with Ravindra capitalising again.
New Zealand 10-1 (2), Conway 10, Ravindra 0, Curran 1-0 (1), require 283 runs to win
The new batter for New Zealand is another left-hander in Rachin Ravindra. He’s been bumped up the order in the absence of Kane Williamson but is no slouch with the bat.
Curran is getting a bit of swing out there and Ravindra is watchful for his opening deliveries. Hitting the pitch just back of a length Curran sends down five more dot balls and finishes with a wicket maiden.
Great response from England.
Wicket! Will Young ct. Jos Buttler b. Sam Curran 0 (1), New Zealand 10-1 (1.1)
New Zealand lose their first wicket and it’s a first ball duck for Will Young. Sam Curran comes on to bowl the second over and swings the ball past the legs of the right-hander.
He dangles his bat towards it, gets a edge to the ball and feathers it through to Jos Buttler behind the stumps. England strike early!
New Zealand 10-0 (1), Conway 10, Young 0, Woakes 0-10 (1), require 283 runs to win
Woakes draws his lengths back into that awkward position that makes driving much harder but strays too straight and allows Conway to work the ball down to Adil Rashid at fine leg for a couple.
Another over correction sees Woakes over pitch the ball and Conway drills it through cover for four more!
The over ends with a dot ball but it’s a great start for New Zealand.
New Zealand 4-0 (0.1), Conway 4, Young 0, Woakes 0-4 (0.1), require 283 runs to win
Devon Conway and Will Young come out to open the batting for New Zealand during this run chase and it’ll be Chris Woakes to bowl the first over.
There’s a third man and a fine leg on the boundary as Woakes angles the ball across the left-handed Conway. He eases into a drive and smokes it to the boundary for four!
What a start.
England set New Zealand 283 to win
Joe Root was the only England batter to pass fifty during their innings as they stuttered and stumbled to a total of 282 runs. Jos Buttler will need to have a good second innings as captain to lead England to victory.
Dew could play a factor later in the game which means Mark Wood’s pace and the spin of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone could prove to be the key ingredients for England.
Weather forecast and pitch report for England vs New Zealand opener
A much-anticipated match kicks off the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as defending champions England take on New Zealand in India’s Ahmedabad, where the weather is set to be in contrast to what was faced in the earlier warm-up matches.
Fans lining up for the opening match are expecting a tense fight as the 2019 World Cup final between the two sides has been regarded as the best-ever One Day International (ODI) match in the history of the sport.
After being neck-and-neck throughout the 2019 match, it was England led by Eoin Morgan that ended up clinching its first 50-over World Cup trophy.
World Cup: Weather forecast and pitch report for England vs New Zealand opener
Fans lining up for the opening England vs New Zealand match are expecting a tense fight between the two
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