Half-centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell propelled New Zealand to a dominant victory over England, who continue to struggle in the 50-over format. The defeat marks England’s ninth consecutive loss in away ODIs and their tenth in eleven matches on foreign soil over the past year. Furthermore, it highlights a concerning trend, with England suffering six series defeats in their last seven attempts.
In a match where New Zealand was missing their star fast bowler Matt Henry due to a calf injury, England’s batting lineup faltered dramatically, totaling just 175 runs and leaving 14 overs unused. The top-order’s inability to perform was evident, as Jamie Overton, batting at No. 8, emerged as the top scorer with only 42 runs.
A positive note for England was Jofra Archer’s performance on his return from injury, as he bowled five remarkable overs for just eight runs. However, his discomfort after an awkward dive in the field served as a stark reminder of the fragility of the squad. New Zealand’s innings began poorly as well, with Will Young dismissed early, trapped lbw just four balls in. Kane Williamson narrowly escaped a similar fate thanks to an England review that revealed the ball was just over the stumps.
Archer’s spell, which contained a stretch of 20 deliveries without a run being scored, led to significant wickets. He dismissed Ravindra, who took a risky hook shot, and Michael Bracewell, who edged his last delivery. However, Daryl Mitchell’s presence at the crease proved troublesome for England. The 34-year-old has an impressive ODI average of 51.78, which rises dramatically against England, where he has scored one century and two fifties in six innings, averaging an astonishing 110 in this series.
Mitchell and captain Mitchell Santner effectively secured the victory for New Zealand, accumulating 48 runs off the last 19 balls of the innings. England’s performance during this match was alarmingly similar to their previous outing in Mount Maunganui, with their innings lasting only slightly longer and yielding significantly fewer runs.
Blair Tickner made a fairy-tale return to the New Zealand squad, claiming four wickets after returning from a two-year absence due to injury. His first wicket, Joe Root, came from a faint edge, while his remaining three wickets were celebrated more robustly as England’s batting disintegrated under the pressure. Notably, New Zealand’s fielding was impeccable, contrasting their recent struggles, highlighted by a stunning catch from Will Young off Harry Brook’s shot.
Among the England batters looking ahead to the Ashes, Brook managed to stand out despite scoring only 34 runs, while the contributions from Root, Jamie Smith, and Jacob Bethell were meager, with scores of 25, 13, and 18, respectively. Ben Duckett’s continued woes were evident as he was dismissed for just three runs in two matches, leaving England with much to reflect on as this series approaches its conclusion.
Despite England’s difficulties, the team will have the opportunity to regroup ahead of the Ashes series in Australia, where they hope to overturn their fortunes and spark a turnaround in their one-day format performance.