Old Trafford (AFP): England debutant Gus Atkinson took four wickets as the hosts hammered New Zealand by 95 runs in the second Twenty20 international at Old Trafford on Friday.
The fast bowler finished with excellent figures of 4-20 and wrapped up the game in style by taking three wickets in an over as New Zealand, set a stiff chase of 199, collapsed to 103 all out.
Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took 2-18 in three overs.
Victory left T20 world champions England 2-0 ahead in the four-match series, this win following their equally emphatic seven-wicket success at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.
Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook laid the foundations for Friday’s overwhelming win.
Bairstow batted through the innings for 86 not out and Brook made a dashing 67 in England’s 198-4.
The pair put on 131 for the third wicket in just 65 balls after England captain Jos Buttler won the toss.
Bairstow struck eight fours and four sixes in 60 balls faced.
Brook, controversially omitted from reigning champions England’s squad for the upcoming 50-over World Cup in India, struck fives sixes in his 36-ball innings.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee conceded 23 runs in one over, with the paceman returning figures of 1-48.
The tourists were never in the hunt with the bat, only Tim Seifert (39) offering much resistance in an innings where just two other batsmen reached double-figures, with Glenn Phillips contributing 22 and Mark Chapman making 15.
New Zealand slumped to 8-2 in their reply, with Devon Conway chipping Atkinson to Liam Livingstone at deep square leg to give the 25-year-old quick his first international wicket in the second over.
The dangerous Finn Allen then miscued a pull off Sam Curran and was comfortably held by Will Jacks.
Phillips looked to be launching something of a recovery before Rashid had him caught on the boundary by Brook.
Chapman, after launching spinner Liam Livingstone for a straight six, then found the same fielder.
Daryl Mitchell was caught behind off Brydon Carse, Mitchell Santner clean bowled by Jacks and Adam Milne reversed swept Rashid to Moeen Ali at slip.
Seifert fell when he sliced Atkinson high into the Manchester sky before wicketkeeper Buttler held a steepling catch.
Southee and Lockie Ferguson then fell in the same Atkinson over — the 14th — to set the seal on another dominant England display.
The series continues at Edgbaston on Sunday.
Scores
England 198-4, 20 overs (J Bairstow 86 no, H Brook 67) v New Zealand 103, 13.5 overs (G Atkinson 4-20)
Result: England won by 95 runs
Series: England lead four-match series 2-0
Ferguson to captain NZ in Bangladesh
Seamer Lockie Ferguson will captain New Zealand for the first time on the international stage during their three-match 50-overs tour of Bangladesh, his team was announced Saturday.
The 32-year-old will skipper the Black Caps in Bangladesh at the end of September following their current white ball games in England.
“Lockie is an experienced bowler and this is an opportunity for him to really lead from the front with not just the bowling group but the team as a whole,” said New Zealand head coach Gary Stead.
Ferguson gained experience captaining the Black Caps in tour wins against English county sides Worcestershire and Gloucestershire last month.
He will lead against Bangladesh with New Zealand’s regular one-day captain Kane Williamson and stand-in skipper Tom Latham both absent.
Williamson is recovering from a knee injury while Latham is among a group of senior players who will miss the games in Bangladesh to prepare for the 50-overs World Cup in India, starting in October.
Latham, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee are all rested.
Star bowler Trent Boult is in the New Zealand squad for the ODI games in England and Bangladesh after nearly a year’s absence while playing in domestic T20 leagues in Australia, the United States and India.
