England Secures Commanding Victory Over New Zealand with Ben Stokes Heroics
England dominated New Zealand at Kennington Oval, securing a commanding 181-run victory. Ben Stokes’ epic 182 runs and a clinical bowling performance put England ahead 2-1 in the four-match ODI series.
England delivered a stunning performance at the Kennington Oval, defeating New Zealand by a resounding 181 runs in the third ODI of the four-match series. This win propelled England to a 2-1 lead in the series, and it was largely thanks to a Ben Stokes masterclass with both bat and ball.
The match began with England being asked to bat first, and it didn’t start well for the home side as Jonny Bairstow was dismissed off the very first ball. Joe Root followed soon after, extending his run of low scores against New Zealand. England found themselves in early trouble, but Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan came to the rescue with a remarkable 199-run partnership. Malan was dismissed just four runs short of his century, while Stokes went on to score a sensational 182 runs, the highest ODI score ever by an English cricketer.
Stokes continued to shine in partnership with Jos Buttler, as they put on a brisk 78-run stand off 46 balls. However, England experienced a lower-order collapse, getting all-out for 368 in 48.1 overs with eleven balls to spare. Despite the late wickets, England had posted a formidable total.
In response, New Zealand’s chase started on shaky ground, with Chris Woakes accounting for Will Young early on. Devon Conway followed, caught in front by Reece Topley, before Henry Nicholls heaved one to Sam Curran at deep midwicket, officially marking a top-order collapse for New Zealand. Tom Latham was the next to depart, bowled over by Chris Woakes, leaving New Zealand with only their last pair of specialist batsmen remaining.
Daryl Mitchell offered some resistance, but his dismissal, caught by Sam Curran, left New Zealand reeling at 70-5, with 299 more runs needed for victory. Glenn Phillips emerged as the lone warrior for New Zealand, scoring an impressive fifty and forming crucial partnerships with Rachin Ravindra and Kyle Jamieson.
However, Liam Livingstone was introduced into the attack with only three wickets remaining, and he proved to be the game-changer. Livingstone dismissed the dangerous Phillips and then cleaned up the tail to secure a commanding victory for England.
In the end, New Zealand was bowled out for 187, handing England a convincing 181-run win. This remarkable performance was anchored by Ben Stokes’ all-round brilliance and a clinical bowling display by the English side.
Brief Scores:
England 368 all-out in 48.1 overs (Ben Stokes 182, Dawid Malan 96, Trent Boult 5-51)
New Zealand 187 all-out (Glenn Phillips 72, Liam Livingstone 3-16, Chris Woakes 3-31)
Result: England won by 181 runs
Series: England leads 2-1 in the four-match ODI series.
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