Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips keep T20I series alive

Finn Allen hit six sixes and four fours in a scintillating knock of 83 from 53 balls while Glenn Phillips hit 50 of his 69 in fours and sixes (5 each) to power New Zealand to a thumping 74-run victory. After suffering two big defeats in the four-match series, the duo ran the show in Edgbaston to keep the series alive.

On a flat surface in Birmingham, New Zealand had the rub of the green at the toss which Allen duly capitalised on. It started as early as the opening over when he drove through cover twice for two successive boundaries. New Zealand lost Devon Conway early but moved on quickly with Allen and Tim Seifert. Seifert however, was snuffed out in the 10th over but that paved the way for the match-defining partnership – between Allen and Phillips.

Livingstone, who brought the breakthrough, was taken to the cleaners by the new batting pair as he finished with bowling figures of 1 for 55 in 4 overs. Adil Rashid too came in for middle-overs assault as Allen, who got a 35-ball fifty, hit the leggie for three consecutive sixes in the 15th over. It set New Zealand up for a big finish. Phillips took charge in the 18th over, carting Livingstone three sixes in a 22-run over and took New Zealand to 202/5 in 20 overs.

England’s chase stuttered from the very beginning before getting derailed soon after. Kyle Jamieson made the first incision with the wicket of Will Jacks in the third over, and then a struggling Dawid Malan was dismissed by Tim Southee in the final over of the PowerPlay. With 30/2 in 6 overs, England were well behind the eight-ball and found themselves in deeper trouble as Jonny Bairstow fell to a long-hop from Ish Sodhi.

Jos Buttler walked out and threw caution to the wind with a six and a four in the same over and then repeated it against Mitchell Santner in the following over. New Zealand however, struck at the other end to remove Harry Brook. A short 37-run stand between Buttler and Moeen Ali ensued, giving England hope of late revival. But that was swiftly ended when Santner had Buttler caught and bowled in the 13th over. From 92 for 5, England lost the rest of their side for just 36 runs, folding for just 128 in the 19th over.

Brief scores:  New Zealand 202/5 in 20 overs (Finn Allen 83, Glenn Phillips 69; Gus Atkinson 2-31) beat England 128 in 18.3 overs (Jos Buttler 40, Moeen Ali 26; Kyle Jamieson 3-23, Ish Sodhi 3-33) by 74 runs

(Cricbuzz)