New Zealand v England
Wisden's review of the ninth match, New Zealand v England
15-Apr-2016
At Wellington (Westpac Stadium), February 20, 2015 (day/night). New Zealand won by eight wickets. Toss: England.
England crashed to one of the worst defeats in World Cup history. Sent packing by Southee, they were then mauled by McCullum, who obliterated a target of 124 in 12.2 overs. "The ball swung late and they exposed us," said Morgan - none more so than Southee, who skilfully exploited the conditions after England had chosen to bat. Maintaining a full length, and with an occasional bouncer, he took seven for 33, the third best figures in World Cups, and New Zealand's best in one-day internationals; England's last seven fell for 19 in 45 balls. Having already bowled Bell and set up Ali with a bouncer-yorker combination, Southee needed only two balls to breach Taylor's defence. Buttler and Woakes followed in his next over to deliveries moving away. As Root watched the destruction unfold, no dismissal was uglier than Broad's, backing away as he tried to hit over cover. McCullum then tore into England's bowlers, reaching the fastest World Cup fifty, from 18 balls, with the first of four successive sixes off Finn. After six overs the total was an extraordinary 96 and, when McCullum bottom-edged a Woakes full toss on to his stumps in the eighth over, he had made 77 from 25 balls, including seven sixes. New Zealand needed only 12 more runs come the mandatory meal break. England, having subsided to their joint-worst one-day loss in terms of balls remaining, resembled the last stragglers of Stalingrad, and sloped off to boos. RICHARD HOBSON
Man of the Match: T. G. Southee.
England crashed to one of the worst defeats in World Cup history. Sent packing by Southee, they were then mauled by McCullum, who obliterated a target of 124 in 12.2 overs. "The ball swung late and they exposed us," said Morgan - none more so than Southee, who skilfully exploited the conditions after England had chosen to bat. Maintaining a full length, and with an occasional bouncer, he took seven for 33, the third best figures in World Cups, and New Zealand's best in one-day internationals; England's last seven fell for 19 in 45 balls. Having already bowled Bell and set up Ali with a bouncer-yorker combination, Southee needed only two balls to breach Taylor's defence. Buttler and Woakes followed in his next over to deliveries moving away. As Root watched the destruction unfold, no dismissal was uglier than Broad's, backing away as he tried to hit over cover. McCullum then tore into England's bowlers, reaching the fastest World Cup fifty, from 18 balls, with the first of four successive sixes off Finn. After six overs the total was an extraordinary 96 and, when McCullum bottom-edged a Woakes full toss on to his stumps in the eighth over, he had made 77 from 25 balls, including seven sixes. New Zealand needed only 12 more runs come the mandatory meal break. England, having subsided to their joint-worst one-day loss in terms of balls remaining, resembled the last stragglers of Stalingrad, and sloped off to boos. RICHARD HOBSON
Man of the Match: T. G. Southee.