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New Zealand clash key for England England bowlers keep NZ in check
(20 minutes later)
England meet New Zealand in Hobart for the first time in their one-day series, knowing a place against Australia in the finals could be on the line. England produced an impressive bowling performance to restrict New Zealand to 205-9 in their one-day game in Hobart.
Both teams lost their opening matches against the hosts, although each team plays the others four times in all. A sluggish pitch made run-scoring far from straightforward and the Kiwis were soon in trouble as Jimmy Anderson took three wickets with the new ball.
"It is a big game because obviously one of us will be in the final," said England captain Michael Vaughan. Nathan Astle made a useful 45 before he was bowled off the inside edge by Paul Collingwood, who had figures of 2-25.
"New Zealand have got a few injuries and like us are hoping to get all their players back for the World Cup." New Zealand added 52 in the final 10 overs before Anderson (4-42) ended the innings by bowling Mark Gillespie.
606 DEBATE: Your thoughts on England v New Zealand 606 DEBATE: Your thoughts on England v New Zealand
The match in the Tasmanian capital is England's only fixture in the series that will not finish under floodlights. Ross Taylor apart, the Kiwis produced an undistinguished batting effort against Australia on the same ground two days earlier, but rather than face the prospect of another run-chase, Stephen Fleming chose to bat first after winning the toss.
England have gone over two months in Australia without a win and New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is well aware they could take their Ashes frustration out on his side. Brendon McCullum hammered Jon Lewis's second delivery for six over extra cover and two balls later flicked him away to long leg for a boundary.
"England will be dangerous because they are wounded. They will be pouring so much into this game but this is our chance to keep them down," he said. It was a show of aggression which must have sent a shiver down the collective spine of England supporters who have become used to seeing their side steamrollered by Australia in the past few months.
"This match will be important in terms of momentum for the rest of the series. Things went awry for the Kiwis, however, when McCullum lobbed an easy catch to Michael Vaughan at mid-off and departed for 16.
"Australia have beaten us 5-0 in one-day series and that's pretty demoralising. So I know exactly how Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff are feeling. Nathan Astle tried to maintain the tempo, hoisting Lewis over long-on for six, but the loss of Fleming and Taylor in successive overs put them firmly on the back foot.
"We got out of that rut by playing another team. You get away from Australia, take a deep breath and put into practice what you've learned." Fleming was bowled off the inside edge for 12 by Anderson, who then tempted Taylor into trying to pull a ball which was not short enough for the stroke and the ball ended up in the hands of Vaughan at cover.
It's just a matter of getting into gear and I'm sure that will happen some time in this tournament New Zealand's Shane Bond Taylor's contribution, following his 84 against Australia, was only a single and left Astle and Peter Fulton to try and recover the initiative for New Zealand.
Fast bowler Shane Bond, who took a hat-trick against Australia on Sunday, pinpointed the Black Caps' batting as their weak point at the moment. But Paul Collingwood and Monty Panesar, bowling in tandem for 12 overs, offered them little and Astle eventually went in similar fashion to Fleming after reaching 45 off 63 balls as Collingwood earned a deserved reward.
"We've struggled with the bat mainly. It hasn't quite clicked into gear for us. We've tried a couple of combinations and things haven't quite worked," he told BBC Radio Five Live. The slide continued as Fulton (27) chipped Andrew Flintoff to a leaping Vaughan at mid-wicket and Panesar won an lbw decision against Daniel Vettori (11) as he missed an attempted sweep, although TV replays suggested it would have missed leg stump.
"We've got the talent in our squad. It's just a matter of getting into gear and I'm sure that will happen some time in this tournament." Craig McMillan followed tamely for 22, giving a return catch to Collingwood, who ran through his 10-over stint for highly impressive figures of 2-25.
England should take advantage of a weakened New Zealand side now because all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris are expected back from injury in time for the next meeting between the two sides, in Adelaide on 23 January. Only the tail remained and New Zealand were grateful for an eight-wicket partnership of 39 between James Franklin and Shane Bond.
Young batsman Ross Taylor has been declared fit despite suffering cramp during his sparkling 84 against Australia on Sunday. Franklin was caught at wide long-off for 20 in the 47th over as Flintoff completed his stint with figures of 2-37, but some unorthodox batting by Gillespie, who slogged Anderson over mid-wicket for four carried the total beyond 200.
Ed Joyce is set to play in the England middle order for the first time after Kevin Pietersen was ruled out with a fractured rib. England: MP Vaughan (capt), AJ Strauss, IR Bell, E Joyce, A Flintoff, PD Collingwood, JWM Dalrymple, PA Nixon (wkt), JM Anderson, J Lewis, MS Panesar.
Squad replacement Ravi Bopara will join the squad in Brisbane later in the week. New Zealand: B B McCullum (Wkt), N J Astle, S P Fleming (Capt) R L Taylor, P G Fulton, C D McMillan, J E C Franklin, D L Vettori, M R Gillespie, S E Bond, J S Patel.
England: MP Vaughan (capt), AJ Strauss, IR Bell, E Joyce, A Flintoff, PD Collingwood, JWM Dalrymple, PA Nixon (wkt), JM Anderson, J Lewis, MS Panesar. New Zealand: B B McCullum (Wkt), N J Astle, S P Fleming (Capt) R L Taylor, P G Fulton, C D McMillan, J E C Franklin, D L Vettori, M R Gillespie, S E Bond, J S Patel.