Chris Jordan starred as England got the better of New Zealand in another Super Over, prevailing by nine runs after a truncated thriller in the fifth Twenty20 in Auckland.
Four months on from their nerve-shredding World Cup final, the teams found themselves on familiar terrain as they were deadlocked after an 11-over shootout, shortened because of intermittent showers at Eden Park.
Jordan’s last-ball four ensured England levelled New Zealand’s 146 and the paceman then held his nerve with the ball after Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan had each bludgeoned a six to lift England to 17 in the Super Over.
Despite sending down a wide with his second delivery, Jordan bowled expert lengths to restrict New Zealand to eight for one in reply, helping England seal a 3-2 series victory.
Where have we seen this before? 😏#NZvENG | #CWC19 | @BLACKCAPS | @englandcricket https://t.co/k5WlIBika7
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Martin Guptill was the batsman run out in the World Cup final that led to England’s triumph on boundary countback alone – a rule since abolished – and he perhaps should have had more of a say in this Super Over.
Having earlier clubbed a 19-ball half-century in New Zealand’s 146 for five, he deferred to Tim Seifert, who faced the first four deliveries in the Super Over and perished to a superb running catch from Morgan at wide mid-off.
Seifert’s dismissal left New Zealand requiring 11 for victory, and Guptill’s inability to get underneath a Jordan yorker from the penultimate delivery meant the equation came down to an impossible 10 from one as England sealed a fourth successive T20 series win.
Such a prospect seemed remote after Guptill, plus boundary laden cameos from Colin Munro (46 from 21 balls) and Seifert (39 off 16), carried the Kiwis to a daunting total in the regulation 11 overs.
But England are rarely outgunned – even if they are missing several first-team players – and Bairstow’s 47 from only 17 deliveries as well as some important contributions down the order kept them in contention.
They still needed 16 from the final over – and 13 from the last three deliveries when Jordan walked out to bat, but a maximum from his first ball was followed by a four from his third after Jimmy Neesham had erred in line and length as the tourists responded with 146 for seven.
Provided by Press Association Sports
