England down NZ in dramatic thriller

Wellington: England stayed calm at the death to snatch a thrilling four-run win in the third one-day cricket international on Saturday, despite an unbeaten century by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.

Williamson finished 112 not out, rebuilding New Zealand’s innings after a middle-order collapse provoked by off-spinner Moeen Ali, who took 3-36 from his 10 overs, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who took 2-34.

New Zealand had been strongly placed at 97-2 in the 21st over, chasing England’s 234 all out in 50 overs which was grafted on a slow pitch offering extreme turn and frustrating big hitters. Ali, who narrowly missed a hat trick, and Rashid shared five wickets to set in motion a collapse which saw New Zealand slump to 103-6 before it ended 230-8.

Williamson rebuilt the innings in a determined partnership of 96 for the seventh wicket with Mitchell Santner. England regained the upper hand with a piece of good fortune, when Santner (41) was run out at the non-striker’s end in the 46th over.

Williamson hit a ball from Chris Woakes straight back down the pitch and Woakes, on his follow through, deflected the ball onto the stumps after Santner had left his ground. New Zealand was then 199-7 and its hopes of winning appeared over.

But Williamson kept the hosts in the game as he reached his century from 133 balls. New Zealand came to the 49th over, needing 23 runs from the last 12 balls with two wickets standing.

Williamson tried everything but the odds were against him on a pitch which did not favor attacking stroke play. He was able to take only eight runs from the 49th over, bowled by Tom Curran, and New Zealand needed 15 runs to win for the last six balls bowled by Woakes.
After a dot ball and a two, Williamson hit the third ball of the over for six to leave New Zealand seven runs from victory with three balls remaining.

Woakes bowled superbly, allowing a two from the 4th ball, then denying Williamson a run from the last two balls to give England a narrow win and a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
“It was very frustrating,” Williamson said.

“They deserved to win. Starting off in our innings, we were in a position of strength after 15 overs or so, then we stumbled a bit in the middle which really hurt us. We had to take the game even deeper and it was just a shame not to get across the line tonight.” The fourth match in the series is in Dunedin on Wednesday.