BLACKCAPS defeat England

The BLACKCAPS moved close to a place in the Tri-Series final against Australia with a 58-run win over England in Perth.

Half-centuries by Ross Taylor, Lou Vincent and Jacob Oram helped the New Zealanders to 318 for seven, their highest against England in One-Day Internationals.

A century stand by Taylor (71) and Vincent (76) went some way to setting up victory, before Oram followed his previous knocks of 86 and 101 with a brutal 33-ball 54.

A half-century by Ed Joyce (66) put the English reply in fine shape at 99 for one, but an all-too- familiar collapse ensued, with five middle-order wickets falling for just 63 additional runs.

Wicketkeeper Paul Nixon provided a cameo with 49 in a 76-run stand with Liam Plunkett (25), but the match was effectively decided by that stage.

Forty-eight hours after pushing Australia close at the WACA, BLACKCAPS skipper Stephen Fleming won the toss and elected to bat.

However, seamer Plunkett accounted for the captain, who made 15 - a figure matched by second man out Peter Fulton as the Durham bowler doubled up.

Taylor joined opener Vincent at the crease, and the two thrived with some strong running and exploitation of the looser balls.

They shared in a 137-run stand for the third wicket before Taylor lost his wicket.

Craig McMillan contributed 11 before Monty Panesar instigated a stumping and Plunkett claimed his third wicket with the fall of Vincent.

Brendon McCullum made 19, James Franklin nine and Daniel Vettori 11, all playing a secondary role to Oram, who thrashed four sixes and three fours.

England’s own wayward bowling also contributed, with 37 extras, including 22 wides with Panesar by far and away the best of the bunch with two for 35 off 10.

Former State Auckland Ace Mal Loye (15) again fell to an edge from an attempted drive, this time finding Fleming at slip off Franklin.

Joyce and Ian Bell (31) shared a 72-run stand for the second wicket ended by the Warwickshire man‘s attempted six-hit fell short.

The Irish-born opener survived a catch from a no ball off Jeetan Patel, but was dismissed by Vincent’s expert run-out, a diving, and side-on shot at the stumps. 

Vettori and McMillan accounted for the middle order, en route to recording excellent figures of two for 40 off 10 and 2/38 off seven respectively.

Nixon and Plunkett lashed out at the end, but to little effect as the BLACKCAPS completed their second successive victory over a battle-weary adversary.