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England vs New Zealand, Only T20I at Manchester, , Jun 13 2008 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
Only T20I, Manchester, June 13, 2008, New Zealand tour of England and Scotland
(17.3/20 ov, T:124) 127/1

England won by 9 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
60* (46)
ian-bell
New
ENG
Full commentary

That's seven losses in seven in Twenty20 for New Zealand and a thoroughly professional performance in every department for England. New Zealand, however, looked rusty and well off the pace. Losing by nine wickets with 15 balls to spare is a heavy defeat in this format. "You couldn't ask for anything better," says Pietersen, who finished on 42 not out. "There's a pretty important game going on in Antigua so you want to make sure you get a red inker to cement your place in the team," he grins.

New Zealand will take solace from the winter where they lost the Twenty20 and bounced back well in the ODI series. They have 38 hours to gather themselves as the first ODI at the Riverside is on Sunday. Join us then for all the fun, frolics and dull middle overs of the 50-over game. From Jenny Roesler and Martin Williamson, goodnight.

17.3
4
Styris to Bell, FOUR runs

short, pulled over midwicket and the crowd erupts even before the ball is halfway to the rope. The players shake hands but it's been a one-sided affair.

17.2
1
Styris to Pietersen, 1 run

a swing but not timed, a bottomish edge, midwicket fields

17.1
Styris to Pietersen, no run

very solid defensive shot. He wants to end in style and not with a pokey single

end of over 177 runs
ENG: 122/1CRR: 7.17 RRR: 0.66
Ian Bell56 (45b 8x4 1x6)
Kevin Pietersen41 (39b 5x4)
Daniel Flynn 1-0-7-0
Mark Gillespie 4-1-25-0
16.6
4
Flynn to Bell, FOUR runs

finally he gets what they have both been trying to do all over, a fine cut evades backward point and it races away

16.5
Flynn to Bell, no run

cut to point

The news is that Oram is a doubt for Sunday with a hamstring twang.

16.4
1
Flynn to Pietersen, 1 run

steered behind on the off side

16.3
1
Flynn to Bell, 1 run

lollypop outside off, deep cover again fields

16.2
1
Flynn to Pietersen, 1 run

back but picks his spot out to deep cover

16.1
Flynn to Pietersen, no run

back and hit hard to short extra cover

Nine to win. Four overs. Nine wickets in hand. If it was boxing they'd stop the fight. Instead they play KC and the Sunshine Band's Give It Up. Given it up might be more accurate.

end of over 167 runs
ENG: 115/1CRR: 7.18 RRR: 2.25
Ian Bell51 (42b 7x4 1x6)
Kevin Pietersen39 (36b 5x4)
Mark Gillespie 4-1-25-0
Daniel Vettori 4-0-27-0

Imagine if this game was for US$1 million a head ... easy money or what for England?

15.6
Gillespie to Bell, no run

waist-high full toss, he can do no more than pat to short midwicket

15.5
1
Gillespie to Pietersen, 1 run

yorker as he ambles to the off, he does well to dig it out into the on side

15.4
Gillespie to Pietersen, no run

outside off and Pietersen puts his all into a pull ... and misses

Out come the stewards ... they know the fat lady is gargling ...

15.3
4
Gillespie to Pietersen, FOUR runs

the end is nigh ... Pietersen stands tall and pulls square with real va va voom

15.2
1
Gillespie to Bell, 1 run

top stuff in any form of the game, a superb straight drive but the fielding is equal to it, an excellent flick back an inch inside the rope from Mason

15.1
1
Gillespie to Pietersen, 1 run

inside out checked drive square on the off side

end of over 159 runs
ENG: 108/1CRR: 7.20 RRR: 3.20
Ian Bell50 (40b 7x4 1x6)
Kevin Pietersen33 (32b 4x4)
Daniel Vettori 4-0-27-0
Mark Gillespie 3-1-18-0
14.6
Vettori to Bell, no run

a rare semi victory to the bowler, he finds a thick edge which goes past slip along the ground and backward point mops up

14.5
1
Vettori to Pietersen, 1 run

happy to take the single into a big space at midwicket

14.4
Vettori to Pietersen, no run

fired in, pushed back from where it came

14.3
4
Vettori to Pietersen, FOUR runs

one step, two step and a one-legged storkish swing over wide midwicket

14.2
4
Vettori to Pietersen, FOUR runs

this time he connects with the sweep, no real effort but it races across the rope as if fired from a rocket-launcher

14.1
Vettori to Pietersen, no run

shapes to sweep, hits his pad but he is a country mile outside the off stump

Twenty five off 36. Anyone for New Zealand? Here's Vettori for another one-over burst.