Harry Brook and Phil Salt power England to dominant T20 win over New Zealand

England captain Harry Brook and opening batter Phil Salt put New Zealand to the sword as the tourists recorded the highest T20 total at the Hagley Oval en route to a 65-run win.

Brook was especially belligerent in a staggering display of power hitting, with five sixes and six fours, crashing 78 off 35 balls in a 129-run stand alongside Salt, who made 85 off 56 deliveries.

The duo’s efforts formed the backbone of England’s 236 for four, eclipsing the previous best score of 208 for five in Christchurch made in 2022 against Bangladesh by the Black Caps, who subsided to 171 in 18 overs to go 1-0 down in the three-match series.

Brydon Carse struck twice in his opening over, but it was Adil Rashid who was the pick of the bowlers with four for 32, benefiting from New Zealand going for broke in their reply and regularly finding the fielders on the rope.

England scratched around for 153 for six in Saturday’s washed-out series opener at the same venue, but they took New Zealand’s bowlers to the cleaners this time.

They were given a helping hand as Brook was given a life on 39, put down by Jimmy Neesham running round on the boundary, while Jacob Bethell advanced from seven to 24 after wicketkeeper Tim Seifert shelled a swirling chance from a top edge.

England were once again asked to bat first and Salt got into his groove by clattering Matt Henry over deep midwicket.

It was the opener’s lone six from his second ball but he continued to pepper the rope by taking advantage of the fielding restrictions with a half-a-dozen fours in the powerplay.

Bethell prospered after his drop and claimed back-to-back sixes off Michael Bracewell before failing to loft one over the in-field.

Brook overturned being given out caught behind down the leg-side on 22, but it was Neesham’s drop, having moments earlier leaked 20 in his only over, that was especially costly.

Brook rubbed salt in the wound with a six later in the over before clearing the leg-side boundary twice off Kyle Jamieson.

Brook came close to overtaking his partner, but the pair holed out when Jamieson took pace off.

Brook perished at deep midwicket and Salt, within three blows of a world record-equalling fifth T20 hundred, fell two balls later at long-off.

Tom Banton got stuck into Somerset team-mate Henry in a cameo 29 not out to lift England well clear of 200 and leave New Zealand requiring their highest successful T20 chase.

England appeared in total control when Robinson miscued limply to mid-on off Carse, who drew the edge of Rachin Ravindra three balls later, but Seifert and Mark Chapman put on 69 to steady the Kiwis.

Liam Dawson and Rashid got to work, though, putting the squeeze on in the middle overs and they each claimed a couple of wickets as New Zealand slipped from 87 for two to 104 for six to leave their hopes hanging by a thread.

With nothing to lose, Mitchell Santner entertained the home crowd with three sixes and as many fours in his 15-ball 36, but the all-rounder fell to Rashid looking to clear the boundary and the game went with him.