Root continues to flourish as he sets up a series shoot-out

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20 February 2013

With little fuss and no unnecessary flamboyance, England drew level against New Zealand today.

They did what they had to do to ensure that the final match in Auckland on Saturday is also the decider, though as England have won none of their last five one-day series in this country nobody will yet be ordering champagne for the dressing room.

In chasing down 269 to win the second match at McLean Park, the tourists paced their innings astutely. They were taken to an eight wicket victory with 14 balls to spare by Joe Root, the 21-year-old Yorkshireman, who continues to create the impression that he and international cricket were made for each other.

His second half century in two matches was calmly composed and featured several examples of the scoop shot among other inventive strokes. He and Jonathan Trott shared an unbroken partnership of 121 for the third wicket. Trott was unbeaten on 65 from 73 balls and England’s captain, Alastair Cook, also contributed a half century.

But it was Root who truly caught the eye. His lowest score in six ODI innings is 31 and he simply looks the part each time he walks to the crease. England’s target was only as large as it was because of the pyrotechnics provided by Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain.

He simply took the game by its scruff from the moment he entered the arena at 143 for 4 for the start of the 37 over. The short-arm bludgeon with which he has intimidated bowlers of all hues for 10 years was unfurled immediately.

Until then England had controlled the match largely thanks to the early endeavours of their opening pair of Jimmy Anderson (above) and Steve Finn. McCullum turned the scorecard on its head.

His straight hitting was venomous and his pulling and cutting more lethal than that. It was an assault wholly at odds with what his side had displayed until his appearance when pragmatism aimed at making the most of the last ten overs bordered on hapless timidity.

McCullum’s display perfectly complemented an excellent hundred from Ross Taylor, which was accorded a rapturous ovation by the crowd, formed the centrepiece of New Zealand’s innings. But he needed assistance if the innings was to have real substance and it was provided in spades by McCullum - the former captain and the present captain in perfect unison.

They put on 100 from 53 balls of which the new skipper’s share was 74 from 36 including nine fours and a six. Small wonder that England were as ragged for that short period as they had been disciplined previously.

Part of the reason for the response to Taylor’s innings – besides the excellence of his batting – was that his recent treatment at the hands of the New Zealand board when he was sacked as captain without ceremony or apparent reason.

It has caused a storm in New Zealand sporting circles and public sympathy has been entirely with Taylor. Not that it diminished the fervour with which McCullum’s antics were greeted.

England were exemplary at the start of proceedings. The pyrotechnical exhibition launched by McCullum later could never quite compensate for the admirable bowling in the first ten overs by Anderson and Finn.

They were accurate to a millimetre. Anderson found just enough movement to aggravate the batsman’s concerns and Finn with his short new run, which has been two years in the making, lost nothing in pace or fury as a result.

Graeme Swann returned his most expensive analysis in 75 one-day internationals while Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes were also to McCullum’s liking. Contrast their day’s work to that of Anderson and Finn who conceded 67 between them.

Anderson finished with five wickets to boot, adding three to his early brace as the Black Caps ended as they had begun. It was the second time in his career he had achieved the distinction, adding to his 5-23 against South Africa in 2009.

Root continues to flourish as he sets up a series shoot-out

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