England claim series on Bairstow ton

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: A masterful century by Jonny Bairstow complemented an exceptional bowling spell as England cruised to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand to claim the One-day International series 3-2 in Christchurch on Saturday.

Bairstow´s heroics with the bat — 104 off 60 deliveries — backed by 61 from fellow opener Alex Hales saw England overhaul New Zealand´s 223 with a colossal 104 balls remaining.

Chris Woakes lead the way with three for 32 off his 10 overs while spinner Adil Rashid finished with three for 42.

The stark contrast in performances was highlighted in the middle of the 26th over in each innings when New Zealand were 93 for six while England were 192 for two at the same stage.

England lost Jason Roy to a back spasm and his replacement Hales opened with Bairstow in a 155-run stand for the first wicket.

Hales was the second wicket to fall when England were on 177 and just 47 runs short of victory. Morgan had a short stay for eight while Ben Stokes was 26 not out at the end with Joe Root on 23.

After the first four ODIs, England had the New Zealand batsmen well worked out.

Colin Munro went on the second ball he faced, caught behind off Woakes for the third time in five innings and for his second consecutive duck.

Mark Wood bowled Kane Williamson for 14 before Rashid and Moeen Ali stepped up to decimate the middle of the New Zealand innings as Tom Latham (10), Chapman, Martin Guptill (47) and Colin de Grandhomme (six) fell in quick succession.

Score Board

England won toss

New Zealand

M J Guptill c Stokes b Rashid 47

C Munro c Buttler b Woakes 0

*K S Williamson b Wood 14

†T W M Latham c Stokes b Rashid 10

M S Chapman b Ali 0

H M Nicholls c Morgan b Curran 55

C de Grandhomme c Curran b Rashid 6

M J Santner c Hales b Woakes 67

T G Southee c Bairstow b Woakes 10

I S Sodhi c Stokes b Curran 5

T A Boult not out 2

Extras (w 7) 7

Total (all-out; 49.5 Overs) 223

Fall: 1-1, 2-26, 3-60, 4-61, 5-79, 6-93, 7-177, 8-213, 9-214, 10-223

Bowling: Woakes 10-1-32-3; Wood 8-0-26-1; Stokes 4-0-23-0; Rashid 10-0-42-3; Ali 10-1-39-1; Root 2-0-15-0; Curran 5.5-0-46-2

England

J M Bairstow hit wicket b Boult 104

A D Hales c Williamson b Santner 61

J E Root not out 23

*E J G Morgan c de Grandhomme b Sodhi 8

B A Stokes not out 26

Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7

Total (3 wickets; 32.4 Overs) 229

Did not bat: †J C Buttler, M M Ali, C R Woakes, A U Rashid, T K Curran, M A Wood

Fall: 1-155, 2-177, 3-192

Bowling: Southee 5-1-20-0; Boult 6-0-50-1; de Grandhomme 4-0-33-0; Santner 10-0-44-1; Sodhi 7.4-0-78-1

Result: England won by 7 wickets

Series: England won the 5-match series by 3-2

Man of the Match: J Bairstow (England)

Man of the Series: C Woakes (England)

Umpires: W Knights (New Zealand) and R Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka). TV Umpires: R Tucker (Australia). Match Referee: R Madugalle (Sri Lanka)