New Zealand win as Foulkes runs riot

TAURANGA, New Zealand, Oct 26 (AFP): Captain Harry Brook's brilliant century wasn't enough to rescue England as hosts New Zealand eased to a four-wicket win in the first one-day international on Sunday.
Brook struck 11 sixes on his way to 135 in England's modest score of 223, before New Zealand reached 224-6 in response with more than 13 overs remaining.
Daryl Mitchell hit the winning runs to be unbeaten on 78 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and put the Black Caps ahead 1-0 in the three-match series.
Victory was set up by a lethal early spell from New Zealand seamer Zakary Foulkes (4-41), who scythed through the top order, reducing England to 10-4 and then 56-6.
Brook led the recovery with a scintillating career-best ODI score. He raised his ton with three successive sixes off Jacob Duffy before he was last man out in a rearguard 101-ball knock. The 26-year-old surpassed his previous best score of 110 not out, against Australia in Chester-le-Street last year.
"I felt like I was in good touch. Obviously we didn't get off to a great start and I tried to take it upon myself to have a counterpunch," Brook said.
"I tried to get us to a decent total that we could defend. I thought we started really nicely with the ball but we just struggled to take wickets throughout the middle."