Southee, McCullum star as Black Caps thrash England

Paceman Tim Southee recorded the best one-day figures by a New Zealander while Brendon McCullum hit the fastest World Cup half-century to lead their team to an eight-wicket rout of hapless England on Friday.

Southee took seven for 33 in nine overs as England collapsed to 123 all out in just 33.2 overs.

New Zealand captain McCullum's rollicking 25-ball 77 with seven sixes and eight fours at the top of the order then saw the tournament co-hosts romp to victory in just 12.2 overs of their reply in Wellington.

When the umpires called for a dinner break with New Zealand needing just 12 more runs to win, jeers rang out around the packed 33,000 capacity Westpac Stadium.

But although the amount of cricket played was under half the scheduled 100 overs of a one-day international, the crowd certainly got their money's worth.

Victory gave New Zealand, one of the tournament favourites, their third win in as many Pool A games while England were left with two defeats in two following a 111-run thrashing by Australia.

"It was an incredible performance. We wanted to bat first too and it shows the ability of our bowlers to get swing through the air," said McCullum.

England skipper Eoin Morgan said that he was always expecting two tough games first up.

"We need a win as soon as possible now. Batting in those conditions and trying to get 270 plus was tough," said Morgan.

Sensing an easy win, McCullum launched a ferocious attack on the England bowling, hitting Stuart Broad for a six off the first ball he faced.

Fast bowler Steven Finn was not spared as McCullum hit six, four, four and six off the Middlesex paceman's first four balls and then another six to bring up his fifty off just 18 balls.

McCullum held the previous record for the fastest World Cup fifty, off 20 balls against Canada at St Lucia in 2007.

Finn's two wicketless overs cost a whopping 49 runs before Chris Woakes ended McCullum's knock by bowling him off a bottom edge.

South Africa's AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest-ever one-day international fifty, off just 16 balls, made against the West Indies last month.

-Earlier it was Southee who left England clueless after Morgan won the toss and batted on a flat looking pitch.

Southee achieved the third-best figures in all World Cups and beat the previous best by a New Zealander in all ODIs, recorded by Shane Bond, now the team's bowling coach, who took six for 19 against India at Bulawayo in 2005.

Only Joe Root, last man out in the 34th over, offered resistance with 46 while opener Moeen Ali made 20 and Morgan managed 17 in an otherwise disappointing batting display.

"It's a bit of a blur at the moment," said Southee during the change of innings. "We're good swing bowlers and, although we lost the toss, the ball swung throughout the innings.

"They say that when there's a bit of blue sky in Wellington, the ball swings."

England were looking at a revival at 103 for three with Morgan and Root at the crease.

But former Ireland left-hander Morgan, who had managed just two runs with four ducks in his previous five innings, holed out at long-on off Vettori.

He was left to rue his shot as England lost their last seven wickets for just 19 runs.

Openers Ian Bell (eight) and Moeen Ali (20) were both bowled by Southee, who subsequently dismissed James Taylor (nought), Jos Buttler (three), Chris Woakes (one), Stuart Broad (four) and Steven Finn (nought).

He took his final five wickets in the space of just 18 balls to record the third best figures in all World Cups behind the Australian duo of Glenn McGrath (7-15) and Andy Bichel (7-20).

Scoreboard:

England
I. Bell b Southee 8
Moeen Ali b Southee 20
G. Ballance c Williamson b Boult 10
J. Root c Vettori b Milne 46
E. Morgan c Milne b Vettori 17
J. Taylor b Southee 0
J. Butler c Ronchi b Southee 3
C. Woakes b Southee 1
S. Broad c Vettori b Southee 4
S. Finn c Taylor b Southee 0
J. Anderson not out 1
Extras: (lb6, w7) 13
Total: ( all out; 33.2 overs) 123
Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Bell), 2-36 (Ali), 3-57 (Ballance), 4-104 (Morgan), 5-104 (Taylor), 6-108 (Butler), 7-110 (Woakes), 8-116 (Broad), 9-117 (Finn), 10-123 (Root)
Bowling: Southee 9-0-33-7 (3w), Boult 10-2-32-1 (1w), Milne 5.2-1-25-1 (2w), Vettori 7-0-19-1, Anderson 2-0-8-0 (1w)

New Zealand
B. McCullum b Woakes 77
M. Guptill b Woakes 22
K. Williamson not out 9
R. Taylor not out 5
Extras: (lb4, w8) 12
Total: (one wkt; 12.2 overs) 125
Did not bat: G. Elliott, C. Anderson, L. Ronchi, D. Vettori, A. Milne, T. Southee, T. Boult
Bowling: Anderosn 5-0-37-0 (3w), Broad 2.2-0-27-0 (1w), Finn 2-0-49-0, Woakes 3-1-8-2
Fall of wickets: 1-105 (McCullum), 2-112 (Guptill)

Result: New Zealand win by eight wickets

Toss: England
Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Paul Reiffel (AUS)
TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

New Zealand innings

Tim Southee produced some excellent outswing bowling to scalp seven wickets and skipper Brendon McCullum scored the fastest 50 in a World Cup match as the Black Caps outplayed England by eight wickets to register their third successive win from Pool A thus putting them in a good position to make the quarter-finals.

The only thing that went right for England was the toss as thereafter it was mayhem with wickets falling in a heap. Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, struggling for runs, managed 47 runs for the fourth wicket but that was the only saving grace as Southee looked unplayable at the Westpac Stadium finishing with figures of 9-0-33-7 to bundle England out for 123.

McCullum then led the assault on the England bowlers with his 50 coming of only 18 balls, the third fastest in ODIs. When he departed he had scored 77 from only 25 balls and his runs consisted seven sixes and eight fours as the co-hosts won with 226 balls to spare.

NZ's 116 for 2 is the second highest runs scored in first 10 overs, three behind West Indies against Canada.

Martin Guptill b Woakes 22 (22b 3x4 0x6)

Play resumes.

Supper break

The bails are off as the umpires call lunch. The crowd is booing with NZ needing only 12 to win.

What an innings it was from the Black Caps captain, hitting eight boundaries and seven maxmums.

Brendon McCullum b Woakes 77 (25b 8x4 7x6)

It's raining sixes from McCullum's bat and the England bowlers and fielders look clueless.

McCullum brings up his 50 from 18 balls with seven fours and four sixes to bring up the fastest half century in a World Cup match.

McCullum is in a murderous mood slashing at anything and everything.

NZ off to a good start. McCullum hits Broad for a six and three fours. The New Zealand captain is going to play his natural game whatever the target.

England Innings

New Zealand's Tim Southee produced a brilliant spell of swing bowling for career best figures of 7-33 to dismiss England for 123 in their World Cup Pool A match at Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday.

Southee bowled openers Ian Bell and Moeen Ali early in the innings then returned to run through England's lower middle order to finish with the best figures for a New Zealand bowler in one-day internationals.

Shane Bond's 6-19 against India in 2005 was the previous best.

Southee was ably supported by Trent Boult, who put pressure on the England top order with an eight-over opening spell in which he took one wicket for 30 runs.

Left arm spinner Daniel Vettori then dried up the runs in the middle overs and captured the wicket of out-of-form England captain Eoin Morgan for 17.

Southee did not get much movement in sunny conditions at the top of the innings after Morgan had won the toss and decided to bat but still managed to bowl Ali (20) and Bell (eight) with yorkers that did swing late.

Boult then had Gary Ballance caught by Kane Williamson at short cover for 10 to leave England at 57 for three in the 14th over.

Joe Root and Morgan, who had scored a total of two runs in his last five knocks, managed to slowly consolidate England's innings, though their run rate was pedestrian as the skipper struggled with his timing and confidence.

Vettori heaped more pressure on the beleaguered Morgan when he was deceived in flight and ended up dragging the ball aerially towards the leg side.

Milne sprinted about 30 metres and flung himself at the ball to take a brilliant catch that brought the crowd to their feet.

England's lower order then collapsed, slumping from 104 for five to 123 all out with Southee producing a spell of five for 10 in four overs.

Root was last out for 46 when he was caught in the deep.

Tim Southee produced some excellent outswing bowling on his way to seven wickets as New Zealand bowled England out for 123 in their Pool A match of the 2015 World Cup in Wellington on Friday.

Southee had Ian Bell, Moeen Ali, James Taylor and Chris Woakes castled while he found the edge of Jos Buttler, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn to finish with impressive figures of 9-0-33-7.

Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne and Trent Boult bagged a wicket each, while only Joe Root stood out for England with 46.

It's all over for England as they have been bowled out for 123, Root becoming the last man to fall to Milne.

Joe Root c Vettori b Milne 46 (70b 3x4 0x6)

Eng 119-9, 33 overs.

Six wickets for Southee as Broad, backing off down leg side, tries to dig Southee out and ends up holing out to Vettori at mid-off. Eng 116-8, 31 overs.

Stuart Broad c Vettori b Southee 4 (10b 0x4 0x6)

In the last 5 overs England scored just 12 runs and lost 5 wickets. Eng 114-7, 30 overs.

England are rocked back and only Root could probably pull them out from a hole. Eng 112-7, 29 overs.

Southee beats the bat of Woakes and another wicket goes down for England who are110-7, 28.4 overs.

Chris Woakes b Southee 1 (2b 0x4 0x6)

England in dire straits here as Southee is playing havoc with their batsmen. His outswingers are simply unplayable as Buttler faces one and edges to Ronchi. Eng 108-6, 28.1 overs.

Jos Buttler c Ronchi b Southee 3 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Southee is on a roll here, rocking Taylor with a swinging ball as he did with Bell, and hits the off-stump for his third wicket. Eng 106-5, 27 overs.

James Taylor b Southee 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Vettori tosses the ball and Morgan falls for it trying to hit him over for a six but the ball fails to carry and Milne takes a superb diving catch. Eng 104-4, 26 overs.

Eoin Morgan c Milne b Vettori 17 (41b 1x4 0x6) 

Morgan plays a confident looking shot through covers and mid-off for a boundary. Eng 96-3, 23 overs.

McCullum has really raised the bar today for fielders, jumping and prancing around to make some incredible stops to save some crucial runs. Eng 89-3, 22 overs.

A boundary finally for England coming after 44 balls since the last one. Root top-edging Milne over the keeper. Eng 79-3, 20 overs. Only 19 runs coming off the last 5 overs.

Eng seem to be struggling to get the scoreboard ticking. Eng 72-3, 19 overs.

NZ are making Eng work hard for every run. Balls which looked like going to the boundary are stopped at the last minute. Brilliant fielding by the Black Caps. They've almost saved around 10 runs so far. Eng 67-3, 16 overs. 

At drinks, Eng are 60-3, 15 overs.

McCullum persists with Boult and it pays off when he gets Ballance to play uppishly, the ball hitting the bottom of the bat, to Williamson. Eng 57-3, 14 overs.

Gary Ballance c Williamson b Boult 10 (26b 0x4 0x6)

Classy cover drive from Root which clears the field for four. Eng 57-2, 13 overs.

NZ are right on top of their game as Eng stutter at 43-2 after 10 overs putting on just 12 runs in the last five overs for the loss of a wicket.

Ballance and Root dig in. Eng 42-2, 9 overs.

Moeen Ali is rocked by a yorker from Southee and loses his off stump. Eng 36-2, 7 overs.

Moeen Ali b Southee 20 (15b 4x4 0x6)

Ali throws his bat around and comes up with three successive boundaries to release some pressure for the Englishmen. Eng 31-1, 5 overs.

Bell plays all over this outswinger from Southee and is clean bowled. It was a peach of a delivery which just left Bell's bat.

Ian Bell b Southee 8 (17b 1x4 0x6)

Boult drops it short and Bell is quick to pounce on it and spank it through covers. Eng 18-0, 4 overs.  

Ali whacks Southee down leg side for a boundary. Eng 11-0, 3 overs.

Bell and Moeen Ali nudge and push for singles but NZ are good in the field as McCullum shows diving full length to stop what looked like a four. Eng 4-0, 2 overs.

England open their account from a wide ball by Southee who otherwise kept a good line and length and even managed an edge from Bell's bat but the ball fell short off McCullum at second slip. Eng 1-0, 1 over.

Both teams get ready for their national anthems on a beautiful day in Wellington, New Zealand.

Eoin Morgan won the toss and unlike against Australia when he opted to field and paid the price, this time he had no hesitation in opting to bat first. No changes to the teams as both captains feel it is a cracking wicket so the packed house at Wellington can look forward to a cracker of a match.

TEAMS

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

England: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, James Taylor, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson.

New Zealand are in something of a groove after playing a lot of one-day cricket in recent months and will face England with an unchanged side in their third World Cup match, skipper Brendan McCullum said on Thursday.

The co-hosts kicked off their campaign with a convincing win over Sri Lanka last weekend followed by a three-wicket victory over Scotland on Tuesday, a win built on fine swing bowling but almost undone by a sloppy batting display.

Nevertheless, McCullum had enough confidence in the XI that started the match in Dunedin to confirm the side for Friday's encounter even before he even had a chance to look at the wicket at the Wellington Regional Stadium.

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"We have a full squad to pick from, and we're going to go with the same team we've played the last two games," McCullum told a news conference.

"The guys have performed well so far. We want to give them the same opportunity again. We think that the balance of the team that we're going in with will suit us well on this ground."

The Black Caps have won nine of their last 11 one-day internationals in Wellington going back to 2006 and lost just two of their last 13 at all grounds.

Such form has put the co-hosts among the favourites to win the World Cup but McCullum said New Zealand would not allow such tags to distract them from the task at hand.

"We know that we can't get too far in front of ourselves.  We're not a good enough team to do so," he said.

"We need to be very respectful of that, go about our preparation and go about our work and try to execute our game plan. If we do that, that's certainly how we give ourselves our greatest opportunity."

England opened their campaign with a 111-run defeat to the other co-hosts Australia in Melbourne last Saturday, giving them three more days to prepare for their second encounter.

"We've been playing a lot of cricket recently, so we're probably in a little bit of a groove," McCullum said.

"We knew the scheduling well before we came into it so we were able to affect that into our preparation as well. So we go on with no excuses.

"We'll give ourselves a good chance, and hopefully we can replicate the form we've been playing with of late."

Five match facts:

- New Zealand have won their last four World Cup games against England, after losing the first three clashes.

- New Zealand have won nine of their last 11 ODIs at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington. England have lost on both of their visits, in 2002 and 2008.

- James Anderson (33) needs two wickets to pass Richard Hadlee (34) as the leading wicket-taker in ODIs between these teams.

- Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill need to put on 70 runs to become the second pair after Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming to score 2,000 ODI runs in partnership for New Zealand.

- Since the start of the 2007 World Cup James Anderson has bowled 152 balls to Brendon McCullum in ODIs, conceding 208 runs and taking three wickets.

Squads

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Mitchell McClenaghan

England: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Balance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes

New Zealand v England head to head:

Total played: 77
New Zealand won 38, England won 33; tied 2; no result 4

Last match:
June 16, 2013  England beat New Zealand by 10 runs at Cardiff

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