ICC World Cup 2023: Joe Root makes 77 as England struggle to 282/9 against Kiwis

ICC World Cup 2023: England lost regular wickets as batsmen failed to convert their starts into bigger scores but Root stood out and put on a key stand of 70 with skipper Jos Buttler

Defending champions England's batters struggled on a sluggish pitch and made a below-par 282 for nine against New Zealand in the ICC World Cup 2023 opener on Thursday.

Asked to bat first, England were served well by Joe Root's 86-ball 77 but other batsmen were shackled by pacer Matt Henry (3/46), left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (2/37) and part-time spinner Glenn Phillips (2/17). There were useful knocks by Jonny Bairstow (33) and captain Jos Buttler (43), but they failed to kick on against the 2019 finalists, who were led by stand-in captain Tom Latham.

England lost regular wickets as batsmen failed to convert their starts into bigger scores but Root stood out and put on a key stand of 70 with skipper Jos Buttler, who made 43. The rest of the batting lacked firepower against a Kiwi attack that missed Tim Southee but kept coming back at the champions in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final when England won a tied match on boundary count back at Lord's.

Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow gave England a brisk start but the Kiwi bowlers soon removed the openers to take control of play on a sunny afternoon in front of a smattering of fans inside the 132,000-capacity arena. Malan fell caught behind off Henry and Bairstow's knock was cut short by Santner, who got the batsman out for 33 off his left-arm spin.

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Harry Brook took on Rachin Ravindra in the left-arm spinner's first over to smash two fours and a six before the bowler had his revenge on the final delivery. Brook, coming in the starting line-up for Stokes, attempted another big hit but got caught at deep mid-wicket. Root raised his 37th ODI half-century off 57 balls laced with two fours and one six off a reverse scoop shot. But he fell to Phillips' off spin while attempting a reverse sweep and England slipped further before Adil Rashid and Mark Wood ensured the team played out their 50 overs .

Brief scores: England 282-9 in 50 overs (J. Root 77, J. Buttler 43; M. Henry 3-48)

(With agency inputs)

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