| Ground: | Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet |
| Scorecard: | England v New Zealand |
| Player: | LRPL Taylor, EJG Morgan, TT Bresnan |
| Event: | ICC World Twenty20 2010 |
DateLine: 11th May 2010
England warmed up for their semifinal with a three-wicket win over New Zealand and in the process helped Pakistan to enter the semifinal of the T20 World Cup here on Monday.
No English side has been impressive in ICC World Cup since 1991 and Collingwoods team has announced themselves as genuine contenders as their outspoken spinner Greame Swann claimed before the match.England didnt miss the influential Kevin Pietersen a way bit in this match. His absence was made up by a team effort that saw Tim Bresnan come to the fore with an all-round performance.
The lanky medium pacer bowled four stifling overs for 20 runs and grabbed a wicket and with the match in balance came back to throw his bat around to score a quick 23 not out off 11 balls which clinched the issue in favour of England.
The spinners Swann and Yardy were again restrictive in the middle overs and gave only 56 runs between them in eight overs. Swann, grabbing the prize wicket of Brendon MacCullum and that of Redmond, was the pick of the two.
New Zealand struggled which was best illustrated by MacCullums sedate knock of 33 off 32 balls. He got out at the wrong time and it needed a 62-run fourth wicket stand between Ross Taylor and Styris to give impetus to the innings. Styris played a cameo and his bold strokes lifted the run-rate. But Board came back to dismiss Styris and Hopkins in the same over and Taylor also departed in the next over as New Zealand pulled up a few runs short.
Kieswetter was off the blocks quickly as he slammed Nathan McCullum for a six and a boundary in the opening over. The momentum was with England when Lumb flicked Bond off his legs for a boundary. Mills came back to snare Kieswetter but Lumb continued to play his shots and had a charmed stay. He lofted Bond for a six and enjoyed a life when Hopkins failed to hold a difficult catch behind the stumps. Vettori was swept for two boundaries in his first over by Lumb as England cantered to 57 for one at the end of the power play.
New Zealand responded well by taking the pace off the ball and strangulated the Englishmen. Styris gentle off-cutters lured Bopara and Collingwood to their doom. Vettori trapped Lumb plump in front as England slipped from 57 for one to 66 for four in the ninth over. Luke Wright and Morgan found themselves in familiar territory and the duo added 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket to pull England out of the woods.
Morgan swung Styris for a six to break the shackles and Butler was struck for two boundaries by Wright as England seized the initiative.Vettori in desperation turned to Bond who came back to dismiss Wright but England were in control. Morgan and Bresnan continued to find the boundaries. Kyle Mills leaked 14 runs in his third as England surged ahead. Morgan and Yardy fell in quick succession but Bresnan struck the telling blows with the bat as England won with five balls to spare.
