New Zealand's Zak Foulkes rejoices after taking the wicket of England's Ben Duckett during the first ODI match at Bay Oval in Tauranga on Sunday —AFP 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."
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