Pitiful England hammered by New Zealand in World Cup opener

England’s defence of the Cricket World Cup got off to the worst imaginable start as they were hammered by nine wickets at the hands of an inspired New Zealand.

Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra each scored hundreds as England failed to get anywhere close to levels with which many have become accustomed in recent years.

After being put into bat by New Zealand’s stand-in captain Tom Latham, England mustered just 289 from their 50 overs in Ahmedabad with several top-order batsmen failing to convert after making decent starts.

In response, New Zealand were ruthless. After losing Will Young early, Conway and Ravindra set about punishing the England attack, barely putting a foot wrong throughout their unbroken stand.

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England fall to pieces in World Cup opener: as it happened

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04:56 PM BST

More from Jos Buttler

On conditions: “I think the conditions changed, the pitch skidded on even better under lights. That’s why we would have bowled first as well but I still think it was a good wicket.

“We were a long way short of our best and still made 280. If we had batted as we can, even with the conditions we could have got to a more competitive total. But given the skill New Zealand batted with, it may not have been enough anyway.”

On Joe Root: “I thought he looked back to his old self, there’s never any question of that with Joe. Whatever format, he’s a run-maker. He’s been the best player in our team for a while but even for the best players, it’s nice to spend some time in the middle.”

On Ben Stokes: “He’s working hard with the physios and fingers crossed he can get fit as soon as possible.”

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04:39 PM BST

New Zealand reaction…

Player of the match, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra: “Sometimes it’s a little bit unbelievable. It was great to have a great day out.

“The boys bowled and fielded really well to restrict them to 280 and then lucky I had Devon out there with with to show me how to do it.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Devon, we’re very close mates so it was really special to share that moment with him. Spending so much time at the crease with him before meant I was probably more comfortable than I might have been.

Story continues

“We all knew four or five years ago at Wellington that Dev was going to be the player he was because of how he works and the example he sets for himself. But above all he’s a nice guy.”

On batting at three:“I found out yesterday. I got the opportunity and now we’ll see what happens. Luckily I’m quite a good sleeper. If I wasn’t, I think Id’ have been struggling.

“We’re aware it might have swung at the top but it was a very nice surface to bat on. It was similar to the surface for the warm-up game in Hyderabad. Having that bit of translation from wicket to wicket was quite cool.”

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04:35 PM BST

‘A shellacking’

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04:31 PM BST

‘We won’t panic’

More from Joe Root: “It’s a frustrating day but it’s important to remember that there is so much cricket to come in this tournament. We won’t panic, we’ve just got to reaffirm what we’re about as a team and go more about our way of playing in the next game.

“The first game of a tournament is always a cagey affair. We got our score on the board. But credit to them, they played really well and we underperformed.

“We’re a better side than that, we know that, and we’ve got plenty of opportunities to put that right.”

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04:30 PM BST

Jos Buttler speaks…

“A very disappointing day. We were very much outplayed by New Zealand and it’s a tough defeat to take.

“But it is just one loss at the start of a long tournament.

“There are a lot of guys in our team who have played a lot of cricket. We’ve beaten teams like this before and we’ve suffered defeats like this before as well, we won’t read too much into it.”

“Our total was well below par. We were aiming for 330 as it was a good wicket to bat on. But we put ourselves in a position where it was always hard to build pressure.”

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04:27 PM BST

‘Below par in all departments’

England batter Joe Root on Sky Sports: “We were below par in all departments.

“Batting wise, I don’t think we had the best of the conditions. It definitely got better to bat as the game progressed.

“But it’s still disappointing because we did manage to build partnerships, but as soon as we get going we kept stalling ourselves and that stopped us getting the total we wanted.

“In the field, when you know you’ve got a below par score, you’ve then got to be above par in everything you do and we didn’t manage that. We didn’t play anywhere near the standard that we know we are capable of.”

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04:23 PM BST

A reminder…

…that New Zealand have just dolled out the hammering of all hammerings to the current world champions with something of a depleted side. They had two front-line seamers in their side today and were without Kane Williamson to boot.

This is about as sobering an evening for this England white-ball side as there has been in recent memory.

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04:20 PM BST

Biggest of margins…

Remember when England won the World Cup by the ‘barest of all margins’. Think of the opposite of that is you can and you might get somewhere close to this result.

The performance of defending champions that was not…

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04:15 PM BST

In a daze

Ben Stokes is wandering over the outfield looking somewhat dazed after that…he wasn’t even playing. Lord knows what Jos Buttler is going to say to his side after that.

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04:13 PM BST

First things first

What a performance that was from NEw Zealand. Controlled and accurate with the ball, even with a depleted attack, and utterly dominant with the bat. You would be hard-pressed to see a better one-day knock than either of the ones we saw from Ravindra and Conway. The fact they occurred in the same innings is pretty special.

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04:08 PM BST

NEW ZEALAND BEAT ENGLAND BY NINE WICKETS

My word that was brutal…

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04:07 PM BST

Over 36: NZ 281-1 (Conway 151 Ravindra 122) – target 283 to win

Ravindra tucks Livingstone into the leg side for one before Conway reverse sweeps finely for a boundary.

That is pies from Livingstone. Short, slow and hammered for four. That brings up Conway’s 150. What a knock.

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04:03 PM BST

Over 35: NZ 265-1 (Conway 140 Ravindra 117) – target 283 to win

You feel as if England need to pick up a couple wickets here. It will mean nothing in the context of the match but a nine-wicket loss feels like a crushing psychological blow.

Conway unleashes yet again, smashing Curran high into the night sky. Root was interested for a moment but it sails over the boundary for six. The next ball disappears through mid-off for four after a weak effort from Moeen.

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03:57 PM BST

Over 34: NZ 245-1 (Conway 120, Ravindra 117) – target 283 to win

Conway mis-times one but it falls short of Livingstone at deep mid-on. Two balls later, Ravindra gets down on one knee and slog sweeps Moeen over mid-wicket for six.

He’s denied another boundary by a superb piece of fielding from Livingstone on the boundary. It’s tough to emphasise how easy this is for New Zealand at present.

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03:52 PM BST

Over 33: NZ 234-1 (Conway 119, Ravindra 107) – target 283 to win

Curran returns to the attack. In what has been a pitiful England bowling effort, he stood with four good overs up front. One wonders why it’s taken so long for him to return to the attack amid this New Zealand barrage.

Five decent balls from Curran before Ravindra punishes a slower ball down the ground the four.

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03:47 PM BST

Over 32: NZ 226-1 (Conway 117, Ravindra 102) – target 283 to win

Devon Conway looks to be freeing the arms here. He wants this done in quick time. Shockingly, he shanks an attempted lofted drive over mid-on and has to settle for a single.

Ravindra wafts at one that turns sharply from Moeen Ali. There was no nick but Buttler fumbles it anyway. Sums up England’s day.

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03:43 PM BST

Over 31: NZ 221-1 (Conway 115, Ravindra 100) – target 283 to win

Conway gets Ravindra back on strike with the latter on 99. Is this his moment? It is. A casual clip off his hip into the vacant square leg region takes him to a famous hundred. ‘A new star is born for New Zealand cricket,’ says Ian Smith on Sky Sports.

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03:39 PM BST

Over 30: NZ 211-1 (Conway 110, Ravindra 98) – target 283 to win

Many thanks Josh. Some point to come into this game I can tell you.

A single brings up the 200 partnership between these two before Ravindra moves to 98 with a forceful push though cover.

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03:37 PM BST

Welcome Tom Ward

I’m handing this blog over to Tom for the last rites. It’s been a blast (when New Zealand were batting).

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03:37 PM BST

Over 29: NZ 209-1 (Conway 109, Ravindra 97) – target 283 to win

Gentle legspin to Conway from Livingstone. (He can also bowl off-breaks.) Conway tickles a single into the leg side to bring Ravindra back on strike. He decides he should take a look at Livingstone, rather than making himself look stupid while in sight of a World Cup century. Just the one off the over.

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03:34 PM BST

Liam Livingstone is going to have a bowl

And why not, eh?

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03:33 PM BST

Over 28: NZ 208-1 (Conway 108, Ravindra 97) – target 283 to win

Moeen Ali returns and is immediately smacked through midwicket for four by Ravindra, who is closing in on his own century. Can’t see how England can wriggle out of this one.

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03:29 PM BST

Over 27: NZ 200-1 (Conway 106, Ravindra 91) – target 283 to win

The runs keep flowing as Conway slaps a cut for four, again using the extra pace on the ball from Mark Wood. Two runs punched through long off then brings up the New Zealand 200, from 161 balls.

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03:27 PM BST

Devon Conway 100* (74)

A mistimed pull off Mark Wood takes Conway to an absolutely world-class century. He loves batting against England, in all formats. The crowd barely seemed to notice that he’d reached three figures, but then he removed his helmet and saluted the dressing room. He’s surely done more than enough to see his team home in this one.

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03:25 PM BST

Over 26: NZ 192-1 (Conway 99, Ravindra 90) – target 283 to win

The required rate is under four an over. Five runs off this one from Adil Rashid as Conway moves to 99 from 82 balls. Ravindra has 90 from 73.

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03:22 PM BST

Over 25: NZ 187-1 (Conway 98, Ravindra 87) – target 283 to win

Mark Wood’s back. He went for 38 from his first three overs.

Conway pulls him to square leg for a single. Wood has bowled quickly, but this pitch is so true that even at 91mph, 92mph, the batsmen have been able to pretty much line him up. A bouncer gets called wide.

Then England get about as close to taking a wicket as they have at any point in this partnership as Conway spices Wood on the pull, just over the head of Sam Curran at midwicket.

Fewer than 100 runs left to score. Conway needs two more for his century.

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03:15 PM BST

Over 24: NZ 178-1 (Conway 92, Ravindra 85) – target 283 to win

Adil Rashid, who has conceded 41 from five overs so far, is back for a sixth. Round the wicket to Conway. Just two from the over.

Durham have been the county that have most closely copied Bazball. And Rachin Ravindra has played for Durham. He scored 213 on his first class debut for them, albeit on a flattie, against Worcestershire. Some stunning shots… and he hasn’t given his wicket away on reaching 20. So unfair! Or at least so different from England’s batsmen.

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03:12 PM BST

Over 23: NZ 176-1 (Conway 91, Ravindra 84) – target 283 to win

My word! On an evening of wonderful shots, Rachin Ravindra might have just played the best yet. Woakes went for the yorker, missed by a fraction and Ravindra basically flicked him straight back over his head for six. Gorgeous. The bloke’s only 23 years old and might not even have got in the team had Kane Williamson been available. Try dropping him now.

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03:08 PM BST

Over 22: NZ 168-1 (Conway 90, Ravindra 77) – target 283 to win

Every time the camera cuts to Jos Buttler, he’s scowling. Not a vast amount he can do. The worry is that other teams will be looking at this England bowling line-up and working out that there’s not much to be afraid of. Admittedly, Wood looked a little short of match practice and Woakes looked out of form, but Mooen and Rashid (who goes for six runs in this over) have also gone round the park without bowling particularly horribly.

Can both these batsman reach centuries. Would be fitting, given how well they’ve batted so far.

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03:05 PM BST

Over 21: NZ 162-1 (Conway 88, Ravindra 73) – target 283 to win

Another fine boundary: Conway driving very straight and very hard off Chris Woakes to being up the 150 partnership. Pretty much every boundary this pair have hit – and there have been a lot – has been right out of the middle. Has been a real treat to watch. Loads more singles too.

Decent fitness on show here from Ravindra too, after his bowling stint in the first innings.

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03:01 PM BST

Over 20: NZ 154-1 (Conway 82, Ravindra 71) – target 283 to win

Just when it looked like England were building a little bit of pressure by stringing together a few quiet overs, Devon Conway gets down on one knee and slog-sweeps Rashid high and handsome over midwicket. Sensational batting. The shotmaking by New Zealand has been fabulous.

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02:57 PM BST

Over 19: NZ 145-1 (Conway 74, Ravindra 70) – target 283 to win

Buttler spins the roulette wheel and hands the ball to…Chris Woakes! Can he redeem himself after that opening spell? The ball must be battered by now, so it isn’t going to swing. Time for some cutters, slow balls and prayers.

Indeed, Woakes does escape the over without conceding a boundary. Good work.

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02:52 PM BST

Over 18: NZ 143-1 (Conway 73, Ravindra 69) – target 283 to win

At drinks just then, Ben Stokes came off the bench to offer some advice to the team. Certainly Buttler looks bereft of ideas; Moeen Ali continues.

England review a leg-before decision, in sheer desperation I think. Conway was well outside the line of off stump there. Minds scrambled.

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02:47 PM BST

A man in golden form

We got a feel for Rachin Ravindra’s class during the series in England, and he continued it on arrival in India. He’s ensured that when Kane Williamson comes back in at No 3, it won’t be him dropping out of the XI. He’s not a big lad, but there’s a really crisp purity to his ball-striking, and a beautiful sound.

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02:46 PM BST

Over 17: NZ 138-1 (Conway 70, Ravindra 67) – target 283 to win

Think Buttler needs to try and mix up his bowling a bit more here, Latham-style. Got to do something to disrupt the batters’ rhythm. Rashid, probably a little shellshocked, serves up a full toss which Ravindra smacks for four through midwicket. But even when this pair aren’t striking the ball to the boundary, they’re picking up singles. Eight from the over like it was no ting.

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02:43 PM BST

Over 16: NZ 130-1 (Conway 68, Ravindra 61) – target 283 to win

Five singles then another monster drive from Conway, utterly marmalising the ball through cover for four. This game is racing away from England in a hurry.

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02:40 PM BST

Over 15: NZ 121-1 (Conway 62, Ravindra 58) – target 283 to win

Conway hammers Rashid, cross-batted, down the ground for four. And there’s a second boundary in the over as Conway picks the googly and drives with the spin for four through the covers.

So much for any thoughts that New Zealand would go slow at the start of what is, in modern terms, a mid-sized chase. Mark Wood’s first three overs have gone for 38. He has looked like a man who, after his Ashes heroics, has only bowled three overs – all in Monday’s warm-up match in Guwahati – in two months. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra have both played him beautifully, though a Conway top edge went for six.

Ravindra looks like he was miscast as an allrounder at seven in the ODIs in England. Instead, he looks like a better option to bat in the top three than Will Young. When Kane Williamson is back, Ravindra could open with the captain at three.

England will need spin to get them back in the match. This feels a tall ask with New Zealand’s deep batting. Moeen will have a big role against the left-handers.

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02:37 PM BST

Over 14: NZ 111-1 (Conway 53, Ravindra 57) – target 283 to win

Moeen Ali gets though an over without conceding a boundary. A modicum of mercy. From here though, it really ought to be plain sailing for New Zealand. They don’t need to take any risks to chase down the remaining runs. Expect these two will carry on in an attacking vein though.

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02:34 PM BST

Over 13: NZ 107-1 (Conway 51, Ravindra 55) – target 283 to win

Neither of these left-handers look like they intend to show Rashid much respect. Some slashes into the offside and cute flicks into the legside, then a toe-end from Conway runs away for four. Conway to a half century and eight off the over.

England were 64 for two at the same stage of their innings.

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02:32 PM BST

Yep, here comes Rashid – about ten overs earlier than planned

He won’t relish bowling at two right handers. Could be lots of googlies here.

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02:31 PM BST

Over 12: NZ 99-1 (Conway 45, Ravindra 53) – target 283 to win

Ali’s second over starts quietly. Then Ravindra and Conway have a little word with each other and the No 3 launches the next ball into the night sky over long on. Six more and Ravindra goes to 53 from 36 balls.

England’s remaining cards are Adil Rashid and Joe Root.

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02:27 PM BST

Over 11: NZ 92-1 (Conway 44, Ravindra 47) – target 283 to win

Wood is being kept on. Conway straight drives him down the ground for four first ball. Wood, in classic fast-bowler fashion, punishes him with a seriously quick bouncer, which Conway only manages to duck at the last fraction of a second.

Encouraged, Wood tries it again but this time Conway goes through with the hook shot and gets six runs over fine leg.

Darkness has fallen around the ground now. The atmosphere has also improved hugely now that there’s tens of thousands of people in the stadium. Perhaps half full now? Maybe two fifths. That’s still a lot of people in a 120k arena.

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02:22 PM BST

Over 10: NZ 81-1 (Conway 33, Ravindra 47) – target 283 to win

Ravindra climbs into Moeen straight away, but only picks up two runs to long on owing to a fine bit of boundary fielding.

Turns out that the left-hander was just getting his range though and murders Moeen over cow corner for six. He’s seeing the ball like a moon…already.

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02:19 PM BST

Moeen Ali into the attack

Can he put a cork in this?

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02:19 PM BST

Over 9: NZ 73-1 (Conway 33, Ravindra 39) – target 283 to win

Perhaps this pitch is two-paced after all: fast onto the bat and faster off it.

Conway laces a cover drive for four more. Seems to be loving the extra pace on the ball from Wood. There’s almost a wicket though, when Ravindra is hurried up a little and top-edges the ball into space on the leg side. But now the pace pendulum swings again and Ravindra gets another boundary steered through gully by using the speed on the ball.

Got to be time for spin now. Even if it is earlier than planned

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02:13 PM BST

Over 8: NZ 63-1 (Conway 24, Ravindra 38) – target 283 to win

Four more on the pull, this time Conway off Curran. A short ball then pays dividends, but Conway spanks the next stock ball down the ground for another boundary. England hemorrhaging runs in the powerplay, now from both ends. Problems for Buttler to solve.

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02:10 PM BST

Over 7: NZ 54-1 (Conway 19, Ravindra 34) – target 283 to win

Mark Wood’s radar needs tweaking too: he starts with a leg stump half volley, greedily dispatched to the boundary by Conway. The next ball was up above 150kph but still down the leg side.

Wood beats Ravindra for pace with his fourth ball, but the next ball – similar line, similar length, similar speed – is pulled up and over square leg for six! Fabulous shot.

And four more as the left-hander uses Woods pace and guides the ball through gully. Ravindra rampage. The bloke looks in golden touch.

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02:05 PM BST

Over 6: NZ 37-1 (Conway 14, Ravindra 22) – target 283 to win

Conway and Ravindra work Curran around in front of square for some singles, then Ravindra gives the bowler the charge – probably trying to mess with the bowler’s length. It works: Curran sees him advancing, tries to bowl a hasty bouncer but gets his direction wrong and concedes a wide.

Last ball of the over is treated with utter contempt though, as Ravindra steps down the pitch and rifle-cracks a square drive to the boundary. That reverberated around this still mostly empty stadium like a gunshot.

Mark Wood into the attack to replace Woakes…

Can you have too much of a good thing in cricket? To maximise the swing of a new white ball at each end, for about six overs in all, England have three left arm bowlers and Chris Woakes. And surely Reece Topley and David Willey need the new ball if they are going to play…. Will Curran and Topley become England’s best opening pair?

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02:00 PM BST

Over 5: NZ 27-1 (Conway 11, Ravindra 16) – target 283 to win

Buttler opts not to whip Woakes out of the attack. But let’s hope he’s told him to pick a good ball and stick to it.

Woakes bowls two decent back-of-a-length balls but ends the over with a hopeless floater down the leg side. Would have been wide had Ravindra not got bat on it and sent it for four instead. Woakes does look out of nick.

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01:54 PM BST

Over 4: NZ 19-1 (Conway 11, Ravindra 8) – target 283 to win

Big lbw shout from Curran but England choose not to review it. Hawk-Eye replays suggest the ball would have just clipped the top of middle stump, so even if England had reviewed it, it wouldn’t have been given.

Curran is swinging the ball appreciably though. More than Matt Henry did in the England innings. Looks dangerous. Another maiden. To bowl 12 consecutive dot balls on this pitch is no mean feat.

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01:51 PM BST

Over 3: NZ 19-1 (Conway 11, Ravindra 8) – target 283 to win

Woakes, infamously, has a poor record in overseas Tests. That’s not quite so true in the ODI format, but he’s definitely searching for something here. First he overpitches and Ravindra clips him efficiently through midwicket for four. Woakes adjusts and goes shorter, but Ravindra is waiting for him and absolutely hammers a pull shot to the same part of the ground.

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01:45 PM BST

Over 2: NZ 10-1 (Conway 10, Ravindra 0) – target 283 to win

Sam Curran really does have a golden arm. And he backs it up with the rest of the over too: good hard length, good tight line. Wicket maiden.

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01:42 PM BST

Wicket! Young c Buttler b Curran 0(1)

Strangled down the leg side. Dreadful ball! Young drags himself off the field. If he’d just left it, it would have missed leg stump by about eight inches.

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01:41 PM BST

Over 1: NZ 10-0 (Conway 10, Young 0) – target 283 to win

Woakes goes full with his first ball, searching for swing, as is his wont, but Conway spots and opportunity and thumps it through point for four. Didn’t quite time it, but on this outfield you don’t really have to.

And four more runs, hammered on the drive through cover.

Yep, that pitch looks pretty good to me.

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01:36 PM BST

Chris Woakes has the new ball

Here comes the New Zealand reply. We’re about to find out exactly how good this pitch is.

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01:29 PM BST

From our man in India

Despite that last wicket stand New Zealand will be very content to be chasing 283, given they packed their batting – picking only three specialist bowlers.

This innings has vindicated Tom Latham’s aggressive captaincy tactics – rather than saving Trent Boult and Matt Henry for the death, he used them early, trusting in them to take wickets and limit what England could score in the final ten overs. By the end of the 39^th over, both Boult and Henry only had two overs left apiece – but England were 221 for six.

Using his aces was a gamble from Latham, but what would be the sense in holding them back for, say, seven overs from the last ten between them if England were already 260 for four? It is taking wickets regularly that leaves New Zealand with a very gettable target – though there are indications that the wicket is two-paced. Chris Woakes will aim to follow Matt Henry’s template and pound out a length just back of a length.

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01:10 PM BST

On that disappointing crowd

Cricket World Cup embarrassment as England v New Zealand played in empty 134,000-seat stadium

The BCCI has given every impression of regarding fans with contempt

Read more from Tim Wigmore, our man in Ahmedabad 

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01:07 PM BST

That’s about 50 under par from England

Excellent captaincy from Tom Latham, just never allowed England to get going. All the gunpowder had been spilled by the time they needed it.

Still, it gives the England bowlers a real sharpener. Maybe no bad thing in the first game of a long, long World Cup campaign.

Well, that was pretty disappointing from England. But how crucial could the 30 runs added by the last wicket pair be? Great contribution from Rashid and Wood, given the profligacy of some of their more senior batting colleagues.

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01:06 PM BST

Over 50: England 282-9 (Rashid 15, Wood 13)

1. Wood down the pitch, but clothes it to deep point.

2. Rashid tries a cute little sweep but misses. Two wides given as Latham fails to gather cleanly.

3. Boom! Adil Rashid with a hail Mary over midwicket. That went almost as high as it went long. And there are some big wide boundaries here.

4. A club into the covers from Rashid.

5. Single down the ground into the offside. Better from Neesham, defaulting to the yorker.

6. Slower ball, crashed by Rashid but without much timing to the deep midwicket boundary. Just one run.

7. One run off an under-edge from Wood

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01:01 PM BST

Jimmy Neesham to bowl the last over

Slog, slog, slog

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01:00 PM BST

Over 49: England 268-9 (Rashid 7, Wood 10)

Boult into his last over now. So it’ll probably be Jimmy Neesham to bowl the last. England badly need boundaries. Rashid slashes into the offside but no dice: there’s a fielder there. Wood has a big mow but mistimes it to long on. Three tidy yorkers in here from Boult too. He ends with one from 48 from ten.

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12:56 PM BST

Over 48: England 263-9 (Rashid 5, Wood 7)

Henry’s final over. He’s been superb today. Still no boundaries, and for all Rashid and Wood’s scrambling, this ain’t going to be an impressive score from the defending champions. Henry finishes with an excellent three for 48.

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12:52 PM BST

Over 47: England 258-9 (Rashid 4, Wood 3)

Boult to bowl this one, and the 49th if necessary. He’s left-arm round to the right-handed Adil Rashid and to Mark Wood, probably trying to cramp them for room. Singles the only options.

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12:50 PM BST

Over 46: England 254-9 (Rashid 2, Wood 1)

Tom Latham – a stand-in captain, remember – has marshalled his bowlers superbly today. The constant chopping and changing means England have never been allowed to settle and it has earned New Zealand wickets.

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12:47 PM BST

Wicket! Curran c Latham b Henry 14(19)

It’s actually Matt Henry back. Tom Latham reckons he can bowl England out without even needing Henry/Boult to bowl the last over of the innings. Fair enough.

Adil Rashid plays a very Adil Rashid flick off his pads into the leg side, but only for a single. Then Sam Curran tries to ramp Henry off the back foot over third man, but feathers a catch behind.

I would like to ask the ECB a question.

You stage a 50 over county competition in August. A very good idea ahead of the World Cup. But none of these England World Cup players played in it. Instead they played in the Hundred, to promote it, which does nothing to instill the good habits required in scoring a hundred. Lo and behold, England’s batsmen are making cheap and cheerful 20s, which are not the stuff of an Odi innings.

Do you accept that the Hundred was a completely wrong form of preparation for this World Cup?

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12:44 PM BST

Over 45: England 250-8 (Curran 11)

So that’s Santner bowled out. Five overs left and so it’ll probably be one of the part-timers next. Then Matt Henry and Trent Boult to bowl yorkers and slower balls for the last four overs.

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12:43 PM BST

Wicket! Woakes c Young b Santner 11(12)

Santner into his last over. Curran and Woakes can only manage singles, then Woakes hoicks the ball into the air trying to slog it over cow. The left-arm spinner finishes with two for 37 from ten overs. Brilliant, really.

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12:38 PM BST

Over 44: England 247-7 (Curran 11, Woakes 10)

Phillips continuing now and drags one down. Woakes is easily good enough to put that away, but it’s the first boundary for 33 balls.

Here’s Nick Hoult, on the specific subject of Joe Root’s reverse sweep.

The reverse scoop/sweep off the pace bowlers has become a good gauge for Joe Root’s form. He only developed the shot two summers ago, landing it with aplomb and stunned reactions off Tim Southee in the first proper Bazball outing at Trent Bridge, but plays it like a master. Root was horribly out of touch in the recent ODI series against New Zealand and missed the reverse scoop three times off the pacers at Lord’s, looking as though he had forgotten how to bat.

Today he nailed his first attempt, off Trent Boult, to hit his first boundary – a six. Since then Matt Henry, best bowler so far today, has been on the receiving end twice. If England are to win the World Cup, they need Root in form. Even if they lose, that is one good benefit from today already.

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12:35 PM BST

Over 43: England 239-7 (Curran 9, Woakes 4)

Ravindra into a rare two-over spell now. Think England will try to take this to the last 18 balls of the innings and then explode. Or at least try to. Boundaries hard to come by right now, but Woakes and Curran aren’t really trying.

Remind me? What was the winning score in the 2019 World Cup final? 241? It was.

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12:32 PM BST

Over 42: England 235-7 (Curran 7, Woakes 2)

Woakes and Sam Curran at the crease, on a batting deck, with eight overs of the innings remaining. That wasn’t part of the England plan in the build-up to this game, I can assure you.

Glenn Phillips is already delighted with his day’s work and he’s yet to get the bat in his hand.

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12:29 PM BST

Wicket! Root b Phillips 77(86)

Glenn Phillips! He’s now bowled seven balls in this match and picked up the wickets of Moeen Ali and now Joe Root, both bowled. Root tried to reverse sweep but got his angles wrong and missed altogether. Ball went under his bat.

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12:27 PM BST

Over 41: England 229-6 (Curran 3, Root 77)

Sam Curran and Joe Root both playing a bit more loosely now, but they can’t find the boundary. Ravindra, having been smacked around for one over by Harry Brook, has been effective since.

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12:22 PM BST

Over 40: England 224-6 (Curran 1, Root 74)

Santner again. England rebuilding again with singles. There’s a realistic chance that England don’t reach 300 here, which on a good batting track would be a real disappointment.

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12:20 PM BST

Over 39: England 221-6 (Curran 0, Root 72)

A wicket maiden from Boult. And the last of England’s real power hitters out before the slog is even on.

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12:19 PM BST

Wicket! Livingstone c Henry b Boult 20(22)

Trent Boult befuddled Livingstone with a slower ball, then ramped the pace back up and beat him outside off stump. The pace change ups worked and Livingstone badly mistimes a clip into the legside where he’s caught in the deep.

That is pretty soft from Liam Livingstone. Four dots add up from Trent Boult, and then he loses patience. Luckily, this England side bats incredibly deep, with Chris Woakes still to come, but they needed Livingstone to stick in with Root for a little while longer.

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12:13 PM BST

Over 38: England 221-5 (Livingstone 20, Root 72)

Neesham is being used in one-over spells. He’s back now for his sixth over and Livingstone squeezes him, cleverly, past backward point on the drive. On replay that shot looks even better: great use of the wrists to manipulate the ball

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12:09 PM BST

Over 37: England 214-5 (Livingstone 14, Root 71)

Reverse paddle for four from Root, off the bowling of Henry. He’s played that for four – rather than six – very deliberately, with a slightly more vertical bat-face. Imagine having multiple reverse ramps in your repertoire….

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12:05 PM BST

Over 36: England 208-5 (Livingstone 13, Root 66)

Santner back. Now into his eighth over. Root smacks a reverse sweep but finds the fielder. There could be a ton on the cards for Root here. It’s Root 66 at the moment though.

The crowd has got notably better. As I suggested in my analysis of the poor crowd for the first ball, a considerable number of locals look like they are doing a day’s work and avoiding the worst of the heat – which peaked at 35 degrees, and there aren’t too many seats in the shade – before heading to the ground. Those that turned up later should see a fine run chase: New Zealand will be content, with their policy of packing their batting not – as yet anyway – backfiring too much.

Matt Henry and Trent Boult have bowled seven overs each, so New Zealand will not be able to depend on the pair alone at the death. Expect James Neesham, who can be a handy death bowler, to bowl more towards the end of the innings; Daryl Mitchell might bowl an over or two then too, if New Zealand don’t want to rely too much on their spinners. Off spinner Glenn Phillips has been punished for doing his job too well: he dismissed left-hander Moeen Ali from his second ball, then was promptly whisked out of the attack with figures of 1-3 from his one over. Given Ravindra’s struggles, he’ll feel miffed not to have been trusted to bowl to the right-handers.

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12:02 PM BST

Over 35: England 203-5 (Livingstone 12, Root 62)

Ravindra, the slow left-armer, into his seventh over. Livingstone blocks a single, Root sweeps for one more and then Livingstone picks up four with a tickle to fine leg. Outfield was lightning there.

Livingstone brings up the 200 with a violent pull to deep midwicket. Too short from Ravindra. Mind you, he picked up the wicket of Brook with almost exactly the same ball.

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11:59 AM BST

Over 34: England 191-5 (Livingstone 2, Root 60)

Liam Livingstone is in at No 7 for England and Matt Henry shocks him with a rapid bouncer which clatters him on the lid. A pause in play while he goes through a head-injury assessment and, I think, gets a new helmet. Next time Henry tries it, Livingstone is wise to the plan and hooks for a single.

Matt Henry had been a man of Kent but apparently they would not guarantee him a place in every T20 game so he moved to Somerset. In the meantime he has gone from being a marginal NZ bowler to their new strike bowler. He has bowled a a wonderfully accurate line at nearly 140 mph. And clocked Liam Livingstone on the lid.

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11:52 AM BST

Wicket! Buttler c Latham b Henry 43(42)

Matt Henry into his seventh. And that’s why Latham has brought him back! Buttler tries to play a late cut but edges the ball to the skipper himself behind the stumps. That’s big for New Zealand and they know it.

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11:49 AM BST

Over 33: England 187-4 (Buttler 43, Root 58)

Ravindra’s back. Captain Tom Latham seems to think that the best option here is to keep shuffling his pack. Daryl Mitchell, something of an outfield specialist, makes a great diving stop to prevent a boundary, then Root plays a lovely little reverse paddle sweep for four. Such lovely hands.

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11:45 AM BST

Over 32: England 179-4 (Buttler 40, Root 53)

Matt Henry returns, for his sixth over. He was super in the first powerplay and barely bowled a slower ball. Now, with the older ball, he’s mixing up his pace and his length.

Buttler times a drive for four though. The England captain is finding his touch, and finding the gaps too.

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11:41 AM BST

Over 31: England 171-4 (Buttler 34, Root 51)

Some lolz from Jimmy Neesham and a giggle from Root too as a reverse ramp goes wrong. Root got in quite the tangle there. Get a single nevertheless. Becuase he’s Joe Root, and every time the ball touches his bat it ends up in a gap.

Buttler then stands and delivers, crunching four through cover.

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11:36 AM BST

Over 30: England 166-4 (Buttler 30, Root 50)

Boult into his seventh over here. Not much swing on show any more but just the single off the over as Root goes to his half century from 57 balls.

These are exactly the scenarios Joe Root comes into his own. His. lean run in the ODI format is partly down to a lack of access to it, but his average only recently dropped below 50 – he is pure class. jos Buttler will like the situation he finds himself in too. He came in at No 6 today, but still has much more time in his back pocket than he gets in his day job as a T20 opener.

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11:34 AM BST

Over 29: England 165-4 (Buttler 30, Root 49)

Neesham is back. Buttler seems pleased, and dumps six over long off. England putting their platform together. Some firepoower still to come in the shape of Livingstone, Curran and Woakes, but England would absolutely love one of this pair to be in at the end too.

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11:28 AM BST

Over 28: England 155-4 (Buttler 22, Root 47)

Trent Boult is back into the attack. Interesting that Latham thinks it’s worth changing up the attack, even while Buttler and Root weren’t cutting loose. You’d think he’ll save Boult and Henry for at least a couple of overs each right at the death.

No boundary in the over.

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11:23 AM BST

Over 27: England 150-4 (Buttler 18, Root 46)

Six from Buttler! Lofting Ravindra over long off with consummate ease. It was a bit full. Pretty risk-free shot that, really. England’s 150 is up.

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11:22 AM BST

Over 26: England 139-4 (Buttler 8, Root 45)

Santner continues. Four singles off the over. Shackles on.

Sachin Tendulker is on commentary on Sky Sports, by the way. But he’s not exactly cracking gags. Ian Bishop and Ian Smith are making a vague attempt to get a tune out of him.

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11:18 AM BST

Over 25: England 135-4 (Buttler 6, Root 43)

A welcome boundary here as Ravindra loses his line down the leg side and Joe Root sweeps fine to the boundary. At the halfway point of the innings now. What’s a good score from here? 320? Think the pitch is better than that though.

Ben Stokes, I guess, if he had been playing, would still have been there. England would not have scored so many – they might have been 100 for three rather than 118-4 in the 22nd over – but they would not be running out of batsmen. Stokes can build an innings like nobody else in this England squad.

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11:15 AM BST

Over 24: England 128-4 (Buttler 5, Root 37)

Phillips has been taken straight back out of the attack. Was he brought on specifically for Moeen Ali? If he was, that’s genius from New Zealand.

Santner is back, round the wicket and spearing the ball into the stumps. Buttler keeps trying to give himself room, but the cover field is packed and Santner has lovely control of his length too. Shot’s not really on.

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11:12 AM BST

Over 23: England 125-4 (Buttler 4, Root 35)

Ravindra is bowling pretty quickly at Buttler, up around the 60mph speed on a couple of balls this over. Feels like a cat-and-mouse game at the moment: New Zealand waiting to see if England can stop themselves from trying to climb into the spinners.

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11:09 AM BST

Over 22: England 121-4 (Buttler 2, Root 33)

Captain Jos Buttler has a bit of a tidying up job on his hands. For all their firepower, England probably need to make sure they bat 50 overs here. They now have their two most experienced players at the crease.

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11:06 AM BST

Wicket! Ali b Phillips 11 (17)

Dear oh dear, that’s poor from Ali, clean bowled by the second ball from part-time offspinner Glenn Phillips. Looked like it was just a regulation arm-ball but Ali wasn’t expecting it and swatted across the line, missing it all ends up. Probably hasn’t seen much of Glenn Phillips the bowler.

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11:04 AM BST

Meanwhile at Lord’s

MCC expels member for Lord’s Long Room abuse of Australia players during Ashes

At the time, MCC chief exec was forced to address the Long Room in a bid to quell unrest after Jonny Bairstow’s controversial Ashes stumping

Read more here from Will Macpherson

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11:03 AM BST

Over 21: England 118-3 (Ali 11, Root 32)

Nudges, nurdles, bumps and bunts as Ali and Root take singles off all six balls of Ravindra’s third over.

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11:00 AM BST

Over 20: England 112-3 (Ali 8, Root 29)

Neesham continuing, round the wicket to Moeen Ali.

Feels like Joe Root is going to play the anchor role here. What an old-fashioned sort of idea.

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10:55 AM BST

Over 19: England 109-3 (Ali 7, Root 28)

Just singles from the second Ravindra over. There’s a full toss in here though. He looks a bit hittable, I must say.

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10:52 AM BST

Over 18: England 105-3 (Ali 5, Root 26)

Neesham continues and Root and Ali each pick up singles, then Root shuffles down the pitch, which spooks Neesham into trying to tuck him up but the ball is leg-side and Root gets a tickle on it down to the fine leg boundary. England’s hundred comes up from 105 balls.

Neesham tries to bounce Moeen Ali, who stands up tall, curls his lip at the medium pacer and smacks him through midwicket for four. Come back when you’re a bit quicker, Jim.

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10:48 AM BST

Over 17: England 94-3 (Root 20)

This is interesting: England have sent out Moeen Ali at No 5…

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10:47 AM BST

Wicket! Brook c Conway b Ravindra 25(16)

A first look at slow-left-armer Rachin Ravindra. He drops a little short to Brook and pays the price, twice. Near identical thwacks over midwicket from England’s No 4.

Then again…this time for six! Brook is sitting deep in his crease and having had two sighters, puts this one into the plastic seats.

But uh oh! He’s tried it for a fourth time in the over and got a massive top edge! Caught by Conway at deep square leg. Oh, that’s disappointing from Brook. Four, four, six, out.

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10:41 AM BST

On the 50-over format

England don’t want quick cameos do they? That’s T20 cricket. They need one of their top order to make a hundred so it’s up to Joe Root or Harry Brook to go on, and on, and on. That’s why the 50 over game is such an excellent format. It demands all the skills, in this case constructing an innings.

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10:39 AM BST

Over 16: England 79-2 (Brook 11, Root 19)

Jimmy Neesham comes into the attack for the first time and is immediately introduced to Harry Brook’s cover drive. Great shot for four. Bloke’s got timing. And power.

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10:36 AM BST

Over 15: England 73-2 (Brook 6, Root 18)

Again, just singles from the Santner over. We’re very much in the accumulation phase. Or at least that’s the way ODI cricket used to be played. England may have other ideas.

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10:33 AM BST

Over 14: England 69-2 (Brook 4, Root 16)

Brook off the mark with four runs pulled behind square. Nice shot, actually, rolling his wrists and tapping Boult behind square. Reckon Brook will enjoy the extra pace on the ball here.

Root, by the way, is doing Root things and is on 16 from 19 balls but I can only remember one shot (that reverse ramp, obviously).

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10:30 AM BST

Over 13: England 64-2 (Brook 0, Root 15)

Brook defends his first ball from Santner. The funny thing for Brook will be pacing an innings in this format. He’s a T20 animal and has proved that he can bring that to a Bazballing Test team, but ODI cricket is neither fish nor fowl and we’re yet to know whether Brook can master it.

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10:28 AM BST

Wicket! Bairstow c Mitchell b Santner 33(35)

Bairstow goes up but not over and Daryl Mitchell runs round the deep cover boundary to take the catch.

That brings Harry Brook to the wicket.

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10:24 AM BST

Over 12: England 61-1 (Bairstow 32, Root 13)

Trent Boult back into the attack, probably simply because Joe Root is at the crease and Boult has a happy history against him.

Oh but that’s wicked from Root. Reverse ramp for six! Absolutely text-book execution from Root. The tendency with that shot is to focus on the hands, wrists and bat, but it’s the footwork that is so clever: switching position completely to allow the batsman to get his head close to the line of the ball. Great to watch.

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10:19 AM BST

Over 11: England 54-1 (Bairstow 32, Root 6)

Little variations from Santner, who is coming left-arm round to the right-handed Bairstow and offering absolutely no width. Does a good job of keeping him quiet here.

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10:15 AM BST

Over 10: England 51-1 (Bairstow 31, Root 4)

Henry into a fifth over as New Zealand try to eke out every last bit of new-ball swing. He must be puffing though, in this heat.

Root plays a big drive but misses as the ball snakes past his outside edge. It’s not Waqar Younis, but Henry is still moving the ball half a bat’s width, at about 82mph. Test match stuff really. Bairstow times a drive, but straight to mid-off. Then he mashes a drive through extra cover for four. He finished that shot with only one hand on the bat. Surely that’ll be the end of Henry’s spell.

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10:11 AM BST

Over 9: England 46-1 (Bairstow 27, Root 3)

The echo off Bairstow’s bat sounds like a gunshot in this empty bowl of a stadium. Santner concedes only four from the over.

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10:08 AM BST

Over 8: England 41-1 (Bairstow 24, Root 1)

Joe Root is at No 3 for England and Henry hammers a back-of-length ball into his spice straight away. Root gets off the mark with a single to mid-on.

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10:06 AM BST

Wicket! Malan c Latham b Henry 14(24)

Henry picks up a wicket that had been coming. Length ball to Malan and he tries to drive it through cover, but there’s still swing on the white ball and it clips the edge. Regulation catch for the NZ keeper. Henry deserves that.

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10:03 AM BST

Over 7: England 39-0 (Bairstow 23, Malan 14)

Santner’s radar is off for his first ball, which is fired in wide down the legside. Bairstow opens up his body to drive inside-out for a single. New Zealand have the legside boundary riders out for Malan, to guard against his slog sweep. He pushes a single instead.

Another single, then was that a chance? Yes! Malan edged the ball behind but it didn’t hit the middle of Latham’s gloves.

There’s turn for Santner. Not a huge amount, but then he’s an old-fashioned sort of left-arm spinner. More flight than fingers.

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09:59 AM BST

Mitchell Santner into the attack

Will the pitch spin?

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09:58 AM BST

Over 6: England 35-0 (Bairstow 21, Malan 13)

Henry to Bairstow now and the Englishman thumps him over mid-off for four. Not timed though and the fielder thought he had a chance. Now four more for JB with a flashing drive behind point. Some very average work there on the third man boundary by Boult, although as Ian Smith remarks on commentary, he may have been spooked into not diving by an incident a few overs earlier where Devon Conway’s knee stuck in the turf as he attempted a sliding stop.

Crowd is drifting in now, in dribs and drabs. Admittedly, in a stadium that can hold 120,000, any fewer than 30,000 fans area going to be rattling around like pennies in a pint pot. It’s also really, really hot in Ahmedabad (apparently).

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09:54 AM BST

Over 5: England 26-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 13)

Malan now slashes Boult over gully for four. That didn’t look like it was far away from being caught, but if you’re going to flash, flash hard. Malan may look docile but his batspeed is terrific. There’s a wide in this over too, as Boult goes a little too wide while trying to steer clear of that Malan cover drive.

An empty stadium for the World Cup opener is an embarrassment for the organisers. Not a surprise though when tickets only went on sale a month ago and fans reported huge problems with the website crashing under the pressure. Sadly, the paying public is rarely high on the list of priorities for the BCCI.

Crowds will improve and grounds will be vibrant for India matches plus other games involving sub-continent teams. This is a vast stadium too – holding 120,000 – which does not help. But it shows the value of a cricket World Cup in England. It is about the only country where you can guarantee sell outs for almost every match.

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09:49 AM BST

Over 4: England 21-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 9)

Matt Henry is swinging the ball waspishly away from Malan’s outside edge but when he overpitches by a fraction, Malan pounces and crashes the ball for four through the covers.

Malan also picks up a single to third man with a flashing cut, hanging on the back foot and waiting for that swinging length ball. For how long will the ball swing? You’d imagine not much longer.

England’s top four play for Yorkshire, when they are allowed by the schedule.

Five Yorkshire players represented England in the Oval Test of 1938. But this must be a first: an England team with a top four from one county.

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09:46 AM BST

New Zealand a bowler short?

It’s not just Ben Stokes missing, of course. He might have been the player of the final in 2019, but Kane Williamson was player of the tournament. A picture of poise and consistency, New Zealand look a much weaker side without him. They’ve got a funny shape to the side, with two steady openers, an all-rounder at No 3, a batsman at No 7, and Jimmy Neesham as low as No 8 and Mitchell Santner at 9. They look a little light on bowling.

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09:45 AM BST

Over 3: England 16-0 (Bairstow 12, Malan 4)

England pick up a sneaky two runs into the leg side. Nice bit of scrambling there from Malan and Bairstow. Then a flowing drive from the left-hander, on the up and wide of off stump. A rapid diving stop in the covers saves the boundary. That’s Malan’s shot, but the ease with which he played it shows that he’s already gambling on the pitch behaving itself impeccably. The key will be how it takes spin. We’ll find out shortly.

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09:40 AM BST

Over 2: England 12-0 (Bairstow 11, Malan 1)

Matt Henry’s first ball to Dawid Malan was bang on the money and slaps the England opener on the front pad. Bit of a deliberation in the Kiwi camp but they’re going to review it. Too high? Pitching outside leg? Yep, too high. Another sign that this is a decent strip: that ball has bounced. New Zealand lose a review.

Henry’s second and third balls fly into Latham’s gloves behind the wicket. This is all most un-Indian. Good signs for a high-scoring match too. I mean, it ain’t Trent Bridge, but nor is it the Wankhede.

Maiden over.

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09:35 AM BST

Matt Henry to take the other new ball

New Zealand have only two specialist fast bowlers today. Here’s the other one…

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09:34 AM BST

Over 1: England 12-0 (Bairstow 11, Malan 1)

Bairstow is off the mark with a six! Fabulous bit of timing from the England opener as Boult swings the ball onto what was, frankly, a leg stump half volley. Bairstow clipped it into the crowd seats behind square on the leg side.

A single puts Malan on strike and he drops his first ball past gully to get himself off the mark. Bairstow then pushes a straight drive for four down the ground. Those two boundaries in the over are the kind of shots you can only play on a decent surface. Ball coming onto the bat nicely.

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09:30 AM BST

Bairstow and Malan take guard

We’re about to get under way. Trent Boult will take the first new ball. World Cup 2023, here we go.

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09:28 AM BST

Sachin is in the house

Soaking up the adulation of….almost nobody. Strong Men in Black vibes from the little master here.

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09:23 AM BST

Prepare for trial by part-time spin

Still not many people in at Ahmedabad. Very interesting teams from both sides.

For England, Harry Brook in for Ben Stokes as expected – and both Livingston and Moeen Ali play, which mean no Reece Topley and Sam Curran or Chris Woakes will bat as low as No 9.

New Zealand’s team is even more surprising: they’ve packed the batting with allrounder Jimmy Neesham as low as No 8 and Mitchell Santner at No 9. That means no Lockie Ferguson or Ish Sodhi, and 20 overs between Neesham, Rachin Ravindra (who bats at No 3), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman’s own left-arm spin. New Zealand will chase: with Phillips at No 6, Chapman at No 7, Neesham at No 8 and Santner at No 9, that’s a very dangerous lower-middle order.

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09:18 AM BST

The 1987 World Cup remembered

It was on October 9 in 1987 that England played their first World Cup match abroad, and not so far from Ahmedabad, across the border in Gujranwala in Pakistan. (The three previous World Cups had all been staged in England.)

England that day had a slightly earlier start than today, as did their opponents West Indies, at 6.25 am. Dragged out of the excellent hotel in Lahore into buses, blurry-eyed, we had an hour’s drive through Punjab to Gujranwala. It was a roasting hot day – not a day/nighter like this World Cup opener – and the players were wilting long before the end.

Laurie Brown, who had been a Manchester United trainer before becoming the England physio, had never seen a test of stamina like it: a sleepless night in some cases, all day in the heat, then a climax just before sunset. England, propelled by Allan Lamb, took Courtney Walsh apart and won by two wickets.

The same result would do today.

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09:17 AM BST

The ground really is empty

The opening match of India’s home World Cup starts in about a quarter of an hour and this is what the stadium looks like. There’s almost nobody there.

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09:13 AM BST

New Zealand team

Kane Williamson is still unfit to play, and is joined on the sidelines by paceman Lockie Ferguson, spinner Ish Sodhi and veteran seamer Tim Southee.

New Zealand line up thus:

1. Devon Conway

2. Will Young

3. Rachin Ravindra

4. Daryl Mitchell

5. Tom Latham (wk & c)

6. Glenn Phillips

7. Mark Chapman

8. James Neesham

9. Mitchell Santner

10. Matt Henry

11. Trent Boult

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09:09 AM BST

Stokes unfit to play, Brook comes in

Buttler confirms that Ben Stokes will not play while he manages a niggle with his hip. The other men who miss out are Gus Atkinson, Reece Topley and David Willey. That means that Moeen Ali and Sam Curran will complete the bowling attack.

Here’s the full XI

1. Jonny Bairstow

2. Dawid Malan

3. Joe Root

4. Harry Brook

5. Jos Buttler (wk & c)

6. Moeen Ali

7. Liam Livingstone

8. Chris Woakes

9. Sam Curran

10. Adil Rashid

11. Mark Wood

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09:03 AM BST

NZ win the toss

The stadium is almost totally empty for the toss. Tom Latham calls heads and New Zealand will bowl first.

Buttler says he would also have bowled first, which is pretty much England’s modus operandi, so no surprises that New Zealand don’t want to let Buttler’s boys chase.

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09:00 AM BST

Is Ben Stokes fit?

And does it really matter if he isn’t? Jos Buttler said yesterday that Stokes would be assessed after England’s final training session. He’s unlikely to be risked today if he’s not 100 per cent. After all, England have Harry Brook champing at the bit for a place in the middle-order, Stokes is unlikely to be able to contribute a huge amount with the ball anyway, and with a round-robin group stage, this World Cup has a long way to go before it becomes mission critical.

For more on how England will line up with or without Stokes, read Tim Wigmore’s analysis from yesterday.

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08:39 AM BST

Three things England must master at this World Cup

England’s old campaigners go for one more shot at glory. Joe Root relived this week his memories of the 2019 World Cup final admitting he had a “shocker” with the bat but saying it was still one of the great days of his life. He can make amends in a rerun of the final when England and New Zealand kickstart the tournament today.

Captain Jos Buttler, also talking to the Telegraph, believes his generation have one more rodeo left in them. Root will be so important on spinning pitches in the middle overs and Buttler remains the world’s top white ball batsman. England have the depth of all rounders, the power with the bat and plenty of bowling options. Plus, crucially, they know how to win in tight situations which gives them the belief they can get over the line regardless of the circumstances. Can they do it? We will have a better idea by the end of the day today.

Here’s the thoughts of our Chief Cricket Correspondent.

If England do win, it will be by mastering these three areas.

Adaptability

India is a vast country and England are playing at eight different venues. All will possess their own unique challenge. Dharamshala in the north will be cool and possibly better for the seamers, Bangalore will be hot and good for batting, same for Mumbai and Pune, while Lucknow is a low scoring ground in the IPL, and where England play India. One for Ben Stokes possibly?

Buttler is a fine batsman and a good captain but tactically can sometimes feel scripted. Can he keep and captain in the heat of a 50-over game and be on top of tactics? It is a hard task. But he has a lot of good knowledge and vast experience in the team as well as his own IPL experiences to call upon. Nothing should be new to him.

Coping with the evening dew will be hard bowling second too, especially for the spinners trying to work with a wet ball. The two new white balls at the start of the innings will play into England’s hands because they have world-class swing bowlers, but will their top order techniques and tendency to go hard from the start cost them?

Fielding

This is where England can win tight games. They generally save runs, take their catches and are on the ball better than opponents and with conditions equalling out some of their strengths, this is an area they can control. They are an aging side but they move well, and there are not many duds in the team.

Run rate

Worth keeping an eye on this because it will decide the semi-final line-ups in the case of teams being equal on points at the end of the group stage. There is a chance matches will be rained off or at least reduced and played as DLS games just to complicate matters further. England’s run rate was vastly superior to anyone else in the 2019 tournament, no surprise given their power, but this competition is going to require more than one approach. It would be a cruel way to go out.