Wright stuff puts England back on the right course

Sunday 30 September 2012

Luke Wright and Steven Finn starred in a much-improved all-round performance as England defeated New Zealand by six wickets to put the defence of their ICC World Twenty20 crown back on track.

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By Trevor Bailey

After Wright's runs and Finn's wickets at Pallekele, Stuart Broad's team are likely to need another success against hosts Sri Lanka when they return tomorrow if they are to book a trip back to Colombo for the semi-finals.

Finn took three for 16 and then Wright (76) engineered a well-drilled chase – achieved with seven balls to spare – meaning England have given themselves a second chance after their defeat against West Indies two days ago.Finn completed the most telling half of the equation, as only James Franklin (50) cut any ice for the Kiwis.But Wright made sure, with a 33-ball 50 containing three fours and three sixes.Finn took two with the new ball, including danger man Brendon McCullum, and then returned in the 17th over to see off another of the Kiwis' best hitters Ross Taylor.Broad acknowledged the importance of last night's win and was fulsome in his praise for Finn. The captain said: "It was really important to get a win tonight."Steven Finn set the tone fantastically with the new ball and Luke and Eoin (Morgan) batted really well. Now we've got a huge game coming up on Monday. We've got a job to do then and hopefully we can build on the positives from tonight.New Zealand won the toss, but were soon minus opener Martin Guptill, lbw to a Finn yorker.England's strike bowler then picked up the prize wicket of McCullum, making room to hit him over the ring to the short off-side boundary but succeeding only in edging down to Wright at third-man.Graeme Swann immediately had Rob Nicol mistiming a sweep into the hands of deep midwicket. And by the time Kane Williamson was fourth out in the 12th over, New Zealand were having to reassess what a par total might be.They remained conservative until Franklin took 16 runs, including a six, from Briggs' final over. With five to go, the total was therefore 96 for four – with Taylor and Franklin established.Finn did for the former, who clumped a pull straight to deep midwicket, and in the same over his aggravating party piece of knocking over the stumps in delivery denied Franklin a perfectly-struck and well-deserved four – umpire Asad Rauf signalling dead-ball.Franklin stayed the course, though, for his 33-ball half-century as he and Nathan McCullum did enough in the final three overs to narrow England's advantage.It was tighter still after Craig Kieswetter went for just four from 14 balls at the start of the reply. Alex Hales had taken 16 off Tim Southee's first over, but then went on the charge to McCullum and missed an off-break, which hit leg-stump.Wright was then joined by Morgan, and the third-wicket pair barely put a foot wrong in a stand of 89 in 10 overs.On a pitch favouring spin, they allowed New Zealand's frontline slow bowlers to concede only 42 runs in eight overs, but made sure they took toll of pace.The run rate never spiralled thanks to Morgan whose near run-a-ball 30 included a six to bring up the hundred and a second to pass his own 50.Morgan eventually fell – caught by Doug Bracewell at long-on – and Wright followed him, holing out to cover in the penultimate over. But this outcome ensures England will defend their only International Cricket Council title to date with at least a degree of honour.Wright stuff puts England back on the right course

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Wright stuff puts England back on the right course

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