Curran shines before rain ruins T20 opener

First T20, Christchurch

England 153-6 (20 overs): Curran 49* (35), Buttler 29 (25)

New Zealand: Did not bat

Match abandoned

Scorecard

Sam Curran salvaged England's innings earlier nan first lucifer of their wintertime travels was washed retired by rainfall successful Christchurch.

Harry Brook's broadside battled canny bowling and a tricky transportation to station 153-6 successful nan opening T20, but nan upwind denied New Zealand nan chance to commencement their chase, resulting successful a frustrating commencement to a low-profile white-ball series.

This title comes small much than a period earlier nan highly anticipated Ashes tour, and England named 3 of their squad to look Australia successful nan XI astatine nan Hagley Oval.

It was 1 of those not included who was astir effective, however, arsenic all-rounder Curran deed 49 not retired from 35 balls to assistance England from 81-5.

Jos Buttler, imaginable Test number 3 Jacob Bethell and Brook made starts, earlier Curran survived being dropped doubly and overturned an lbw dismissal to resistance England to a people that whitethorn good person been competitive.

The 2nd T20 is astatine nan Hagley Oval connected Monday, starting astatine 07:15 BST, earlier nan 3rd lucifer successful Auckland connected Thursday.

Three one-day internationals follow, erstwhile Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Jofra Archer are among nan different Test players who will subordinate nan touring party.

Most eyes are, understandably, connected nan Ashes alternatively than this series.

It should not beryllium forgotten, however, that this was nan first of only six T20s England person earlier nan T20 World Cup successful India and Sri Lanka originates successful February.

While Bethell, who flickered successful striking a good consecutive six earlier falling to a apical separator for 15, tin property their lawsuit to play against Australia, Curran is 1 of those pinch nan astir to summation earlier nan World Cup.

The 27-year-old was picked for nan first clip successful immoderate format nether coach Brendon McCullum past period and offers a 2nd seam-bowling action successful nan batting-heavy broadside Brook's England favour. He was told by nan England level earning a spot arsenic an all-rounder who could bat successful nan apical six was his way backmost into nan side, alternatively than arsenic a bowler.

Having seen Bethell, Buttler, who made 29, Jordan Cox and Tom Banton tamely spot catches into nan aerial connected a aboveground that nipped for nan speedy bowlers and held for nan spinners, Curran was fortunate to beryllium dropped connected 14 by bowler Jacob Duffy and astatine heavy other screen by Tim Robinson erstwhile he had 26. Both were straightforward chances.

While astatine nary constituent did he find his champion batting rhythm, Curran remained calm to powerfulness nan awesome left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner for 1 six complete long-off and flicked a afloat flip complete quadrate limb successful a last complete from which he took seamer Duffy for 19.

This lucifer will not past agelong successful nan memory, but Curran astatine slightest took advantage of what constricted opportunity he was given.

"Baz [McCullum] gave him a very honorable logic for why he wasn't selected successful nan first place," Brook said.

"He went back, practised difficult and he's put retired those performances and done really good successful nan past twelvemonth and a half.

"Everybody successful world cricket knows he's done it beautiful overmuch everywhere. He's a very valuable subordinate to person successful nan mediate order, a left-hander arsenic well. He's going to beryllium astir for a while, I think. It's bully to person him back."

England skipper Harry Brook: "The transportation did a small spot to commencement with. Matt Henry, especially, made nan astir of nan surface.

"We evidently want to accommodate to nan business and nan aboveground but, pinch nan extent of batting we've got, we tin spell difficult each nan measurement through."

New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner: "The boys started highly good pinch nan caller ball. It was a beautiful bully performance.

"It was doing a spot coming and it was useful to chuck nan shot around. It's bully erstwhile you tin propulsion nan shot to personification and they are capable to respond."