England have cruised to a straightforward seven-wicket win in the first Twenty20 international against the Blackcaps on Thursday (NZ time).
The hosts never looked in doubt in pursuit of New Zealand's lowly total of 139/9, as Dawid Malan's masterful 54 anchored a straightforward chase that ended with six overs to spare at 143/3.
The New Zealand innings began in explosive fashion, with opener Finn Allen blasting three consecutive sixes off Luke Wood in the first over.
But they struggled through the first power play and England soon had the clamps on. Devon Conway's (3) cheap departure was closely followed by Allen (21) and Tim Seifert (9), leaving New Zealand at 35/3 in the sixth over.
Glenn Phillips helped the innings regain a modicum of momentum with a measured 41 off 38 balls, but wickets continued to tumble around him.
He was sent packing by a superb catch by Sam Curran in the 17th over, leaving the Blackcaps teetering on disaster at 103/7.
But some late flurries from Adam Milne and Ish Sodhi helped New Zealand post at least a vaguely competitive total of 139/9.
Tim Southee's opening-over dismissal of Jonny Bairstow was a bolt of encouragement for the visitors, as the NZ captain surpassed Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan as the highest wicket-taker in T20Is (141).
But Will Jacks and Dawid Malan quickly settled into a platform-setting partnership of 57 off 38, lifting England to 62 before Jacks mistimed a pull shot off Ish Sodhi in the seventh over.
The remainder of the innings was a procession for the English. Malan combined with Harry Brook in a 54-run (34 balls) third-wicket stand, punishing an NZ bowling attack struggling to find its length.
After Malan had holed out to Lockie Ferguson, Brooks (43 off 27) and Liam Livingstone (10) made hasty work of the remaining total to close out a dominant win.
The NZ bowling figures made for ugly reading. Adam Milne (0/30), Mitchell Santner (0/30) and Ferguson (1/34), and Sodhi (1/23) each went for more than 10 runs an over on a forgettable all-round day for the Kiwis.
"Not our best effort," said Southee after the game. "The way they took wickets stalled our momentum.
"Our assessment of the wicket was probably a bit off. We look to assess conditions, we stick to our style and it's worked over a period of time.
"Glenn Phillips has been phenomenal, especially in sticky situations he finds a way to get us through to a score. Great to see him still in form… couple of days to turn things around in Manchester."
The four-match series now shifts to Manchester for the second game on Saturday.
