World Cup 2015, Highlights: Tim Southee, Brendon McCullum Thrash England
New Zealand register their third win on-the-trot in the World Cup 2015 to firm their grip at the top of the table. Catch all the highlights of the match here.
New Zealand record their fifth consecutive win over England in World Cup history. Tim Southee's seven-for and Brendon McCullum's fiery 25-ball 77 help Kiwis floor England. Catch all the highlights of the match here: (Scorecard | Fixtures | Results | Complete World Cup 2015 coverage)
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11:10 (IST): QUOTES!
Tim Southee: It was pretty special to come out and play. I think we've been bowling well for a long time now. Everyone has had their moments and I think today was just one of those days where every thing went well for us. He (Shane Bond) has been great in the time that he's been with us. I think he just gives you the confidence as a player and a lot of work behind the scenes he does. It was another great team performance.
Brendon McCullum: It was an incredible performance. When Southee and Boult bowl like this, it's pretty difficult for the batsmen. World class performace. It is amazing to have this bowling attack and we have guys on the sidelines who have done well for us. Our fielding performance was very good, it was as good as it has been in a pretty long time. I am sure England will bounce back, but good to get the points against a strong England side. Credit to all the bowlers and the fielders.
Eoin Morgan: To be fair, New Zealand bowled really well. Credit goes to them. It was swinging throughout the innings and we expected it to be a batting-friendly track. Our first two games were the most difficult in the group stage. He (Brendon McCullum) is not the ideal candidate to be bowling when you've got just 123. He's one the most destructive batsmen in the world if he comes off and today he did.
10:59 (IST): That's it! New Zealand have registered an eight-wicket win over England to record their third victory. Tim Southee is adjudged the Man of the Match for his match winning spell of 7 for 33.
10:43 (IST): WICKET! Straight after the break, New Zealand lose Martin Guptill. Chris Woakes gets the breakthrough but England do not have much to cheer about as Kiwis require only 12 runs now with eight wickets in hand.
10:03 (IST): That's dinner break! Umpires have called for a break with Kiwis needing just 12 more to win this battle. New Zealand are 112 for one. McCullum came out all guns blazing and smashed all the bowlers to different parts of the park. He created havoc for the English pacers slamming 77 off just 25 balls before falling victim to Woakes.
09:56 (IST): WICKET! Brendon McCullum fiery knock finally comes to an end. He falls for a 25-ball 77. Chris Woakes bowls a full toss and McCullum steps down the track only to miss it. Umpire checks for height but it is well below the waist level. So, Kiwis lose their first wicket but are not too far from victory. Need just 19 more.
09:44 (IST): FIFTY! Brendon McCullum slams fastest World Cup fifty off just 18 balls - third fastest in ODIs after AB de Villiers (16 balls), Sanatha Jayasuriya (17). This is his 29th half-century.
09:40 (IST): STAT! Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill become the second pair after Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming to score 2,000 ODI runs in partnership for New Zealand.
09:35 (IST): Brendon McCullum is just unstoppable at the moment. This time he takes on Steve Finn as he hammers two fours and as many sixes.
09:25 (IST): After Tim Southee with the ball, captain Brendon McCullum is on fire with the bat. He slams Stuart Broad for a six and three fours in his first over.
09:16 (IST): Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum are out in the middle. James Anderson starts proceedings for England.
09:07 (IST): That's that! England have been bundled out for 123 in 33.2 overs with Tim Southee being the wrecker-in-chief as he finishes with 7 for 33. Joe Root top scored for England with 46, while Moeen Ali hit 20. Trent Boult, Adam Milne and Daniel Vettori picked up one wicket each.
08:59 (IST): WICKET! Tim Southee is in seventh heaven. He gets rid of Steve Finn as England lose their ninth wicket. This is the best ODI bowling figures for Kiwis.
08:49 (IST): WICKET! Tim Southee gets his sixth and this is his best bowling figures now. Stuart Broad looks to play it on the on side but gets a leading edge straight to Daniel Vettori at mid-off. England eight down.
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Third 5 wicket bag in World Cup history for New Zealand. (Bond 6-23, Hadlee 5-25)
- Niall Anderson (@NiallGunner) February 20, 2015
08:37 (IST): WICKET! That's five for Tim Southee. This time he gets rid of Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes in the same over to bag his second five-wicket haul.
08:30 (IST): WICKET! Tim Southee is on fire today. Another peach of a delivery and he gets his third wicket. James Taylor looks to defend but ball shapes away a little and knocks over his off stump. England have lost half their side.
08:27 (IST): WICKET! Eoin Morgan falls for 17 and Daniel Vettori gets the breakthrough. Morgan steps down the track but fails to clear long on. Adam Milne runs towards his right to take a magnificent diving catch.
0814 (IST): England captain Eoin Morgan has been woefully out of form and he somehow manages to hobble to 9 off 27. He then hits a cover drive that carefully dissects the Kiwis. Early sign of bigger things or one off shot?
07:50 (IST): STAT! 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.
07:36 (IST): WICKET! Trent Boult strikes and Gary Ballance will have to walk back to the pavilion. Ballance looks to pull but ends up playing it straight to Kane Williamson at short cover. England in deep trouble now.
07:02 (IST): WICKET! New Zealand are on fire here. Another peach of a delivery from Tim South and this time he gets Ian Bell's opening partner Moeen Ali for 20. Ali was expecting a short one but it swung back in towards the base and goes through bat and pad to uproot the off stump.
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06:49 (IST): WICKET! Ian Bell knocked over. England opener stays in his crease and looks to drive. Ball shapes away slightly and beats him in pace and off stump is uprooted. Excellent start this for the Kiwis.
06:34 (IST): Tim Southee starts with a very good over. Gives nothing away. Ian Bell and Moeen Ali are the two England openers.
06:14 (IST): 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: Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, James Taylor, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson
England have won the toss and will bat first here in Wellington #nzveng #cwc15 ^CE https://t.co/4oQlpt8enI
- BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 20, 2015
06:10 (IST): TOSS! England have won the toss and they will bat first. New Zealand have won their last four World Cup games against England, after losing the first three clashes.
Hot conditions pitchside as our batsmen and bowlers go through their paces #NZvEng #CWC15 https://t.co/njpk14xxgT
- England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 20, 2015
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Going by history, there are several similarities between New Zealand and England. Both enter World Cups as favourites, both eventually surrender and therefore, both are eager to script glory in the 11th edition of the tournament.
Going by current form, there is hardly any similarity. The Kiwis have found wings and are flying high with momentum pushing them forward. The team crushed Sri Lanka by 98 runs in the opener and then outclassed Scotland by three wickets. While their most recent match against the minnows saw the side struggle with the bat - New Zealand lost seven wickets chasing 143, there is no doubt that this team means business and would take England much more seriously.
The question is, are the English taking their team seriously?
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After losing the recent tri-nation ODI series' final against Australia, the team crashed to the same side by 111 runs in their first World Cup match. The horrible batting performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground led many to crack jokes on Twitter. Captain Eoin Morgan is facing the heat and needs to douse early signs of flames quickly.
Will Ravi Bopara come back or will England persist with Gary Ballance? Will Chris Jordan join the established quicks in the playing XI? Will James Taylor be promoted to strengthen the top-order? There are questions galore. New Zealand, on the other hand, have already named their playing XI - the same side as in the first two matches and therein lies the difference in levels of certainty.