Cardiff [UK], September 9 (ANI): After losing to New Zealand by eight wickets in the first ODI match, England skipper Jos Buttler said that they could not find the way to break the partnership between Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell.
Centuries from Conway and Mitchell helped New Zealand start off the four-match ODI series with a thumping eight-wicket win over England at Cardiff on Friday night. Conway and Mitchell added 180 partnership to guide their for comfortable win.
After the match, Buttler said, "Disappointing. Halfway I thought we had a decent score. Most of us were finding it difficult to time the ball. Just couldn't find a way to break that partnership. We tried most things. For a little period we built pressure nicely. Strung some good overs. But Mitchell played a few big shots and got it away from us again. Impetus Livingstone gave to the innings got us to a score that I thought was over par. Have to look after a few people the way the schedule is. But also want to play good cricket." Coming to the match, New Zealand opted to bowl first. England got off to a solid start with 80-run partnership between Harry Brook (25 in 41 balls, with two fours) and Dawid Malan (54 in 53 balls, with nine fours). England then sunk to 101/3.
Then an 88-run stand between Buttler (72) and a returning Ben Stokes (52 in 69 balls with three fours and a six) and a 77-run partnership between Buttler and Liam Livingstone (52 in 40 balls, with three fours and three sixes) helped England reach 291/6 in 50 overs.
Rachin Ravindra (3/48) and Tim Southee (2/71) were the pick of the bowlers for NZ.
In the chase of 292, openers Devon Conway and Will Young (29) helped NZ get off to a solid start, forming a 61-run stand. Then followed a 56-run partnership between Conway and Henry Nicholls (26 in 30 balls, with three fours).
After England reduced NZ to 117/2, Conway (111 in 121 balls with 13 fours and a six) and Daryl Mitchell (118 in 91 balls with seven fours and seven sixes) dismantled the English bowling with their hitting, forming a match-winning 180-run partnership.
Conway was adjudged as the 'Player of the Match' for his century. (ANI)
