T20 TALKING POINTS: Jordan's importance and Vince comes good

SAM MORSHEAD picks out key topics for discussion after the first T20I between New Zealand and England at Hagley Oval

Scorecard

Brothers in arms 

The Curran brothers were entrusted with opening the bowling by Eoin Morgan and did so superbly for the first four overs.

A combination of pace off the ball and intelligent lines left Martin Guptill and Colin Munro struggling to get away on a good track in Christchurch.

However, once Morgan broke the rule of three - namely that you should never allow a bowler to run in unchanged from a single end during a powerplay - England were made to pay.

New Zealand had been 15 for 1 from four overs before the visiting skipper threw the ball to the younger Curran sibling, Sam, for the penultimate set in the fielding restrictions; the home side finished the fifth on 36 for 1 as Munro and Tim Seifert picked off three sixes.

Still, that should not detract too much from the Currans' fine work in the early exchanges. It put the Kiwis at an immediate disadvantage and offered a much-needed middle-overs buffer.

^{Martin Guptill is bowled by Sam Curran}

Pat on the back for Brown

Eoin Morgan’s decision to turn to Pat Brown in the middle overs was intriguing.

Prior to this game, Brown had bowled less than a quarter of all his deliveries in T20 cricket in overs 7 to 14, but here he was given the responsibility of negotiating the transitional period straight away.

He responded with his typical mix of knuckle balls, surprise short’uns and tremendous composure, before returning in his comfort zone - the death - with aplomb.

Brown, for such a young bowler, is remarkably unflustered and his final over, which went for just six and included the wicket of Ross Taylor, illustrated just how effective he could be for this England side.

He faces serious competition for a place in the T20 World Cup side next year - Chris Jordan, Tom Curran, Chris Woakes and Harry Gurney are all world-class options at the backend of an innings - but this was a very solid first audition.

Gregory’s role

Lewis Gregory was handed his first international cap at the Hagley Oval but did not get the chance to show what he can do with the ball.

While the Somerset allrounder was the sixth choice for Eoin Morgan on a day when none of the England bowlers looked likely to need relieving of their duties, and subsequently didn't get to walk to the crease in the chase, it still felt as though he was included in this side for his batting.

The biggest hole in the tourists’ side as they prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup is the middle-order hitter; a finisher capable of taking the innings way from an opposition in the latter overs.

Gregory may well offer an option in this regard: in both 2017 and 2018 he struck at better than 190 during the final seven overs of innings.

^{Pat Brown in action on his international debut}

Crucial Chris

Chris Jordan might not have enjoyed the most illustrious of T20 years domestically, but on the international stage he remains integral to this England team.

Aside from the fact he is possesses one of the most reliable pair of hands on the circuit, Jordan’s yorker stylings continue to frustrate batsmen the world over.

Here, he finished with figures of 2-28 from four overs - very admirable considering the surpisingly true nature of the early-season pitch, even if he conceded 22 from his final 12 deliveries.

When you are collecting wickets with waist-high full tosses, you know you are on a hot streak, too.

Jordan’s bowling figures in T20Is in 2019 read as follows: 2-16 (3), 4-6 (2), 0-14 (2), 1-41 (4), 2-28 (4). It is an impressive collection against some hard-hitting batting line-ups in New Zealand and the Caribbean.

It is bizarre, therefore, that his performances for franchises and county have been so different.

Whereas Jordan averages 11.7 with an economy of 7 for England in the past year, domestically he averages nearly 30 and goes at more than 9 per over.

Go figure.

Vince has a soft spot for Christchurch

For all his elegance at the crease, James Vince had gone nearly 18 months without an international half-century prior to the second innings at Hagley Oval on Friday.

But here, that drought seemed impossible.

He drove and cut beautifully and fluently, and exhibited all of the skills that Hampshire fans have seen week on week, season upon season.

Striking down the ground off the spinners and square through the offside against the seam, he looked utterly in command.

Is this the tour that he finally goes big in an England shirt?

He'll certainly wish the entire series was being played at Christchurch, where he has now made two of his five international fifties.

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.