Brook-Salt assault helps England sink New Zealand
England took a 1-0 lead in the T20I series against New Zealand ahead of the third and final match in Auckland on Thursday.
New Delhi: England skipper Harry Brook led from the front as he and opener Phil Salt blasted blistering half centuries to facilitate their 65-run victory against New Zealand in the second T20I in Christchurch on Monday.
Brook (78) and Salt (85) plundered 129 runs from 69 balls to lay solid platform for England to post a huge 236-4 after being sent in to bat.
New Zealand were bowled out for 171 in their chase in 18 overs as England took a 1-0 lead ahead of the third and final match in Auckland on Thursday after the series opener was rained off in Christchurch on Saturday.
England were jolted in the second over with the departure of Jos Buttler but Salt and Jacob Bethell (24) scored quickly.
But Bethell perished in the sixth over after hitting spinner Michael Bracewell for two sixes in a 21-run over, miscuing an attempted big shot to mid-on.
Highest total at venue
Brook and Salt then took matters into their own hand and shred the New Zealand attack into pieces with awesome power-hitting.
Brook hit five sixes in his 35-ball innings that had several shots clattering into or over the Hagley Oval roof.
Later Tom Banton made 29 not out off 12 balls as England posted the highest T20I total at the venue.
New Zealand were rattled early in their run chase as Brydon Carse dismissed Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra in his opening over.
Tim Seifert (39) and Mark Chapman (28) put up resistance for a brief while but Adil Rashid (4-32) and Liam Dawson (2-38) struck at regular intervals to prevent New Zealand from building any momentum.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner clubbed three sixes in his 36-run knock but it was too little too late.