England vs New Zealand – Cricket World Cup LIVE: Jonny Bairstow hits second ball for six as Jos Buttler’s men take on the Black Caps in Ahmedabad

Henry back in with a couple of dots to start his fourth over of the day, before Bairstow takes a single.

But the fourth ball sees Malan edge behind after a bit of movement off the seam and he wafts it into Latham’s gloves!

Henry makes the breakthrough!

In comes Mitchell Santner into the attack as New Zealand look to go the slower-ball route to break up this opening partnership.

A long-off and a deep mid-wicket fielder are in for his two fielders outside the ring in this Power Play – will Bairstow unleash some shots now?

He finds that long-off fielder off the second ball for a single, before Malan takes a single of his own.

It’s a tidy opening over for Santner barring a wide with England looking to just take the singles on offer rather than test the bowler too early, before a quicker ball absolutley bamboozles Bairstow and bounces out of Latham’s gloves off his outside edge.

Another dot closes out Santner’s first for just four runs.

Bairstow is now facing Henry’s third over, and he looks to take a few steps down the ground to the bowler.

The second thumps into a thigh pad, before the Yorkshireman turns down what would be a very risky single off the third.

The fourth is sent over the fielders to the long-off boundary as Bairstow picks up a mis-timed four.

And he sends the fifth back out to the rope, this time to deep gully as Boult is unable to keep it in play.

A single off the last makes it nine off the over

A measly 33 degrees and 40-odd per cent humidity in Ahmedabad as Henry already calls for a towel tells you what it’s like out there.

A wide off the third ball from Boult before four more dots clos eout another strong over from Latham’s side.

It was a blistering start from England, but New Zealand have made sure that the holders don’t fly too far ahead here.

Malan snaffles up a bit of width to send the ball bouncing to the gully boundary!

A dot and a single to third man follow that boundary, before Henry finishes his second with a bouncer.

Henry has started this match very well, he’s got the ball moving around on a whim.

Malan is one of the most patient white-ball openers around, though, and waits for a half volley which he puts away through extra cover!

Bairstow gets himself off strike second ball with a quick single before Malan picks up a well-run two off this quick pitch.

Will Young puts his body on the line to stop a Malan four through extra cover as England take just a single.

Two dots finish the third, and it’s a good response from Boult after going for 12.

Henry follows it up with a brilliant wobble-seam delivery that just beats the outside edge, before another nibbler flies through to Latham behind the stumps.

Malan makes contact with the fourth and fifth balls but takes no run, before Henry wraps up a very strong opening maiden over.

It looks to be missing the bat as it clatters into the very top of Malan’s pad.

Ultra-edge comfirms there’s no bat involved, but there’s too much bounce, and the ball is flying over the top of the stumps.

Reprieve for Malan.

Matt Henry will take the second over in the absence of stalwart Tim Southee.

Huge appeals for lbw first ball at Malan, and it looks very straight… and Latham goes for it!

New Zealand review!

A couple of singles follow for both Malan and Bairstow before the latter unfurls a delightful drive back down the ground and it races away on what looks a quick pitch.

A dot to finish the over as England come out firing!

What a way to get yourself off the mark!

Second ball of the competition and Bairstow heaves Boult to the square leg boundary for six!

Here comes Boult… and the Black Caps veteran is on the money right off the mark.

A solid defence from Bairstow holds firm against the left-hander and we’re underway!

Out come Bairstow and Malan to get England’s World Cup defence underway.

They’ll have the small matter of Henry and the ever-dangerous Boult to negotiate first off.

A very rock and roll rendition of the New Zealand anthem peals out in front of a somewhat non-plussed crowd, who are perhaps all out of cheers after national icon Sachin Tendulkar marched out to present the trophy.

England have a much more traditional God Save The King to work their way through, with a few more England fans in the crowd, but the 130,000-odd seater stadium in Ahmedabad is nowhere near half capacity.

Just a few moments away now…

And Neesham will be out there again today, as he makes the New Zealand XI.

That Black Caps team for you – Conway, Young, Ravindra, Mitchell, Latham (wkt, C), Phillips, Chapman, Neesham, Santner, Henry, Boult

There’s been plenty of talk this morning – and most mornings in the run up to this tournament – about that final from 2019.

In many ways the infamous commentary ‘by the barest of margins’ has become perhaps more famous than the actual game, but for England fans it is inarguably the greatest day in their not-so-glorious white ball history.

But for New Zealand fans it is surely top of the pile of moments they’d rather forget, as they were cruelly robbed by, well, ‘the barest of margins’ at Lord’s.

One man who will feel that more than most is Jimmy Neesham, with the Black Caps all-rounder out in the middle for that fateful Super Over four years ago – have a read of what he remembers from that day below.

Another man out in the middle today will be Mark Wood, who was of course a huge part of that title-winning side from four years ago.

And now England will have plenty more moments of magic to come after the Durham seamer penned a three-year central contract with the ECB.

Read more about that one below…

So Brook comes straight in at the first point of asking what with that injury to Stokes.

Brook was of course called up at the last minute in Jason Roy’s place, and despite a relatively mild warm-up against New Zealand, he comes straight into the fold on the biggest of stages.

Here’s the England team, then…

Bairstow, Malan, Root, Brook, Buttler (wkt, C), ali, Livingstone, Woakes, Curran, Rashid, Wood

Buttler has admitted that he probably would have bowled first too, but he’s also been quick to allay any pressure on his side to repeat their exploits from last time.

Atkinson, Topley, Willey and Stokes are all out of the side today, with the skipper yesterday admitting that they may not be risking the red ball captain after picking up a hip injury.

Captain Tom Latham wins the toss and New Zealand will bowl first!

Kane Williamson is ‘not quite ready yet’ says Latham, with Southee, Ferguson, Sodhi joining the batter as absences through injury.

As holders, England go into this one as one of the big favourites – but what does captain Buttler think of his side’s chances?

Good morning everyone and welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of the very first game of the 2023 ODI World Cup!

And what a game it is as England take on New Zealand in a repeat of that thrilling, infamous 2019 final at Lord’s, perhaps the greatest white ball game in history.

This time round, though, we’re swapping Lord’s for the Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad as India plays host to the 50-over tournament which will see the 10 best teams in the world take part over the next month and a bit.

There are some notable absences this time round – we’re looking at you West Indies – but rest assured there is still the tantalising prospect of a Super Over…

For now, though, sit back as we build up to this mouth-watering clash as we officially get underway in the ODI World Cup!