After restricting New Zealand to a mediocre 153 in the first T20I of the five-match series on Friday, England chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and nine balls to spare at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Happy with the effort his bowlers put in the first innings, Three Lions skipper Eoin Morgan said that he was “really pleased” with their performance.
“Very happy. The game is won and lost in the first innings and thought our bowlers bowled really well. Two debutants, Pat Brown and Sam Curran had a good game and really pleased for them. They took advantage of the two-paced wicket and we ended up chasing 20 less.”
During England’s chase, James Vince’s 59 off 38 balls helped his side reach the target with ease. His blitzkrieg included 7 fours and 2 sixes.
Praising the attacking right-hander, Morgan said, “Vince was outstanding with the bat. Had a great time so far and hopefully we can cash in the same way later on in the series.”
“We feel that we actually need 16-17 guys to start in the playing eleven and then give them opportunities all along, trying to stick to their strengths and do what they do in international cricket. We are looking at seven guys and with couple of spots up for grabs, we are allowing guys to come in and grab opportunities. It’s nice to start the series with a win,” he added.