First Time In 48 Years: Jonny Bairstow Achieves Sensational First In Cricket World Cup History

Jonny Bairstow became the first batter ever in history to open a Cricket World Cup with a six during the opening match between England and New Zealand on Thursday. It was the first scoring shot of the tournament as Bairstow comfortably heaved a delivery from Trent Boult over fine-leg for a six. However, England were unable to score big as New Zealand bowlers led by Matt Henry kept them in check to 282-9 despite Joe Root's 77. New Zealand invited England to bat first at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad with the English missing their talisman Ben Stokes due to a hip injury.

First runs of the #icccricketworldcup2023 & that too with a SIX 6⃣ ...

England started the Bazball way#ENGvsNZ #ICCCricketWorldCup #Ahmedabad #NarendraModiStadium pic.twitter.com/ddyNAfYHyL

— SRKxVIJAY (@Srkxvijay) October 5, 2023

England lost regular wickets as batsmen failed to convert their starts into bigger scores but Root stood out and put on a key stand of 70 with skipper Jos Buttler, who made 43.

The rest of the batting lacked firepower against a Kiwi attack that missed Tim Southee but kept coming back at the champions in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final when England won a tied match on boundary count back at Lord's.

Henry returned figures of 3-48. Spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips took two wickets each.

Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow gave England a brisk start but the Kiwi bowlers soon removed the openers to take control of play on a sunny afternoon in front of a smattering of fans inside the 132,000-capacity arena.

Malan fell caught behind off Henry and Bairstow's knock was cut short by Santner, who got the batsman out for 33 off his left-arm spin.

Harry Brook took on Rachin Ravindra in the left-arm spinner's first over to smash two fours and a six before the bowler had his revenge on the final delivery.

Brook, coming in the starting line-up for Stokes, attempted another big hit but got caught at deep mid-wicket.

Root raised his 37th ODI half-century off 57 balls laced with two fours and one six off a reverse scoop shot.

But he fell to Phillips' off spin while attempting a reverse sweep and England slipped further before Adil Rashid and Mark Wood ensured the team played out their 50 overs.

Topics mentioned in this article

Jonny Bairstow Joe Root Matt Henry England Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team World Cup 2023 Cricket