Santner soars as middle-order rescue Blackcaps... PLAYER RATINGS

England suffered a three-wicket defeat in the first ODI of the series. The Cricketer assesses the individual performances of the two sets of players

England suffered a three-wicket defeat in the first ODI of the series.

The Cricketer assesses the individual performances of the two sets of players...

NEW ZEALAND

Martin Guptill (13): Slow progress from the opener with a strike-rate of 44.82. 4

Colin Munro (1-31 & 6): Played a part with the ball, getting the crucial wicket of Joe Root, who was threatening three figures. Six and out with the bat. 5

Kane Williamson (8): Bailed out ultimately but situation demanded more from the captain, gave his wicket away cheaply. 3

Ross Taylor (113): The old pro just keeps delivering the goods, hosts looked dead and buried at 27 for three. A match-winning knock. 10

Tom Latham (79): Taylor’s efforts would probably have counted for nothing without Latham beside him. There were questions over his form coming into the series and he has delivered under pressure. 8.5

Henry Nicholls (0): Moving on… 

Colin de Grandhomme (0-20 & 2): Four economical overs, fell cheaply with the bat.

Mitchell Santner (2-54 & 45*): Key wicket of Roy before he was allowed to unleash another mammoth score then got Stokes on his return. Brilliant finish with the bat. 9

Tim Southee (0-47 & 8*): Most economical of the lot, such a clever bowler, excellent in tandem with Boult. 8.5

Ish Sodhi (2-63): Caused problems with his googly, great response after being hit for six. 6

Trent Boult (2-64): More expensive than his opening partner but added a couple of wickets to his tally. The pair didn’t allow England to start or finish as explosively as the visitors would have hoped. 8.5

^{Jos Buttler top-scored for England}

ENGLAND

Jason Roy (49): Played an unusually restrained innings initially, looked set to release the handbrake but fell to Santner’s arm ball. 7

Jonny Bairstow (4): Never got to grips with Boult and Southee early on and made a bit of a hash of a catch in the deep. 2

Joe Root (71 & 0-16): Will be disappointed not to get the hundred but yet another fifty, needed more runs around him. 7.5

Eoin Morgan (8): Launched Sodhi for six but was duped by the googly the very next ball. 3

Ben Stokes (12 & 2-43): Lack of pace in the pitch didn’t suit his batting, decent showing on his return with the ball. 7

Jos Buttler (79): A very useful innings but couldn’t quite get into full flow. 7.5

Moeen Ali (28 & 0-30): A useful cameo with the bat after a sluggish start, no wickets from his five overs. 5

Chris Woakes (11 & 2-47): Got England off to a great start, was left with a lot to do in the final over. 7

David Willey (11* & 1-26): England’s least expensive bowler and got the New Zealand skipper early on. 7

Tom Curran (0* & 1-65): A fairly expensive 10 overs in the end, will be interesting to see if he is replaced when others are fit. 5

Adil Rashid (1-55): Lovely piece of bowling to get Taylor but 16 from his final over left his comrades an uphill task. 5