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Half-centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell carried New Zealand to a second one-sided victory against an England side still searching for a winning formula in the 50-over format. This loss added another track to their rotten recent record: a ninth consecutive away defeat in ODIs and a 10th in 11 games on their travels in the last 12 months, while also ensuring a sixth series defeat in their last seven attempts.
Against a New Zealand side without their premium fast bowler, Matt Henry, who was diagnosed with a calf injury on the morning of the match, England were dismissed for just 175, leaving 14 overs unused and presenting their opponents with not so much a challenge as a stroll. After again losing the toss the tourists’ top-order again misfired, with Jamie Overton coming in at No 8 to top-score with 42.
The good news for England was the form of Jofra Archer in his first appearance of the winter; the bad news was the way he reacted after fielding the ball in the 10th over of New Zealand’s innings. Having dived to stop Kane Williamson’s cut from crossing the boundary he got up wincing, clutching his side, mouthing profanities and generally looking uncomfortable.
Archer had by then bowled five superlative overs for just eight runs, as New Zealand, in no hurry as they set off towards their meagre target, sought little more against him than survival. Will Young did not manage that, trapped lbw four balls into the Black Caps’ innings, and Williamson only just avoided a similar fate two deliveries later, the ball found to be on its way just over off stump after an England review.
Archer returned to provoke at one point a stretch of 20 balls without a run being scored, bowling in tandem with Adil Rashid. The England quick claimed the wickets of Ravindra, who dumped a hook into the hands of Rashid at deep third soon after reaching his half-century, and Michael Bracewell, whose gloves flicked the bowler’s last delivery of the night.
But by then Mitchell was at the crease and that is rarely good news for England. The 34-year-old has an outstanding record in this format, averaging 51.78, but he saves his best for games against the English, against whom he now boasts one century and two fifties in six innings, three of them unbeaten. Having steered his side home in both games in this series so far he boasts an obnoxiously good average of 110. It was Mitchell and captain Mitchell Santner who eventually powered New Zealand to the win, thrashing 48 between them off the last 19 balls.
England’s innings lasted precisely four balls longer than their effort in the opening game in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, and yielded 48 fewer runs. They simply chose a different way to self-destruct here, sharing what runs they got a little more equitably, collapsing a little more gently. Blair Tickner, making something of a fairytale return to the team after an absence of more than two years as a result of Henry’s injury, took four wickets in his eight overs, returning to mop up the tail having dismissed Joe Root in his first over.
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Tickner’s reaction to that first wicket suggested that there was more luck than planning involved, after Root got the slightest tickle to a third delivery angled across him and narrowly down the leg side. The 32-year-old’s other three wickets were celebrated more wholeheartedly, as Brydon Carse, Overton and finally Rashid were all caught while in search of rapid runs. Indeed New Zealand’s catching, which had been uncharacteristically unreliable during the previous two-and-a-half games on this tour, was on this occasion impeccable, with Young pulling off the pick of the pouches at point, diving to his left and flinging out one hand to pluck Harry Brook’s powerful cut out of the air.
Of the batters preparing to move on to Australia for the Ashes after this series ends on Saturday, Brook again stood out – though being able to do so while scoring only 34 is not hugely encouraging – while Root, Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell at least made it to double figures, if not then much further, scoring 25, 13 and 18 respectively. But Ben Duckett’s contribution to the first two games currently stands at three runs off nine balls across two innings and his stay at the crease here was brief and awkward, ending when he edged Jacob Duffy sheepishly to Tom Latham.
