A pre-match injury to key allrounder Jacob Oram and New Zealand’s lowest total in Twenty20 cricket ensured a nine-wicket loss to England today.
After a jittery start, New Zealand’s innings never got going as they posted just 123 for nine, their lowest completed innings in their 16th Twenty20 international.
Their previous worst was 126 for eight in the tied match against West Indies in Auckland in 2006.
England continued their test series dominance to canter home with 15 balls to spare, to inflict New Zealand’s seventh consecutive defeat in Twenty20 before a short-changed full house at Old Trafford.
Opener Ian Bell, who struggled in the test series, led the way with an unbeaten 60 off 46 deliveries to stake an early claim for a spot in England’s $US20 million winner-take-all match against a West Indies selection in November. He and Kevin Pietersen, 42 not out, added an unbroken 79 for the second wicket.
New Zealand suffered a heavy blow when Oram was ruled out 45 minutes before the start of play when he strained his left hamstring while chasing a ball at fielding practice.
A team spokesman said it would rule Oram out of Sunday’s one-day series opener near Durham, at least.
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