A spectacular lone-hand century from Harry Brook was not enough to save England from defeat in the first ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval on Sunday, as the visitors crashed to a four-wicket loss after a shocking top-order collapse.
England’s disastrous start under westerly winds
With a strong westerly wind swirling across Bay Oval, England’s much-hyped batting lineup produced a collapse for the ages. Within just 5.1 overs, England were reeling at 10 for 4, with Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell all dismissed cheaply in what many are calling the “Ashes phoney war gone wrong.”
Pacer Zak Foulkes made an unforgettable debut, claiming four wickets in his first spell, including Duckett, Root, and Bethell. By the time Sam Curran edged behind at 56 for 6, England’s innings had imploded — and the clock back home had only just struck the match’s original start time.
Brook’s record-breaking counterattack
From that chaos emerged Harry Brook, England’s white-ball captain and Test vice-captain-elect, who launched a one-man rescue act that will long be remembered. Brook hammered 135 off 101 balls, including nine fours and 11 sixes, single-handedly taking England to 223 all out in 35.2 overs.
His first 36 runs came entirely in boundaries, and he reached his hundred with three consecutive sixes off Jacob Duffy. Brook’s 135 accounted for over 60% of England’s total — a new national record, surpassing Robin Smith’s 167 not out (60.44%) against Australia in 1993.
The only other player to offer resistance was Jamie Overton (46), whose seventh-wicket stand of 87 runs with Brook lent a brief semblance of stability. Their partnership mirrored Overton’s Test debut heroics against New Zealand in 2022, when he helped rescue England from a similar collapse.
New Zealand recover from early setbacks
Defending 223, England’s bowlers struck early through Brydon Carse and Luke Wood. Carse dismissed Will Young with a fiery inswinger and sent Kane Williamson back for his first-ever golden duck in ODIs. Wood followed up with the wicket of Rachin Ravindra, leaving New Zealand tottering at 24 for 3.
However, Daryl Mitchell (78 off 91) and Michael Bracewell (51 off 51) steadied the chase with a crucial 92-run stand for the fifth wicket. Both batters had early reprieves — Bracewell was dropped by Joe Root at slip on 2, and Mitchell survived a sitter at backward point on 33.
After Bracewell’s run-out with 66 needed, Mitchell took charge, smashing the winning six over backward square leg. New Zealand finished at 227 for 6 in 36.4 overs, winning with 80 balls to spare.
A warning for England before the Ashes
Despite Brook’s heroics, England’s frail top-order will be a major concern ahead of the upcoming Ashes series in Australia. Their early collapse, following a string of poor white-ball outings, underlined the team’s vulnerability against disciplined new-ball bowling.
Brook’s brilliance prevented total embarrassment, but the result served as a reminder that individual brilliance cannot always mask collective fragility.