England v New Zealand

At Cardiff, June 6. England won by 87 runs. Toss: New Zealand.
The circus moved to Cardiff, though so ferocious were the westerlies it was a miracle anyone negotiated the Severn Bridge. There were interruptions when gusts swept the boundary rope on to the field, and the illuminated bails - light in both senses - refused to stay put. England's attack had no such problems getting in the groove, and Morgan's side whooshed into the semis. On a slowish pitch that had caused England few problems, New Zealand's target of 311 was gettable. But Ball and Wood promptly hit the perfect length. Ball also hit middle with his fourth delivery to despatch Ronchi for a golden duck, and did not concede a run until his 18th. A key passage came in the 15th over when Plunkett, bowling cross-seamers in search of variable bounce, clonked Williamson and Taylor on the helmet. Doubt seeped into the New Zealand psyche. Williamson blew hot and cold, mixing eye-of-the-needle placement with aerial shots that had fielders jumping like fish in summertime. At 158 for two in the 31st, it was even-steven.

Then Wood produced a snorter that kissed Williamson's gloves. He went for 87, looking daggers at the pitch. Rashid, seemingly an odd replacement for the injured Chris Woakes given Sophia Gardens' short straight boundaries, tied down an end, and the fast bowlers cleaned up. Earlier, Roy had failed to pass 20 for the eighth successive one-dayer. Others, however, merrily pulled the overused short ball: England hit ten sixes to New Zealand's one, though a couple came when the twinkle-toed Root lofted Santner over his head. The innings was poised to ignite at any moment, yet regular wickets thwarted acceleration. Ali fell to a spectacular catch by Boult, flying to his left at short fine leg, but that paled beside an extraordinary six from Buttler, whose ramp-cum-back-flick landed on the TV gantry behind the keeper. At 11am, midway through the seventh over, the ground observed a minute's silence for the victims of the London Bridge terror attack three days earlier.
Man of the Match: J. T. Ball.