England’s Ben Stokes Powers Team to 181-Run Victory Against New Zealand in 3rd ODI
A record-breaking century by Ben Stokes propelled England to a crushing 181-run win over New Zealand in the third one-day international. The victory enabled England to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. Stokes, who recently came out of retirement from ODI cricket, smashed a phenomenal 182 runs off just 124 balls, surpassing Jason Roy’s previous record of 180, to set England’s highest individual score in the 50-overs format.
Stokes’ remarkable innings was filled with impressive shots, including nine sixes and 15 fours. His heroics lifted England’s total to 368 runs after being put into bat at The Oval. Reflecting on his performance, Stokes said, “Coming back into the team after a while out, it’s nice to come back and help the team. We spoke about putting New Zealand under pressure, especially up top. As the experienced players, you want to be showing the guys to go out there and do that.”
New Zealand Falters Under Pressure, Beaten By 181 Runs
New Zealand faced a daunting task in their chase of England’s imposing total. The pressure proved too much as they were bowled out for a mere 187 runs. Glenn Phillips fought valiantly with a gritty knock of 72 runs, while Rachin Ravindra managed to score 28 runs. However, no other batsman could contribute significantly.
England’s bowlers displayed a stellar performance, with Chris Woakes leading the pack by dismissing three key New Zealand batters – Will Young, Henry Nicholls, and Tom Latham. Liam Livingstone also excelled by taking three wickets, while Reece Topley claimed two. New Zealand captain Latham admitted, “We knew we had to bat well. The way they bowled in the top 10 overs, getting movement in the air and off the surface. We weren’t able to build partnerships.”
Stokes and Malan Forge Pivotal Partnership
England’s chances appeared bleak when Trent Boult dismissed Jonny Bairstow with the very first ball of the match. Two overs later, Joe Root fell victim to Boult’s bowling, inside-edging a shot onto the stumps. However, Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan rose to the occasion and formed a massive 199-run partnership, reviving England’s hope. Unfortunately, Malan departed tantalizingly close to a century, getting caught by Latham off Boult’s delivery on 96.
Stokes went on to build fruitful partnerships with Jos Buttler and Livingstone, but his impressive innings concluded when he was caught at square leg. This triggered a quick demise of England’s tailenders, as Boult and Ben Lister mopped them up efficiently. Reflecting on the performance, England captain Buttler expressed his satisfaction, stating, “Really pleased with the performance. There’s levels that we can keep achieving, there’s more in the tank.”
Boult Shines with Five-Wicket Haul
Trent Boult proved to be the standout bowler for New Zealand, finishing with figures of 5-51. This marked his sixth five-wicket haul in ODIs. Ben Lister, who was brought into the team as a replacement for the injured Adam Milne, also contributed significantly by taking three wickets. The final match of the series will take place at Lord’s on Friday. This series serves as crucial preparation for both teams as they gear up for the upcoming Cricket World Cup in India next month.