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.
England 221-5 (38), Livingstone 20, Root 72, Neesham 0-42 (6)
Neesham will bowl his 5th over, as the game drifts into the final stages.
Root just has to hold up one end, while allowing Livingstone to play his own game at the other, although they have been content to just find the singles, taking just two from the over before a streaky boundary helped ease the pressure.
England 214-5 (37), Livingstone 14, Root 71, Henry 2-39 (8)
The Root scoop comes out and he has a boundary from Henry, that was a great boundary and well-judged.
All of Root’s five boundaries have all come behind square, using the pace of the quicker bowlers, and that last one moved him on to 70.
Livingstone was struck on the pad but it was going down and no review.
England 208-5 (35), Livingstone 13, Root 66, Santner 1-31 (8)
After an expensive over with two boundaries from it from Ravindra, it’s back to the more measured Santner.
Root is so quick between the wickets despite being out there for a long time, he plops one into a gap and calls his partner back for a second.
The England batters have just kept knocking it around for singles.
England 199-5 (35), Livingstone 12, Root 62, Ravindra 1-67 (8)
Ravindra is back into the attack which is an interesting choice, maybe New Zealand will be hoping Livingstone will do something similar to Brook and try and go after him one too many times.
Livingstone has his first boundary with a fine leg glance, and despite a sliding attempt, Boult can’t get there to stop the ball from crossing the boundary.
The new batter does the same with the final ball of the over, not sure Livingstone does slow and steady innings...
England 191-5 (34), Livingstone 2, Root 60, Henry 2-33 (7)
Liam Livingstone replaces his captain in the middle, and there’s still a long way to go in this innings, never mind the match.
Henry welcomes him with a short bouncer that strikes him on the helmet, a bit of a welcome that!
Drinks: England 188-5
The wicket of Buttler will be drinks for England and Root, who had an important part to play before that wicket but now he is essential if his side are to have any chance of reaching 300.
Buttler out for 43! England 188-5
Henry will continue with his seventh over of the day and strikes a massive blow to England’s chances!
Buttler has gone, looking to create room and just edges behind!
England 187-4 (33), Buttler 43, Root 58, Ravindra 1-55 (7)
Ravindra is back into the attack and Buttler goes for a drive first ball, there’s an athletic attempt on the boundary to stop the ball by Daryl Mitchell, who saves two runs.
It’s a good sign for England that Buttler is timing the ball this well on an outfield this fast.
Root has another boundary with a bit of innovation to get into the reverse-sweep position and just paddle the ball into the gap on the boundary.
England 178-4 (32), Buttler 39, Root 53, Henry 1-29(6)
Root took 57 balls to reach his half-century, not a quick one, but not too slow either.
Four screws and a plate in Tim Southee’s thumb at the moment, with the injury he sustained in England ahead of the tournament, that will be a blow to the Kiwis and compounded with the injury to Ferguson.
Another one is beautifully timed by Buttler into the gap between long off and extra cover, he’s looking in great touch so far.
England 171-4, Buttler 34, Root 51, Neesham 0-35 (5)
Just after that Root goes down to try the scoop but got caught there and just had to parry the ball into the ground towards third man.
The next one is a more textbook drive from Buttler into the off side, lovely timing that he has shown already with two big sixes down the ground.
This outfield is absolutely rapid!
As Eoin Morgan is saying, England have to be targeting over 300, and that means New Zealand need wickets.
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