Rough Start for England in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Opener: Lost to New Zealand by 9 Wickets
- Latham wins the toss and elects to field
- Matt Henry bowls a persistent line and length
- Rachin and Conway took away the game from England bowlers
- New Zealand register a record-breaking run chase
England kicked off their 2023 Cricket World Cup campaign with a disappointing outcome against New Zealand, ultimately losing by 9 wickets. The absence of key players like Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson for New Zealand, as well as Ben Stokes for England, created an interesting dynamic on the field as youngster Harry Brook got a nod in the middle order.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field, putting pressure on England’s openers. The combination of Trent Boult and Matt Henry proved to be a formidable challenge, leading to the early dismissal of both English openers within 15 overs.
However, former test captain Joe Root stepped up with a much-needed 77 runs before being bowled by the right-arm part-time spinner, Glenn Philips. Unfortunately, England’s batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum, resulting in a total score of 282, falling short of expectations.
In the second innings, New Zealand’s top-order batsmen, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, displayed exceptional skills, making the English bowlers feel inadequate. They chased down the target in just 36.2 overs, with Conway scoring an impressive 152 and Ravindra contributing 123.
Former England and world cup winning captain Eoin Morgan said that England didn’t go hard enough with the bat against New Zealand.
“You sit back and you analyze the innings that’s just been and gone and you’d say that England didn’t throw many punches. That’s always a good indicator as to whether they went hard enough or not because every World Cup has something different and you want to be the point of difference.
Eoin Morgan
While this loss is disappointing, it’s important to remember that it’s just the beginning of the tournament. England still has ample opportunities to regroup, learn from their mistakes, and come back stronger in the upcoming matches as they are set to face Bangladesh on the 10th of October at Dharamsala.