Christchurch (New Zealand): Phil Salt hit 85 from 56 balls and Harry Brook 78 from 35, sharing a 129-run partnership which propelled England to a 65 run win over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 international.
Salt and Brook reached a century partnership from only 54 balls and provided the momentum as England made 236-4 after being sent in, the highest-ever T20 international score on Hagley Oval.
Tom Banton rounded off the England innings with an unbeaten 29 from 12 balls.
Adil Rashid then took 4-32 as New Zealand was bowled out for 171 in 18 overs, attempting the highest successful run chase in the history of T20 internationals.
It was Rashid’s fourth four-wicket bags in T20s and marked the 21st consecutive T20 innings in which he has taken at least one wicket.
Tim Seifert made 39 and Mitchell Santner 36 as New Zealand lost all 10 wickets to catches.
“It’s always nice to contribute and to do it alongside Salty who has been very successful for us in this era,” said Brook who was Player of the Match. “The other night the pitch had a little more live grass on it.
“The sun has probably helped us out and made the pitch a little bit flatter and easier for the batters.”
The match took place on the same pitch on which the first of the three-game series was intended to be played but was rained-out on Saturday. England also was asked to bat first in that match and made on 133-5 before rain stopped play.
The ball seamed and gripped on Saturday and pace-off deliveries were effective. But after two days exposed to warm weather and strong winds, the pitch had dried and nothing the New Zealand bowlers tried could stem the flow of Salt and Brook.
Salt hit the second ball of the match from Matt Henry over mid-wicket for six in an early declaration of his intentions. Though Jos Buttler (4) and Jacob Bethell (24) fell inside the first six overs, England was already 68-2 when the first power play ended.
Bethell hit two consecutive sixes off Michael Bracewell before holing out in the sixth over. Then Brook came to the crease and the onslaught against the New Zealand attack intensified.
Neither pace nor spin was effective against the England pair. Brook was powerful on the leg side. He had a Major League Baseball sticker on the back of his bat and showed baseball prowess, hitting two sixes out of the ground over mid-wicket.
Salt used superb placement, particularly on the leg side, and had his half century by the 10th over, from 33 balls. Brook followed him to that milestone from only 22 deliveries with four fours and three sixes, his first T20 international 50 as captain.
At the end of the 10th over, England was 110-2 and Brook surpassed 1,000 runs in T20 internationals when he was 66.
He finally was out in the 18th over after hitting six fours and five sixes and Salt followed two balls later, having hit 11 fours and one six. While Salt lacked the pure belligerence of Brook, his placement and timing was superb.
