That’s it from us. Thanks for your company, correspondence and gallows humour in the face of an England obliteration. How are the mighty fallen... but they’ll be back. They only got just over half a warm-up game, whereas New Zealand had two full ones and used them well – sticking Rachin Ravindra in as an opener against Pakistan and seeing him score 97.
For now, all we can do is congratulate Ravindra and Devon Conway on putting together one of the all-time great partnerships, on their World Cup debuts, and also give a nod to Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner, and Tom Latham for handling them and the other bowlers so well. The World Cup continues tomorrow with Pakistan taking on the Netherlands in Hyderabad.
Updated
“Fantastic performance,” says Tom Latham. “Fantastic partnership… but before that the bowlers did a fantastic job. They [England] were about 160 at 30 overs, so to restrict them to 280 was” – you’ve guessed it – “fantastic.”
Still, no need to bring the thesaurus with you when you’ve won that easily.
Updated
“We played a long way short of our best,” Buttler adds, “and still made 280.” He felt Root looked “back to his old self… He’s been the best player in our team for a long time.” That’s a bit too modest from Buttler, surely the best one-day batter England have ever had. And how about Ben Stokes, Mike Atherton asks him – will he be fit for the next game on Tuesday? “We’ll wait and see.” His tone of voice is non-committal with a hint of “probably not”.
“Disappointing day,” says Jos Buttler. “We were outplayed by New Zealand. But it just one loss, same as if we’d lost by one run… We won’t read too much into it, won’t get too down, just as we wouldn’t get too high if we’d won.”
He says England were aiming for 330, but were not clinical enough with their execution. “We’ll keep being positive, we’ll keep playing our way.”
England have sent Joe Root out for an interview. He was good today, and it still wasn’t remotely good enough. “When have you ever seen a World Cup campaign where’s not a little wobble?” he asks. “Stay calm, remember what we’re about as a group, particularly in the next game.”
When quizzed about the weather, he even manages a smile. “Bit warmer than Sheffield!”
A good line.
@TimdeLisle Congratulations to NZ, who won the boundary count-back 38-27. Not sure of the rules but I think that makes them the winners today.
— Robert (@yaxleymellis) October 5, 2023
Devon Conway made 150 and he didn’t even get to be Player of the Match. That honour goes to Rachin Ravindra, perhaps because he took a vital wicket as well as making a hundred – that of Harry Brook, the only England batter who looked as if he had it in him to wreak the same kind of havoc.
It’s the fourth-highest partnership in the whole history of the World Cup. And it’s the highest of all among the unbroken ones, beating Duminy and Miller of South Africa, who added 256 against Zimbabwe in 2015. Full list of 250+ partnerships here. Among the six names above Conway and Ravindra on the list is Rahul Dravid, one of the two people Rachin Ravindra is named after. The other is Sachin Tendulkar, who was at the ground tonight.
So NZ win by nine wickets, but even more significantly with 82 balls remaining. The partnership between Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra was an unbeaten 273 off 211 balls. All 11 Englishmen reached double figures, but these two were on a different planet.
NEW ZEALAND WIN BY THE RAREST OF MARGINS!
36.2 overs: New Zealand 283-1 (Conway 152, Ravindra 123) A couple of singles, and that’s that. New Zealand have gone from a famous World Cup tie to a famous World Cup thrashing. And all it took was one partnership.
Updated
Key event
36th over: New Zealand 285-1 (Conway 151, Ravindra 122) Livingstone returns but may wish he hadn’t. His over goes for 16, so that’s 36 off 12 balls since drinks. I’ll have what they’re having.
“Doubt we’ll need a super over today,” says Simon McMahon. “What’s the opposite of the barest of margins?” Good question…
Updated
35th over: New Zealand 265-1 (Conway 140, Ravindra 117) Did the batters get some fresh instructions at drinks? The commentators reckon so. Conway is suddenly hell-bent on punching England in the net run rate. He murders the first ball from Sam Curran (six!), then bashes the next two (four, two), cuts one (two), and pulls the last two (two, four). Twenty off the over! From England’s best bowler today. The partnership is 255, by far the biggest for any wicket by NZ in the 43-year history of the World Cup.
Drinks: one team is punch-drunk
34th over: New Zealand 245-1 (Conway 120, Ravindra 117) Ravindra decides it’s party time. He swings Moeen for six, then bludgeons him for two (which would be four if it were not for a great save by Livingstone at long-on), then flips him for another two, more playfully. And that’s drinks, with NZ coasting to a colossal victory. They need 38 from 16 overs.
33rd over: New Zealand 234-1 (Conway 119, Ravindra 107) Here is Sam Curran, asked to close the door when the horse has bolted. He doesn’t manage it: a after a few singles, Ravindra spots a slower ball, waits for it and drives it for four.
32nd over: New Zealand 226-1 (Conway 117, Ravindra 102) Moeen continues and beats Ravindra outside off, although Buttler drops the ball anyway, which rather sums up England’s evening.
Earlier England set a new world record for ODIs – male or female – when all of their batters ended up in double figures. Now NZ are making mincemeat of their target without, at the moment, having any batters in double figures. It’s a funny old game.
31st over: New Zealand 222-1 (Conway 115, Ravindra 100) Livingstone’s second over doesn’t go as well as his first: there’s a reverse sweep for four from Conway and then a missed reverse that brings four byes. The game is back on course for an absolute hammering.
A hundred to Ravindra!
A simple clip round the corner… and a star is born. Rachin Ravindra has been superb – aggressive, fearless, but also elegant.
Updated
30th over: New Zealand 211-1 (Conway 110, Ravindra 98) Moeen, picking up the tone from Livingstone, goes for two singles. Where was all this economy when England needed it?
29th over: New Zealand 209-1 (Conway 109, Ravindra 97) Buttler belatedly turns to Liam Livingstone, who rewards him with an over that goes for just a single. If I remember rightly, that’s the thriftiest over since those early maidens from Curran.
“Net run rate,” says Stephen Cottrell, “is a major problem for England. In a tournament where everyone can beat everyone, taking this kind of hammering could be terminal.” True – although their fate will hang on whether they can string together some wins, fast. They now need to beat South Africa as well as Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
28th over: New Zealand 208-1 (Conway 108, Ravindra 97) Moeen returns and, as too often, the first ball of the over goes for four – a pull from Ravindra, who has been quietly motoring along at a run a ball.
27th over: New Zealand 200-1 (Conway 106, Ravindra 91) Conway celebrated his century in a modest way, like a true adopted Kiwi, but then he flashed a cut for four. Wood has gone for 55 off five overs. Take him off! Get Curran back on!
A hundred to Conway!
On 99, Conway will be more than happy to see that Wood still has the ball. He duly flicks him to leg for a single to reach a very commanding century. It has taken only 83 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes, and yet it has been largely classical. Conway is one of the few modern cricketers who pack the MCC Coaching Manual in their suitcase.
“We’ll see a few more hundreds before this World Cup is done,” says Mike Atherton. “We may not see a better one.”
Updated
26th over: New Zealand 192-1 (Conway 99, Ravindra 90) Another decent over from Rashid – too little, too late. These two have hit 27 boundaries between them off 26 overs, which is the same as the whole England team managed off 50.
25th over: New Zealand 187-1 (Conway 98, Ravindra 87) Off goes Woakes and back comes – not Curran, who was so good early on, but Wood, who is having an off day. Tom Latham’s bowling changes worked a treat, while Jos Buttler’s stubbornly refuse to follow suit. Sticking with his plan B for bouncers, Wood does nearly have Conway caught off a mis-pull at midwicket, just as he did several days ago with Ravindra (9th over), but the runs keep on flowing. A the halfway stage, NZ are almost two-thirds of the way there.
Updated
24th over: New Zealand 178-1 (Conway 92, Ravindra 85) Rashid bowls a better over, just the two singles.
“Thanks for printing my email,” says John Starbuck. “Here’s another: if anyone is going to break down in India it’s going to be the seam bowlers. Rotation therefore becomes essential, hence the over-supply of quickies.” Up to a point! The clue is in your choice of word there – “over-supply”.
23rd over: New Zealand 175-1 (Conway 90, Ravindra 84) Woakes continues as Buttler believes that doing the same thing will bring a different result. It brings a six as Ravindra hits a lovely shot back over Woakes’s head. That was both delicate and aggressive.
To be fair, cricket doesn’t always do what Einstein would expect it to. But it does feel as if the batters have the measure of the five bowlers they’ve seen, so you wonder why Buttler isn’t turning to the other two and a half – Livingstone, Root and Brook.
22nd over: New Zealand 168-1 (Conway 90, Ravindra 77) Six off Rashid’s over, which is more than NZ need. The rate required is about four. Bring on Brook!
21st over: New Zealand 162-1 (Conway 88, Ravindra 73) Woakes continues and this time it doesn’t go so well. There’s a flurry of singles and another of those straight drives for four from Conway, which brings up the 150 partnership off just 117 balls. I clean missed the hundred partnership, sorry. Too much mayhem!
Updated
20th over: New Zealand 154-1 (Conway 82, Ravindra 71) Rashid, taking his cue from Woakes, manages five balls for three runs … and then goes for six as Conway slog-sweeps into the crowd. The 150 is up and so is the game, unless England can find four wickets in no time.
19th over: New Zealand 145-1 (Conway 74, Ravindra 70) During the drinks break, Ben Stokes came on the field, perhaps to gee everyone up. Or perhaps to suggest going back to Woakes. Here he is, bowling a much better over for just two singles.
“I read Mark Ramprakash’s article in your esteemed organ,” says Colum Fordham, “on the six cricketers to watch out for in this World Cup. I think he rightly included Devon Conway and Liam Livingstone but, judging from this ‘contest’, Ravindra is definitely worthy of inclusion. A scintillating batsman to watch, as well as a decent spinner and fielder.
England don’t look like World Cup favourites anymore with Rashid looking rusty and Wood a scattergun quick but it’s early days, I suppose.” True – the best time to have a nightmare is on day one.
18th over: New Zealand 143-1 (Conway 73, Ravindra 69) Jos Buttler’s bad day gets even worse as he burns a review. It was for LBW against Conway as he missed Moeen’s arm ball, and the impact was outside the line, as the third umpire took a long time to determine. The win predictor now gives NZ an 89pc chance: personally, I would switch those digits round.
“Thanks for the coverage so far,” says Saurabh Raye. Our pleasure. “Wish you a good World Cup and look forward more to reading the OBO and match reports than the actual tournament (at times).
“With ref to ‘he’s Rishabh and Hardik’ (12th over): Riddik, that should be Ravindra’s new name… equally destructive.” Ha.
Updated
A moment to open the mail. “You might consider,” said John Starbuck a while ago, “that a side in India with 3 seamers and 3 spinners was a balanced one and it gives Buttler a few options too.” Yes, I didn’t mean that it wasn’t balanced – just that it made rather a nonsense of the squad selection, with six seamers. England could have done with Liam Dawson today.
Drinks: NZ storming along
17th over: New Zealand 138-1 (Conway 70, Ravindra 67) Ravindra, who has been letting Conway play first fiddle for the past few overs, makes some noise again with a wristy flick for four off Rashid. And that’s drinks, with England needing a stiff one.
Updated
16th over: New Zealand 130-1 (Conway 68, Ravindra 61) Moeen continues and NZ march on with five singles and yet another cut for four. England are dying the death of a hundred cuts.
15th over: New Zealand 121-1 (Conway 62, Ravindra 58) Rashid has to get his googly working. He’s trying, but Conway can pick it: he hits two cuts for four, one of them straight back past the bowler. England are so desperate for a wicket, they may have to try Harry Brook’s military medium.
Meanwhile, in Brisbane…
14th over: New Zealand 111-1 (Conway 51, Ravindra 55) At last, a decent over: Moeen keeps the damage down to four singles. But what England need is wickets. The only form of defence that will work is attack.
Fifty to Conway!
13th over: New Zealand 107-1 (Conway 51, Ravindra 55) Buttler replaces Wood with Rashid, probably the only bowler who can save the day. But it makes no difference for now: Rashid is too short and Conway cuts for four to reach the third fifty of the day. It’s come off 37 balls and he too has nine boundaries – eight fours and a six. England are heading for a hiding here.
12th over: New Zealand 99-1 (Conway 45, Ravindra 53) Ravindran’s fifty came up off only 36 balls with seven fours and two sixes. That’s four more boundaries than any of England’s blasters managed. He’s not Rahul and Sachin put together: he’s Rishabh and Hardik.
Fifty to Ravindra!
Ravindra lofts Moeen for six, and lifts his bat to acknowledge the applause for a sizzling half-century. No offence to Joe Root, but that is easily the fastest and most exciting fifty of the World Cup so far.
Updated
11th over: New Zealand 92-1 (Conway 44, Ravindra 47) Buttler keeps the faith with Wood, but again the first ball of his over is struck for four – a classical straight drive from Conway. And soon he’s going for six as Conway hooks, just over the head of Rashid at fine leg. If Topley was playing, he might have grabbed that. Wood, so good when we last saw him in the Ashes, has the sort of figures that might make a strong man blush: 3-0-38-0.
Updated
10th over: New Zealand 81-1 (Conway 33, Ravindra 47) Here is some spin, from Moeen Ali, as both these batters are left-handed. It doesn’t exactly stop them in their tracks: Ravindra flicks for two and pulls for six. He is doing to England what Harry Brook was doing to him when he got him out.
Updated
9th over: New Zealand 73-1 (Conway 33, Ravindra 39) Wood gets driven for four by Conway, so he has bowled seven balls for 21. He waves his arms and changes his field, indicating a switch to plan B: bouncers. It almost comes off as Ravindra mistimes a pull and plops it just over the head of Joe Root at midwicket. Wood has been quick – 152kph – but just too loose. Now he goes full, there’s no third man, so a dab from Conway squirts away for four more. Buttler is going to have to bring on a spinner while the field is still up.
New Zealand already have half as many boundaries (14) as England managed in five times as many overs (27). The win predictor gives NZ a 62pc chance of victory. I give them 92.
Updated
8th over: New Zealand 63-1 (Conway 24, Ravindra 38) The carnage continues! Curran’s first ball is pulled for four by Conway, his fourth is straight-driven for four by Ravindra. That brings up the fifty partnership – 53 off 39 balls. It has put NZ firmly on top. The game now hinges on England’s spinners, of whom there are four.
Updated
7th over: New Zealand 54-1 (Conway 19, Ravindra 34) Buttler takes Woakes off, so for the second time today a master swing bowler starts an innings with a poor spell. That means an early burst from Mark Wood, and he’s just as wayward! Like his car-pool pal, he goes too full and then too short. Conway tucks for four; Ravindra pulls for six, then deflects past gully for four. Seventeen off the over.
Ravindra has 34 off 22 balls. Is he the new Mark Greatbatch?
Updated
6th over: New Zealand 37-1 (Conway 14, Ravindra 22) Hell, now even Curran has conceded a run. He goes for five singles and a wide, then strays too wide of off and invites Ravindra to blaze a square drive to the boundary. These two teams, as so often, are neck and neck.
5th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Conway 11, Ravindra 16) Woakes is given a hand by Buttler, who takes a slip out and hands him a deep midwicket instead. He manages a moral victory as Ravindra is almost caught at backward point off a loose waft, but that goes for four and so does the last ball, too easy to leg-glance. England’s Mr Immaculate has some rather dishevelled figures: 3-0-27-0.
Updated
4th over: New Zealand 19-1 (Conway 10, Ravindra 8) The reason it’s a game of two ends is because Curran has got the length right – aiming for the top of off – and he’s moving the ball both ways. Now he has a big appeal for LBW against Conway. Buttler doesn’t review, when he could have: it would have been umpire’s call on height. No second wicket, but Curran has another maiden.
Updated
3rd over: New Zealand 19-1 (Conway 11, Ravindra 8) Curran nearly does it again in the field – needing a direct hit to run out Conway, he misses by a whisker. Woakes, tighter for the first half of this over, then loses his length again: a half-volley is whipped for four, a bouncer pulled for four more. Good start by Rachin Ravindra, who comes to India under a little bit of pressure – he was named after both Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, who is in the house today.
“Game of two ends at the moment,” says Nasser Hussain. Snap!
Updated
2nd over: New Zealand 10-1 (Conway 10, Ravindra 0) England’s Powerplay was a game of two ends, with Boult taking none for plenty while Henry ruled the roost. Same here so far: Sam Curran starts with a wicket-maiden. So maybe leaving out Topley was a masterstroke.
WICKET! Young c Buttler b Curran 0 (NZ 10-1)
Strangled! Curran’s first ball is shaping as a wide, but Will Young gets an inside edge and Jos Buttler does the rest.
Updated
1st over: New Zealand 10-0 (Conway 10, Young 0) The first ball of the innings goes for four! It’s too full from Woakes and Devon Conway has only to lean on it to send it skimming past cover point. Same again four balls later, but through extra cover. NZ conceded just 27 boundaries in 300 balls. As the cameras find an eggy sunset above the ground, the question is: can England get close to that?
Updated
The new ball is in the hands of the great Chris Woakes. If anyone can match Matt Henry for accuracy and movement, he can.
Afternoon everyone and thanks Rob. It looks as if England won the first six balls – perhaps under the impression that they were going straight to the Super Over – and New Zealand won the rest. Matt Henry, Mitch Santner and Glenn Phillips were magnificent, taking seven for 102 between them. England could regret leaving out Reece Topley. They brought six seamers to India and yet picked only three here.
As Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz blares round the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, I’ll hand over to the great Tim de Lisle for the runchase. Thanks for your company and emails – bye!
(And yes, there will be a Super Over if it’s a tie.)
“Good afternoon Rob,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “My friend Ganesh shared an interesting trivia on another name. Rachin’s father named him Rachin as he could not decide between Rahul and Sachin, both his favourites. It’s as interesting as it gets, if true.”
That’s great. Wonder what would have happened if his heroes were Derek Pringle and Dermot Reeve.
Here’s something to read during the break
Glenn Phillips speaks
Ah, we were absolutely brilliant today. They got off to a flyer but we pulled it back and to get ourselves a target of 283 was very pleasing.
I was always going to get a few overs to the left-handers, and thankfully they went well today. We’ve got plenty of options and Tommy used them really well.
I thought the pitch played really well. There was a bit of a nibble early on but I think it will get better as it goes on. We’re very pleased to keep England below 300.
Joe Root top-scored with 77 from 86 balls. Nobody else reached fifty, and the key moment was when Matt Henry dismissed Jos Buttler for an intimidating 43. Every time England threatened to get away, they lost a wicket.
Henry and Mitchell Santner were the pick of the New Zealand attack, but Glenn Phillips’ spell of 3-0-17-2 was vital.
Updated
Statgasm alert! For the first time in ODI history, men’s and women’s, all 11 batters reached double figures.
50th over: England 282-9 (Rashid 15, Wood 13) Jimmy Neesham will bowl the last over. He has a good slower ball – it was only last month that he bowled Jofra Archer at the back end of the World Cup final – and you’d expect him to use it here.
An errant delivery scuttles past Latham for two wides, and then Rashid belts the aforementioned slower ball over midwicket for six. It was a bit too full; as Simon Doull says on commentary, the slower balls into the pitch have been much harder to play.
England take a single off every other delivery, which makes it 14 from the last over. That’s a decent finish for England, with Rashid and Wood adding 30 for the tenth wicket, but New Zealand, who bat very deep, remain favourites.
Updated
49th over: England 268-9 (Rashid 7, Wood 10) Boult finishes an increasingly good spell with figures of 10-1-48-1. There were no boundaries, just the usual singles. England know the last over will be bowled by either Neesham or Phillips, so they are saving the big shots for that. And in the meantime they’ve added 16 handy runs.
The commentators think dew will be a factor at the back end of the New Zealand innings, which makes them even bigger favourites. I’m not sure England are quite as below par as we think, because pace-off has been more effective as the innings has progressed. But a wet ball would make that much tricker.
48th over: England 263-9 (Rashid 5, Wood 7) Matt Henry, who set the one with a majestic new-ball spell to Dawid Malan and reasserted it with the pivotal wicket of Jos Buttler, bowls his final over.
Rashid and Wood again settle for lowish-risk accumulation, five runs this time. Henry finishes with 10-1-48-3.
47th over: England 258-9 (Rashid 4, Wood 3) Rashid and Wood, who were both out without facing a ball in that 2019 final, work Boult for four singles.
All nine of the England batters who have been dismissed got into double figures, which can be read one of two ways: England are doomed; or, It’s Coming Home!
Updated
46th over: England 254-9 (Rashid 2, Wood 1) It feels like England are short, though I suppose a lot of peoople were saying the same thing as this stage of the 2019 final. They’d certainly love Mark Wood to hit 24 off eight balls, as he did in the Ashes.
WICKET! England 252-9 (Curran c Latham b Henry 14)
Curran tries to cut a slower short ball from Henry and thin edges it through to Latham. That’s another triumph for Latham – not the wicketkeeper, the captain. It’s the sixth time a new bowler has struck in the first over of a new spell, and Latham’s field placings have also been imaginative and aggressive.
Updated
45th over: England 250-8 (Curran 13, Rashid 0) Mitchell Santner finishes with 10-0-37-2. He didn’t concede a single boundary.
“Looking at the list of England men’s batters in Asia is striking,” writes David Horn. “For those of us of a certain age, 2005 feels like yesterday - and when Kevin Pietersen entered the fray it felt like he changed the game. He could absolutely marmalise an attack and he played shots that nobody else did/could, and he was both the catalyst for the success that summer (bringing him in - and dropping Thorpe as a result - felt slightly risky) and the leader of a new vanguard forging different ways to bat.
“And yet. And yet now, it feels like batters are overtaking him daily in terms of style, panache and impact. The Morgans, Buttlers, Roots - as well as the Brooks, Livingstones, etc. (and that’s just from England) rewrite the coaching manual as part of their day job. I don’t know what my point is, but maybe it’s this: cricket is astonishing. It’s evolution has accelerated hugely in the last 18 years, across all formats. In 2005 I thought I’d never watch a more exciting batter than Pietersen - but I was dead wrong.”
In many ways they’re all his children. Not literally, David. My feeling is that pound for pound, and also partly because of age, he’ll always be the most exciting England player I’ve seen. I suspect if I listed the ten most giddily euphoric liveblogs I’ve written in (gulp) 19 years at the Guardian, five or six would be Pietersen innings.
I didn’t explain that very well – too much going on.
Updated
WICKET! England 250-8 (Woakes c Young b Santner 11)
Mitchell Santner finishes a marvellous spell with the wicket of Chris Woakes. He has varied his pace and line all day, and this one was slower and wider. Woakes couldn’t resist and sliced it high to backward point.
Updated
44th over: England 247-7 (Curran 11, Woakes 10) A long hop from Phillips is pulled efficiently round the corner for four by Woakes.
43rd over: England 239-7 (Curran 9, Woakes 4) As we said earlier, England’s ostensibly strong lower order was surprisingly ineffective in 2019. They need them now. Curran and Woakes are building for the last few overs, and Ravindra again gets through an over unscathed. He finishes with figures of 10-0-76-1. Not a good day, but the wicket – Harry Brook – was vita
42nd over: England 235-7 (Curran 7, Woakes 2) Root played expertly to make 77 from 86 balls. But like pretty much all his teammates, he picked a stinking time to get out.
“That innings by Root is exactly the kind of thing Jonathan Trott was publicly flogged for (well, metaphorically) ten years ago!” writes Dave Voss. “I never got the #trottsfault criticism - there was so much to criticise about that England team, it feels odd that it centred on someone scoring quite a lot of runs at quite a decent lick.”
I agree that Trott was unfairly maligned, though I don’t recall it happening too much during the 2011 World Cup. From memory he kept England in many games, certainly against South Africa and Sri Lanka. But it was a long time ago, so I may well be talking balderdash.
WICKET!" England 229-7 (Root b Phillips 77)
Glenn Phillips does it again! He was brought back with Curran in mind but instead dismissed Root first ball. Root shaped to reverse sweep but the ball was far too full and he was yorked between his legs. Phillips has figures of 1.1-0-3-2, career-best figures at that.
Updated
41st over: England 229-6 (Root 77, Curran 3) At last, a bit of peace for Rachin Ravindra. Curran isn’t ready to go downtown, Root needs to bat through, so there are five singles from the over. And no boundaries.
“Good afternoon Rob,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “Heights of resisting temptation: Liam Livingstone’s parents not naming him Jonathan!”
His middle name is Seagull though.
40th over: England 224-6 (Root 74, Curran 1) Another crafty over from Santner yields only three singles. New Zealand are on top, though they still need to find five overs from their fourth and fifth bowlers. Unless they bowl England out I suppose.
39th over: England 221-6 (Root 72, Curran 0) Sam Curran pushes his first ball straight to a fielder to complete a wicket maiden from Trent Boult. He wasn’t at his best with the new ball but since then he’s been excellent, as figures of 5-1-18-1 in that time would suggest.
Updated
WICKET! England 221-6 (Livingstone c Henry b Boult 20)
Yep, Liam Livingstone has got out at an inopportune moment. After four successive dot balls from Boult, a frustrated Livingstone chipped a knuckle ball straight to long on. That’s not a great shot in truth, too impatient, but it was superb bowling. That’s a very useful wicket given Livingstone’s capacity for bish-bosh at the death; he goes for 20 from 22 balls.
Updated
38th over: England 221-5 (Root 72, Livingstone 20) Neesham replaces Ravindra, who has taken a lot of hammer todya. Mind you, Neesham has taken a fair bit and Livingstone crunches him past backward point for four more. He looks in good touch. All the right-handers have, in truth; they just keeping out at inopportune moments.
“I read your entry in the 30th over as Trent Reznor, which would certainly put a different spin on cricket coverage,” writes Matt Dony. “ But, in the ongoing spirit of crowbarring niche musical defences into OB’s; the World Cup is underway, and We’re In This Together now. A good start today, and England are Closer to a defence of their crown, although heaven knows they’ve traditionally specialised in Hurt, with assorted batters turning into Mr Self Destruct. A victory would be the Perfect Drug. (Couldn’t find a way to use the magnificent March Of The Pigs.)”
Since you asked so nicely, here you are.
37th over: England 214-5 (Root 71, Livingstone 14) Root brings out the reverse scoop again, this time to get four off Henry. The boundaries are nice but it’s the ones and twos that have made thigs innings so good. There are few players in world cricket who could – or would even want to – make 71 from 76 balls in an ODI with only five boundaries. Joe Root is one of them. Across formats, and with a respectful nod to Sir Alastair Cook, I’m not sure there has ever been an England batter in Asia. Here’s the list.
36th over: England 208-5 (Root 66, Livingstone 13) Any thoughts on a par score? Instinct says around 300-320, but then instinct also said to do that thing we don’t talk about.
Santner returns and is treated with more respect: one two, three singles. He hasn’t conceded a boundary in eight overs.
Updated
35th over: England 203-5 (Root 62, Livingstone 12) New batter or no new better, England keep going after Ravindra. Livingstone touches a full toss to fine leg for four and then mauls a short ball over deep midwicket to bring up the 200. Twelve from the over.
34th over: England 191-5 (Root 60, Livingstone 2) Henry has bowled ever so well today: 7-1-33-2.
33.3 overs: England 188-5 (Root 59, Livingstone 0) Henry greets Liam Livingstone with a terrific short ball that clonks him on the helmet. There’s a break in play while he is checked for concussion; Livingstone smiles broadly as he answers the necessary questions.
Updated
WICKET! England 189-5 (Buttler c Latham b Henry 43)
Matt Henry has broken the partnership! He roars with delight, knowing this could be the key moment of the entire game. Buttler opened the face but was cramped for room by a good delivery and thin edged through to Latham. He goes for a stylish 42-ball 43, and New Zealand edge ahead once more.
Updated
33rd over: England 187-4 (Root 58, Buttler 43) An heroic stop from Mitchell at long off saves two runs. He dived to stop Buttler’s drive, then had to get to his feet and scramble a second time to stop the ball rolling over the boundary. If ever there was a game in which all 22 players know the value of a run, it’s this one.
Root reverse sweeps Ravindra for four, then mistimes a reverse hoick. Another expensive fourth/fifth-bowler over, eight from it.
Updated
32nd over: England 179-4 (Root 53, Buttler 40) Matt Henry replaces Boult, confirmation that New Zealand are desperate to break this partnership. Buttler, who is batting with increasing majesty, times another drive through extra cover for four. This is getting a bit worrying for New Zealand.
Updated
31st over: England 171-4 (Root 51, Buttler 34) Root shapes to reverse scoop Neesham, realises the ball is too full and deflects into the off side for a single. He and Neesham, who would struggle to be more likeable if he tried, share a smile as he runs down the wicket.
Buttler gets his first four with a sweet extra-cover drive, a study in timing and placement. That also brings up an equable fifty partnership from 54 balls.
This is England’s boundary count so far:
Bairstow 1 every 7 balls
Malan 1 in 12
Root 1 in 19
Brook 1 in 3
Moeen 1 in 17
Buttler 1 in 12
Updated
30th over: England 166-4 (Root 50, Buttler 30) It’s boiling in Ahmedabad, the kind of day on which even Trevor Reznik could lose half a stone, so Root and Buttler have an unscheduled drink between overs.
Boult continues, trying to break this crucial partnership, and Root works him for a single to bring up a largely unobtrusive fifty from 57 balls. I say ‘largely’ because it included a revere scoop for six. It’s been a classic Root innings, and all those concerns about his form feel a bit yesterday.
That single is the only run from the over; Boult has three left.
29th over: England 165-4 (Root 49, Buttler 30) Buttler drives Neesham spectacularly over mid off for six, which moves him over the run-a-ball threshold. England are targeting New Zealand’s fourth bowler, never mind the fifth. The inclusion of Chapman for the injured Ferguson means New Zealand need to get 20 overs from Ravindra, Neesham and Phillips. Their combined figures to date are 11-0-80-2.
28th over: England 155-4 (Root 47, Buttler 22) Buttler scrunches the new bowler Boult through the covers for two, the closest thing to a highlight in another boundaryless over. Odd innings, this: every England player has reached double figures but nobody has got to fifty. And yes I am crowbarring that stat in while I still can.
27th over: England 150-4 (Root 46, Buttler 18) Ravindra overpitches, which tempts Buttler to lose the Fairy Liquid hands and belt a devastating, effortless six down the ground. England are targeting Ravindra, a young man who only made his ODI debut in March: hiis figures are 6-0-47-1.
26th over: England 139-4 (Root 45, Buttler 8) An almost comically roundarm delivery from Santner is defended by Buttler, who is dealing exclusively in soft-handed shots for the time being. That’s a sensible approach – England need him to be at the crease and well set going into the last 15 overs.
“Great to see the mighty Flaming Lips getting a mention,” says David Hopkins. “Can’t help but worry that an England XI without Ben Stokes is at risk of Waitin’ for a Superman though...”
The Mokran remix, I hope.
25th over: England 135-4 (Root 43, Buttler 6) Root sweeps Ravindra firmly round the corner for four, beating the man at short fine leg. He has now scored more runs today than he did in the four-match series against New Zealand last month. It’s fascinating how pressure concentrates some minds and disturbs others.
“Can the commentators please refrain from referring to England as the defending champions,” says Matt Fyffe. “This game is a tie breaker for the joint holders of the World Cup.”
Have you been watching football again?
24th over: England 128-4 (Root 37, Buttler 5) Glenn Phillips’ work is done, at least until the next left-hander comes in. Santner replaces him and again whistles through an over faster than I can read a couple of emails. His figures are excellent (6-0-22-1), and he still hasn’t conceded a boundary.
23rd over: England 125-4 (Root 35, Buttler 4) Root averages 58 in ODIs in Asia, easily the highest of any England batter with a decent sample size. Here’s the list, with an intriguing name at No3 given his struggles against spin in Test cricket.
Even England have to rebuild from time to time. Four singles from Ravindra’s over, and four whole overs without a boundary. The horror!
Updated
22nd over: England 121-4 (Root 33, Buttler 2) One more wicket and England will be in trouble. They do bat very deep – but we said that in 2019 and their lower order was one of the least effective in the tournament.
The good news is that Joe Root has moved stealthily, one dramatic reverse scoop aside, to 33 from 37 balls.
WICKET! England 118-4 (Moeen Ali b Phillips 11)
Oh, Mo. The part-time offspinner Glenn Phillips has struck second ball. Moeen tried to launch a short ball into a different time zone, missed and was bowled. It looked like he was through the shot too early, so maybe it got stuck in the pitch. Either way, it didn’t look great. Moeen goes for 11 from 17 balls, and here’s Jos Buttler.
Updated
21st over: England 118-3 (Root 32, Moeen 11) You don’t get too many boring middle over with this England batting line-up, but this spell probably qualifies. Root is anchoring, as he should, and Moeen is taking a bit of time to get his eye in before he starts trying to launch Ravindra over midwicket. Six singles from the over.
“I remember Carl Bulfin,” says Danielle Tolson, “mostly because of the name & his chutzpah. The internet tells me he played four times for NZ.”
I take pride in retaining more useless information about cricket and football in the 1990s than 99.94 per cent of the earth’s population, but I had totally forgotten his spell of 6-0-31-0 against Scotland at the 1999 World Cup.
Updated
20th over: England 112-3 (Root 29, Moeen 8) Better from Neesham – two singles, one wide and, most importantly, no boundaries.
“I’m on the way to Bath to see Rupert Everett in a theatre matinee and slightly discombobulated that I pretty much took Jimmy Neesham’s advice 30-odd years ago and, suddenly, I’m 60, as my railcard proves,” writes Gary Naylor. “Pondering the next decade, I’m tempted to suggest that if I do make it to 70, it’ll be by the barest of margins. Now, where’s that croissant?”
That’s a devilishly subtle way of requesting some Flaming Lips.
19th over: England 109-3 (Root 28, Moeen 7) Ravindra’s second over was always going to be more peaceful, and so it proved: four singles from it. Root has moved to 28 from 32 balls; Moeen has 7 from 7. England’s run-rate is fine, though they would like to be only one or two down.
Legit a bigger crowd for the first World Cup game (also between these two teams, also in Ahmedabad) in 1996 #CWC23 https://t.co/qM5nsxuPRx pic.twitter.com/PODp3vj7VP
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) October 5, 2023
18th over: England 105-3 (Root 26, Moeen 5) An expensive over from Neesham, who is the third seamer today in the absence of Ferguson. Root tickles a poor ball to the boundary, then Moeen pulls handsomely in front of square for four.
Moeen pulls Neesham handsomely for his first boundary. As Tim points out, Brook’s innings constitutes progress: he’s gone from making 25 off 41 v NZ (at Cardiff, a month ago) to 25 off 16."
17th over: England 94-3 (Root 20, Moeen 0) Moeen Ali is the new batter, a sensible response to New Zealand’s two left-arm spinners. Rachin Ravindra’s first over in a World Cup cost 15 – but it was worth it for the wicket of Brook.
WICKET! England 94-3 (Brook c Conway b Ravindra 25)
Harry Brook drowns in his own testosterone. Having pulled the new bowler Rachin Ravindra for four, four and six, all over midwicket, he perished trying to do so again.
The length invited the shot, but it turned slightly away from the bat and Brook top-edged high to Conway at deep midwicket. An exhilarating cameo of 25 from 16 balls comes to an end.
Updated
Drinks
I’m very glad to say that Tim de Lisle will be covering the second innings, but he’s already delivered a contender for line of the day: “Not sure Channel 5 have got their finger on the pulse…”
In 2019, England beat New Zealand & won the Cricket World Cup...now they're back to defend their title! 🏏🏆 Catch all the England 🏴 vs New Zealand 🇳🇿 Cricket Highlights! 📺 Thursday 5th October 7pm on @channel5_tv & My5 #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/xrFdfDUnBZ
— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) October 4, 2023
Updated
15th over: England 79-2 (Root 19, Brook 11) Jimmy Neesham, who didn’t take up baking or something, comes into the attack. His first ball is timed and placed immaculately between extra cover and mid off by Brook. Tell you what, England will have a dilemma if he scores 250 today. Two more singles from the last five deliveries, and that’s drinks.
Kids, don’t take up sport. Take up baking or something. Die at 60 really fat and happy.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 15, 2019
15th over: England 73-2 (Root 18, Brook 6) England are struggling to do much with Santner, who hasn’t conceded a boundary in five overs.
14th over: England 69-2 (Root 16, Brook 4) Brook gets off the mark by pulling his second ball, his first from Boult, round the corner for four. Boult switches round the wicket, varies his pace a bit and gets a four of his own – dot balls in a row.
“66/114 England World Cup cricketers named,” says Ben Bernards. “Not bad for a Kiwi I reckon. Then again, after That 2019 Thing I’ll claim anything as a token victory to try and even out the ledger. Another 500 million such small triumphs, and I will feel halfway there.”
That’s very good; I doubt I’d get that many New Zealanders. Who the hell is Carl Bulfin anyway?
13th over: England 64-2 (Root 15, Brook 0) The new batter is Harry Brook, in for the injured Ben Stokes. Bairstow started assertively, but Santner slowed him down and then got rid of him for 33 from 35 balls.
Santner has been very good: 4-0-15-1.
“I think there are more security staff than actually fans at the match,” says Joe Claassen. “Am I correct in thinking that the game organisers are playing a crowd noise track in the back? It doesn’t sound realistic for so few people in a concrete monstrosity like that stadium to make that much humming noise.”
WICKET! England 64-2 (Bairstow c Mitchell b Santner 32)
Or, if you prefer, c Daryl b Mitchell. Either way, it’s an important breakthrough for New Zealand. Bairstow tries to chip Santner over extra cover but checks it too close to wide long off, where Mitchell takes a smart running catch.
Updated
12th over: England 61-1 (Bairstow 32, Root 13) Boult changes ends to replace the impressive Henry. Root mistimes another orthodox stroke, so he resorts to a new favourite – he gets square on, legs spread wide, and reverse scoops Boult for six. Who knew that a classical batter like Root would become known for dramatically jumping into position like a sumo wrestler about to get his hands on some smooth skin?
“Just noticed that, in Big Paper, the entry for TV reads ‘live on Sky Sports Cricket’,” writes John Starbuck. “For those in the UK without Sky, Channel Five are showing a highlights programme in the evenings, mostly late on but at 7pm tonight.”
Updated
11th over: England 54-1 (Bairstow 32, Root 6) Santner continues. As Mike Atherton says on Sky, his bowling is a study in variation of speed. Consecutive quicker balls cramp Bairstow for room and there are just three singles from the over. This is a good contest, with New Zealand maybe a nose ahead.
10th over: England 51-1 (Bairstow 31, Root 4) Root is beaten, driving at a widish tempter from Henry. It looks like a different pitch when Bairstow is batting, and he ends a hitherto quiet over with a one-handed drive between extra cover and mid off. Bairstow has 31 from 29 balls; Malan and Root a combined 18 from 31. The good news for Root is that Colin de Grandhomme won’t be bowling today.
Thanks to Phil Withall for pointing out that three MCC ultras have been sanctioned for their antics during the last day of the Lord’s Ashes Test. One has been expelled.
9th over: England 46-1 (Bairstow 27, Root 3) Santner is doing nothing fancy, just varying his pace and trying to get through the Powerplay as quickly as possible. Bairstow thumps his last ball into the ground and over point for two, but it’s another boundaryless over. New Zealand have recovered well after Boult’s first over went for 12.
“In reply to James Walsh, I’d wait to see what the attendance is like at one of the traditional cricketing venues (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai) before drawing a conclusion,” writes Dravidian. “I remember going to a packed NZ vs Australia match in Chennai in the 96 World Cup - that’s a long time ago, of course, and attention spans have decreased since then.”
Who’d have thought a World Cup quarter-final between Australia and New Zealand would be remembered for the batting of Chris Harris and Shane Warne.
8th over: England 41-1 (Bairstow 24, Root 1) The new batter is Joe Root, who has looked rusty as hell in the past month. He’ll find form at some stage in the next six weeks; England would love for it to happen today. He gets the juices flowing with a Red Bull single to mid-on.
Henry, who gave Malan quite the working-over, has admirable figures of 4-1-16-1.
Updated
WICKET! England 40-1 (Malan c Latham b Henry 14)
Dawid Malan’s laboured innings comes to an end. He tried to drive a length ball from Henry and snicked it through to Latham, who took a comfortable catch. Henry deserves that for a terrific new-ball spell; Malan, who made 14 from 24 balls, walks off with the weary, disgruntled face of a man who has too many trolls in his subconscious.
Updated
7th over: England 39-0 (Bairstow 23, Malan 14) In some ways Bairstow was the unsung hero of England’s 2019 victory. He didn’t do a huge amount in the semi-final and final but England probably wouldn’t have played in those games without his back-to-back hundreds against India and New Zealand.
Bairstow has started with intent today, and his potential nemesis Trent Boult has been taken out of the attack after a spell of 3-0-21-0. The crafty left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner replaces him and starts with a terrific over – just four runs and, I think, a dropped catch. Malan pushed defensively outside off stump and seemed to get a gossamer-thin edge. Latham couldn’t hold on to the chance, if it was one, and moments later Malan reverse swept just short of Henry at short third man. Malan (14 from 23 balls) looks jittery.
“Dravidian (2nd over) has a point,” writes Ian Sargeant. “I wonder how many would show up to New Zealand v India at the Boris Johnson Arena in Arbroath. Alas we shall never know. But I’m sure you’d be able to ‘bring your own booze’.”
6th over: England 35-0 (Bairstow 21, Malan 13) Bairstow is on strike at the start of Henry’s first over. After three dot balls, he thumps a boundary over mid-off. It was a bit of a mishit but it cleared the fielder. The next ball is squirted for four more, with Boult deciding not to dive on the boundary. Hard to blame him after what happened to Conway.
“I never imagined that I would go from keeping a scorecard where I was physically marking the last five overs, ball by ball, in 1983 to only realising the World Cup had started today after logging into the Guardian,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “I blame the BCCI for killing cricket through the abomination named IPL.”
You should write a blog on the profound, confusing sadness of falling out of love with your childhood sport, and sometimes growing to resent it. A lot of football fans would read it.
Updated
5th over: England 26-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 13) Malan slices Boult over backward point for four, a deliberate shot that takes him into double figures. There are so many fascinating individual stories in this tournament – 150 of them – and Malan’s is up there. On statistics alone he is one of the greatest batters in ODI history, but he needed every run to make the England squad.
He looks a bit nervous here, certainly in comparison to his dreamy performances against New Zealand last month, and Boult beats him again later in the over. Malan is also inadvertently monopolising the strike; Bairstow has faced only five balls in the last four overs.
Updated
4th over: England 21-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 9) Malan times a cover drive for four off Henry, though he was beaten either side of that shot. Henry is bowling impressively here: 2-0-5-0.
“Is this tournament going to be played to empty mega stadiums whenever India aren’t playing?” asks James Walsh. “And if so, isn’t that a bit of a scandal? The shambles of the ticketing and late schedule announcements were shrugged off by some but it’d be a great shame if no one is there.”
I’ve no idea. You’re welcome! I looked at a random game from 2011, England v South Africa in Chennai, and the attendance for that was 22,900. Not sure what that means in the context of this tournament. Am I betraying a lack of expertise here?
3rd over: England 16-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 4) Young makes a fine stop at cover to stop Malan getting his first boundary. Another quiet over, four from it.
“Bracing myself for this game, at the more civilised starting time of 9pm in NZ,” writes Danielle Tolson. “I remembered this email I sent you towards the end of the 2019 final:
In the course of this game I have aged at least a year. Literally, as overnight here in NZ it has ticked in to being my birthday. Before the game resumed, I said I’d be happy whoever won as long as it was a decent game. Instead I’m sitting in the middle of the night in the middle of winter with a face like a twisted jandal*. I think my birthday resolution this year might be giving up cricket once & for all. Again.
*jandal is the correct word for flip-flop
“I’m already showing the symptoms of cricket-tragic PTSD.”
I can’t accept it’s four and a half years ago; it feels like about 18 months.
2nd over: England 12-0 (Bairstow 11, Malan 1) Henry beats Malan with the next two deliveries, both angled across the left-hander. That’s smart bowling because he knew Malan would have the inswinger in mind. Malan gets a bat on the last three deliveries but he can’t get off strike, so that’s the first maiden of the World Cup, and a pretty fine one too.
“Seeing an empty stadium for a World Cup opener is galling,” writes Dravidian. “But there are many reasons for it, and none of them are a waning interest in cricket in India, to my mind. This is what happens when you build an absurd stadium in a non-cricketing centre, name it after the PM and then are forced to hold marquee matches there instead of in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata or Chennai. Anyway, rant over (for now).”
Malan is not out! It was going over the top, in fact, so New Zealand lose a review. But it was a lovely delivery from Matt Henry, who is such a dangerous new-white-ball bowler.
New Zealand review for LBW against Malan! Matt Henry’s first ball swings back to hit Dawid Malan on the pad in front of middle. Kumar Dharmasena signals it’s too high but Tom Latham has taken matters upstairs. This is close but I reckon it’ll be umpire’s call.
Updated
1st over: England 12-0 (Bairstow 11, Malan 1) Before this game, Jos Buttler stressed that England are not “defending” the World Cup; they’re here to win it. Jonny Bairstow had just made that point even more eloquently by flicking the second ball fo the tournament for six! It was too straight from Boult, striving for the killer inswinger, and Bairstow pinged it into the crowd at backward square leg. I’d imagine that’s the earliest six in a World Cup.
There some gentle inswing Boult, but Bairstow has started beautifully and times the fifth ball down the ground for four. Conway’s knee got stuck in the pitch as he tried to save the boundary. It looked horrible – we all remember Simon Jones at the Gabba – but he seems okay.
Updated
The 2023 World Cup will begin with Trent Boult bowling to Jonny Bairstow. Mind the gap.
The teams line up for the anthems on a sweltering hot day. The Narendra Modi Stadium, which holds about half a trillion, is almost empty.
1. Head-to-head data is an untapped goldmine of cricket coverage.
2. The first few overs of the 2023 World Cup could be very interesting.
Trent Boult's ODI Bowling Average v England's likely top three:
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 5, 2023
v Jonny Bairstow - 20.25 (four wickets)
v Dawid Malan - 11.00 (one wicket)
v Joe Root - 18.00 (five wickets)#CWC2023
“The two Dad’s Army teams kick off the competition, but am I the only one not overly positive about England’s chances in this tournament?” wonders Kevin Wilson. “Yes, they’ve been the best white-ball side in the world (probably) for the last few years, but I wonder whether they’re past their peak, and it could all unravel in this tournament. India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa are all going to be the mix, and in the subcontinent, even the other three Asian sides will be more of a challenge.”
This is the exciting thing – nobody really knows. There’s a fair chance that at least one of the three older teams (England, New Zealand, Australia) will find it a tournament too far. There’s also a chance that, like Australia’s geriatricos in 2007, England will have too much power experience of winning for the rest.
On today of all days, you can never have enough World Cup quizzes. Here’s another from our old friend Steven Pye.
New quiz out all about the cricket World Cup:https://t.co/NFdUAl06AG#CricketWorldCup2023 #ENGvNZ
— Steve Pye (@1980sSportsBlog) October 5, 2023
Is rain going to be a thing? Very possibly. India are this year’s hosts, and though October is towards the tail-end of their rainy season, in some of the host cities it is some way away from being dry.
World Cup quiz!
So, 114 gentlemen have appeared for England at an ODI World Cup. How many can you name?
Updated
The teams in full
England Bairstow, Malan, Root, Brook, Buttler (c/wk), Livingstone, Ali, Curran, Woakes, Rashid, Wood.
New Zealand Young, Conway, Ravindra, Mitchell, Latham (c/wk), Phillips, Chapman, Neesham, Santner, Ravindra, Henry, Boult.
Team news: Stokes, Williamson, Ferguson out injured
As expected, Harry Brook replaces the injured Ben Stokes, and Sam Curran is preferred to Reece Topley as third seamer. The pacy Lockie Ferguson also misses out through injury for New Zealand; that’s a blow because they have no like-for-like replacement in their squad. Instead they have beefed up their batting by including Mark Chapman. It looks like Rachin Ravindra will bat at No3, keeping the seat warm for Kane Williamson.
Updated
New Zealand win the toss and bowl
The stand-in captain Tom Latham has put England in, which means an early trial by Trent Boult for the top order. Dew may also be a factor, so that feels like a decent toss to win. Jos Buttler said England would have bowled but that he “can’t wait to get going”.
Updated
A team-by-team guide to the World Cup
Look out for Bas de Leede, who produced the most astonishing performance against Scotland to secure qualification for the Netherlands.
“Do you reckon we will smash runscoring records at this World Cup?” writes Dravidian. “I feel like the game has changed dramatically since the last one - England being one of the drivers of change.”
A score of 500 is definitely on the table, although I’m not sure it will happen this time. I don’t think batting has changed that much since 2019, except maybe at the death, but there should be more flat and/or fast pitches than in England in 2019. There were no scores of 400 four years ago; I’d be surprised if that’s the case here.
Updated
This video is superbly done, as always, but in truth England – Dawid Malan and David Willey aside – haven’t done much since 2019. That’s not a criticism; it was a largely unavoidable consequence of Covid, scheduling and Bazball.
Even so, the contrast in preparation is fascinating. In 2019, England, with no success to fall back on, were desperate to go into the tournament as world No1. This time, partly out of necessity, there is a relaxed, it’ll-be-alright-on-the-night attitude. It worked in Australia last year, and there wasn’t really an alternative.
From our 2019 success 🏆
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 5, 2023
To this 2023 contest 🏏
On the Road to Retain 💪#EnglandCricket | #CWC23 🌍 pic.twitter.com/xeUCZ0OYz8
The dignity and humour with which New Zealand accepted defeat (sic) in 2019 becomes more impressive with every passing football match year.
Who do you fancy? Despite their wretched recent record in ICC knockout matches, I struggle to see beyond India. I think they’ll build up enough momentum in the group stage to reduce the psychological impact of that poor record.
Early team news
England are likely to be without Ben Stokes, who has a peedie hip problem, so Harry Brook will come into the side. No official word yet on the seamers, though it’s likely that either Sam Curran or Reece Topley will start alongside Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.
New Zealand are missing an equally important player, their captain Kane Williamson, who is managing the serious knee injury he suffered at the IPL. Their top order looks lightish in his absence but they have a cracking, varied bowling attack, led by the majestic Trent Boult.
Updated
The first email of the 2023 World Cup!
“Morning Rob, what a day,” writes Guy Hornsby. “The strange situation of a match I’m really excited about but also we all know can’t possibly match up to its predecessor. But it should be a cracker. The two teams of (mostly) Expendables, back for one last mission. Topley or Wood, Mo or Curran? Black Caps minus Williamson and Southee and with some newer hit-or-bust batters. Oddly a loss probably won’t hurt either team, but a drubbing might. Bring on the pain!”
I reckon a loss will hurt either team, even at this stage – it looks a very tight squeeze for the semi-final.
Read Simon Burnton’s tournament preview
Preamble
So the story begins. Ten teams, 45 days, 48 matches and not a single boundary countback: the 2023 World Cup is upon us. The hosts are usually involved on opening night, but for the BCCI’s chief schedulers, a repeat of the greatest ever ODI final* proved irresistible.
The tournament starts with England v New Zealand in Ahmedabad – just as it did, a little weirdly, the last time the hosts weren’t involved in the first game. That was in 1996, when England were living on a different white-ball planet (or, rather, commuting from Planet Red Ball). This year they start as holders of both white-ball trophies and second favourites behind the hosts India.
The format – everybody plays everybody, with the top four going through to the semi-finals – makes this World Cup a marathon, not a sprint. But it’s still important to get out of the blocks apace. England know from the (mercifully transitory) horrors of 2019 that an early defeat can be a significant sliding door.
England and New Zealand have the oldest squads in the tournament, a slightly droopy nose ahead of Australia. That comes with obvious benefits and potential weaknesses. Over the next six weeks, starting today, we’ll find out where they are in relation to the top of the hill.
England already sit proudly at the top table of great white-ball teams. If they win this tournament, they’ll have a case for being the greatest of them all.
The match starts at 9.30am BST, 2pm in Ahmedabad.
* Or should that finale, given the relative poverty of the first 90 overs?
Updated
