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.
Curran out for 14! England 252-9
Henry back into the attack as New Zealand sense a chance to bowl England out.
He is off the mark first ball, but Curran will have to take charge and try and see this out as best he can, having said that he has almost chipped one back to the bowler.
But Curran goes to cut one and just catches the edge on the way through to Latham.
Woakes out for 11! England 250-8 (45), Curran 13, Santner 2-37 (10)
Santner will now have his last over. Curran has the ball to try and hit but just plays it for a single, a run a ball here would get England to a sub-par but reasonable total.
Even Eoin Morgan is talking about a run-a-ball from here in the last five overs of an ODI.
A slow ball is too much for Woakes who goes for it but the lack of pace sees it loop straight to the fielder.
England 247-7 (44), Curran 11, Woakes 10, Phillips 2-17 (3)
Phillips will have only his third over here, and the first two have each brought a reward, including the scalp of Root in his previous one.
Woakes has put a short one away here, and these two can definitely bat, both have experience in the format, white-ball cricket and playing in India.
It was the first boundary for 33 deliveries though, showing that England have been kept quiet.
England 239-7 (43), Curran 9, Woakes 4, Ravindra 1-76(10)
Ravindra will have his last over here, at a time in the game when teams normally turn back to the seamers, but New Zealand are in a dominant position here.
England 235-7 (42), Curran 7, Woakes 2, Phillips 2-9 (2)
That was a massive blow to England and a huge scalp for New Zealand, Root just misjudged that and got caught, it was too straight and full.
Chris Woakes was off the mark straight away with a single, but the run rate might just slow down here
Wicket! Root out for 77! England 229-7
That was a massive wicket! And a huge dent to England’s chances, Phillips has his second and the first ball of only his second over!
Root goes for a scoop and misjudges the length and the ball sneaks under the bat.
England 229-6 (41), Curran 3, Root 77, Ravindra 1-72 (9)
Well we’re into the final 10 overs of the England innings now, they’re six wickets down, but crucially Root is still at the crease, and can hopefully steady the side from one end, allowing some of the other players to go for it a bit more.
Ravindra has been the most expensive so far, so it will be interesting to see if they go after him again, or if the lack of wickets in the bag is at the back of their minds.
England 224-6 (40), Curran 1, Root 74, Santner 1-34 (9)
Santner back into the attack to take the pace off and force the batters to think here.
Curran can bat and he’s got a lot of IPL experience, but it’s more wickets lost than England would have wanted.
England 221-6 (39), Curran 0, Root 72, Boult 1-39 (8)
At every point you feel like England are just about to accelerate and start to push on, they lose a wicket.
It’s been a bit of a frustrating start, all the batters have got themselves in and then gone, with Root just holding things together.
Wicket! Livingstone out for 20! England 221-6
New Zealand looking to strike bring the leading wicket-taker for the Kiwis in World Cups back into the attack with Boult.
Livingstone did not look comfortable, just wafting at some, and the first four balls were dots and then he goes for a big flick and hits it straight to the fielder.
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