(E)Ish, what a leap

Feb 25, 2018

A full-strength England team - with Ben Stokes - fronted up in Hamilton •Getty Images

But the spinners came on, the runs dried up... •Getty Images

The same could not be said of the returning Stokes, who top-edged a sweep and was out for 12•Getty Images

Nevertheless, England finished on 284 for 8 with Jos Buttler making a crucial 79 off 65•Getty Images

When Stokes caught Martin Guptill for 13, New Zealand were in deep trouble at 27 for 3•Getty Images

And Ross Taylor was freakishly good, too, cutting and pulling his way past 7000 ODI runs•Getty Images

...and Stokes picked up Colin De Grandhomme with a slower ball•Getty Images

With the required rate rising, Mitchell Santner struck Rashid for consecutive sixes•Getty Images

But on a slow pitch, they had to be bat sensibly to last the distance. Jason Roy applied that knowledge into practice making 49 off 66 balls•Getty Images

... and the stumps went flying.•Getty Images

Ish Sodhi, playing his first ODI since last May, did well by changing his pace and sneaking in his googlies. He finished with 2 for 63•Getty Images

Munro fell early in the chase, caught behind off Chris Woakes•Getty Images

But Tom Latham's ability to manipulate the field and pick regular singles defused the pressure•Getty Images

Enter Stokes: he broke the fourth-wicket stand, worth 178•Getty Images

Taylor kept going to bring up his 18th ODI hundred•Getty Images

He finished it with a six, too, Santner's unbeaten 45 from 27 balls sealing victory and making it 1-0 to New Zealand•Getty Images

Joe Root, however, batted on a different level, making 71 off 75 balls, maintaining that high tempo despite only five fours•Getty Images

Root was toppled by a Colin Munro knuckle ball as New Zealand found back in the final overs •Getty Images

Kane Williamson was eye-catching, but fell for 8•Getty Images

Stokes against the setting sun•Getty Images

Tom Curran then struck to increase the pressure...•AFP

But he was stumped off Adil Rashid with 41 needed and England suddenly looked favourites•Getty Images