England vs New Zealand – Cricket World Cup LIVE: Buttler caught behind for 43 after Root reaches 50 as Black Caps break useful partnership in Ahmedabad

Root gets himself into position early for that scoop shot of his, but takes only four from it off Henry.

Neesham actually does brilliantly to get to it, but overshoots his run and it squirms through to the run under his body.

Perks of all this spin – we’re already into the final 15 overs as New Zealand absolutely fly through their overs.

This will all hinge around how long Root can stay out there, and he’ll know that having Livingstone at the other end takes a little of the pressure off his shoulders to start unfurling some bigger shots.

They both take a single, and are almost run out going for two more off the fourth ball, but Root is back just in time.

His ability to not get cramped in his crease against spin has come in good use against this display of slower bowling, and Livingstone sees off the final ball as England take five from the 36th.

Livingstone gets one away fine third ball for a very welcome boundary to a very fine deep fine leg third ball after a couple of singles.

Two more singles from Livingstone and Root are followed by a brash smack to the deep mid-wicket boundary to bring England’s 200 up!

12 from the over will be music to Buttler’s ears at this point.

Huge wicket of Buttler and just the four runs from the over – Henry will be very pleased with that indeed.

England had looked on a roll with Buttler and root at the crease, but they’ll be confident in Livingstone’s prodigious hitting powers that this one is certainly not over yet.

In comes Liam Livingstone at seven – not a bad man to have with your back against the wall all things considered.

The Lancashire all-rounder gets a surprise first ball as it bounces up into his helmet.

He does well to get his hands down after bringing them up early, and he’ll need a new lid after that.

Henry continues into his seventh over – another you’d think will be brought in right at the end – and goes for a single first ball.

But then he strikes the biggest of blows, and gets the massive scalp of Buttler!

It’s a very good line and length, but at Buttler looks to create some room for himself it flicks off his top edge and straight into Latham’s waiting gloves!

Huge, huge strike for New Zealand and Henry!

But Root pulls out a well-timed shot of his own round the off stump to find the third man boundary for four.

Ravindra responds with a couple of dots, before Root moves himself up to 58 from 65 with a single into the leg side.

Eight from it – much better from the holders.

Buttler thumps a drive to long-off and although Mitchell gets something on it, the ball bounces off and looks destined for the rope.

But somehow the New Zealand all-rounder gets back to his feet and dives fully-committed for the ball and manages to flick it away to save his side two runs!

Brilliant bit of fielding!

Henry – who started so well for New Zealand – is back into the attack for his sixth over of the day.

Root and then Buttler take singles from the first two balls before a dot momentarily halts their progress.

Root gets another run into the leg side and has to hop at the end of his sauntering run as the ball comes in perhaps a little quicker than he had anticipated.

Buttler then times a beautiful drive to long-off as the captain adds another boundary to his tally to move up to 39, before taking a single off the final delivery.

Neesham is sent to the boundary rope by Buttler second ball, but the all-rounder – who will have some painful memories of that dramatic game in London four years ago – responds with four dots to go for only five from his fifth.

Current projected scores are showing 276 at 6, 323 at eight and 361 at 10.

10 runs an over looks a little optimistic from here, though.

New Zealand finish the over with a dot as England continue to fight back with this useful partnership.

Root and Buttler take on a few more fluids and the former almost reaches his milestone with an on-drive, but doesn’t quite connect and doesn’t risk the run.

Second ball is caught much more sweetly, but Phillips again fields well at point to again send Root back.

Another dot for Boult follows, but the fourth does bring up the fifty off 57 balls as he clips to mid-wicket.

Great knock so far for Root – can he nudge England towards a meatier score?

This is the key aprtnership now, with Root and Buttler going about their business in quick fashion with 48 off 46.

Buttler is already up to 30 while Root moves one away from his half-century with a single.

He’s only actually had three since the 2019 tournament – what a world of good it’ll do his confidence to get one here.

Single for Buttler towards mid-wicket as England look to get Neesham off-rhythm early in his fourth over.

Root takes one of his own with a slap into extra cover that he maybe caught a little too sweetly, before Buttler stands and delivers to send it flying back over Neesham’s head for six!

Boult is back into the attack as Latham continues to shuffle his pack.

His lead bowler is into his sixth already – you’d back him to bowl at least two at the death.

Buttler looks to cultivate a drive into deep extra cover but doesn’t quite time it and takes just a couple, to add to his single earlier in the over.

The captain duly takes another single to end the over as Boult goes for five more.

A two off the third ball, but just three singles from the next deliveries as Ravindra ends his sixth over going for 11 as England show signs of accelerating the scoring.

150 up for Buttler and Co, but they are four down already!

Another quick drink out in the middle in the baking hot conditions for Root, who has been out there for around an hour and a quarter already.

At 34 degrees, you can hardly blame him.

Now Buttler starts to flex his muscles, with a massive six straight back down the ground over Ravindra’s head!

Is this the start of the Buttler explosion?

With England not hitting too many bigger shots, we’re rattling through the overs now.

England take just the four off the 26th and move up to 139.

England reach the half way point at 135-4 after an otherwise uneventful over.

Not exactly a tone-setting innings so far, but there’s still plenty of firepower in the shed for the holders!

A boundary at last for England!

Joe Root helps one down round the corner as he sweeps toward the deep fine leg boundary for four!

The spin continues from the Black Caps and Buttler and root – two great players of the slower ball – are still seemingly biding their time.

They know a fair bit about timing white ball innings, in their defence.

Three singles from Santner’s sixth over. He’s given very little away this morning, and is looking New Zealand’s biggest threat right now.

Ravindra was put a little bit under the pump by Brook – going for 14 in three deliveries – but he’s responded brilliantly for Latham’s side.

Four more singles from his fourth and England are now more than five overs from their last boundary.

Root has stuck around well though, and is going at a decent 35 for 39 – this looks a great opportunity to convert that into a bigger score and calm some nerves.

Buttler is straight off the mark with a single into the leg side first ball, Root following suit the very next delivery.

The captain isn’t sticking around as the spin of New Zealand threatens to take over England’s innings, and he picks up two of his side’s three runs from this 22nd over to move to 121 for the loss of four.

Another change of bowlers, and Phillips is in for Neesham to turn his arm over with a few slower right-arm deliveries.

A dot first up followed by a beauty that sends Ali’s bails flying for 11!

The all-rounder went for an almighty heave into the leg side, but Phillips saw it coming and it stayed straight and crashed into his stumps.

What a delivery from the part-timer, and England are down four now!

But here comes the captain…

It’s raining sinfles in Ravindra’s third over as he goes for six from six balls, as England move up to 118-3, the run rate now nearing six.

Score predictor showing 308 for England – you’d think on this pretty quick pitch that might not be as high as it sounds.

Neesham does his best to follow up with some pressure of his own, oging for a couple of singles from his first four balls.

Phillips does really well to prevent a run at cover point off Ali, before the veteran England all-rounder defends the fifth of the over. before following one outside his leg stump.

A wide is called and Neesham will bowl a seventh of his third over – but he finally ends with another dot.

Four singles off an uneventful Ravindra over, as the spinner comes back well after being put through the ringer in his first over by Brook.

Neesham responds to that boundary well with a single – the seventh run for England off this 18th over – before Ali sends it to the rope for four!

England moving up through the gears now with two more boundaries in that over.

Root brings up England’s century with a clip round the corner to deep fine leg for four!

That’s an interesting one, with Ali moving ahead of Liam Livingstone and captain Jos Buttler to come in at five – he’s moved up and down the order countless times, but can he bring some fireworks today?

Four, Four, Six, OUT!

Brook goes for it again, but this time Ravindra takes a little bit off his delivery and he sends it high into the sky.

Conway takes the comfortable catch and England lose another – this time it’s Brook for 25.

Out comes Moeen Ali to join root in the middle

This time he goes one better – well two better really – and hits it straight over deep mid-wicket for six!

See post below – an almost carbon copy for Brook as England attack Ravindra.

Right we’re back in action, and Ravindra willl bowl the 17th of the day.

The first goes for a single, but Brook absolutely heaves the third to the deep mid-wicket boundary off his back foot for four!

A six off the second ball from Bairstow, but it’s not been the most… flambouyant, shall we say, games of cricket.

Root’s scoop shot was a particular highlight, however.

And we’ll take drinks – the first of the tournament.

It’s going to be a long day of firsts…

A single off the next ball as Brook slips going for the return, before Neesham gets a dot as he bowls it in towards Root’s body.

But after that promising start to the over, Root and Brook look content to just rotate the strike, taking just a single off the last two balls as Neesham goes for six in his first over.

And just like that Brook puts Jimmy Neesham away with drive to the deep extra cover boundary bisecting two fielders!

Root and then Brook share a couple of singles before a half-hearted shout for LBW – more quarter-hearted, really.

Root looks to sweep to leg gully but can’t get enough on it but does get himself back off striker next ball, dabbing it towards point.

Brook the darts through for another single to take England to 73-2.

Seems an awful long time since we had that Root special – this one could do with something sparking it into life from these two out in the middle!

Brook takes just two balls to find his first boundary of this innings from Boult’s second ball before a couple of dots.

He looks to play outside his off stump but Boult restricts him to another brace of dot balls to go for just five from this fifth over of his.

Run rate dips back below five, as England go at a sedate pace early in this innings.

In comes Brook, the man that has had so much said about him in the run up to the tournament – can he smash the doubters away today?

A strong, low defensive rebuttal for his first ball sends Santner back after picking up his first wicker of the game.

Great fielding form Boult saves a run for New Zealand as Bairstow darts through for a single to bring Root back on strike after he took one of his own second ball.

Root looks for the cover boundary but takes just one, before Bairstow spoons one to Mitchell at extra cover out of pretty much nowhere!

Mitchell snaffles up the chance and Bairstow is gone for 33!

But Boult fights back to complete a very solid over with two more dots and a single to go for just seven.

That six has helped nudge england’s run rate over five off the first 12 overs.

Boult is back for Henry – not a lot of swing on offer for the left-armer as he comes round the wicket at Root.

But there’s no stopping that – Root pulls out his now trademark scoop for a quite brilliant six!

So end of the first Power Play and Santner starts his third of the day, going for three successive singles straight up.

A slower ball earns the bowler a dot froim Bairstow, with another one following up straight away with a quicker delivery straight into the wicket.

Three singles to start, three dots to finish and a cramped Bairstow has to settle for defence.

New Zealand just starting to ratchet up the pressure now.

Henry has bowled a brilliant Test match length so far and it has largely restricted Bairstow from firing off the boundaries we’re used to seeing him rattle off.

Just a single from his fifth over and England get to the end of the Power Play for the loss of just one, but with only 51 runs – they’ll feel like they could have a few more on the board, you’d think.

Santner back for his second and goes for just three singles off his first five as New Zealand look to consolidate this early breakthrough.

But Bairstow takes a couple with a sweep as Phillips slides well to prevent what looked a certain boundary out to the deep point boundary.

In comes Joe Root who hasn’t exactly been swimming in runs in the build up to this tournament.

But this looks a great pitch to get some confidence back under his belt.

He’ll face Henry straight away, and defends well for his first delivery of the game.

The Yorkshireman scampers through for a single off his second to finish the over.

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!