Woakes, Plunkett help England restrict NZ to 241-8

LONDON: England’s impressive pace attack restricted New Zealand to 241-8 in their World Cup final on a green wicket in overcast conditions here at Lord’s on Sunday.

With a packed home crowd cheering them on, the quartet of Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer and Mark Woods bowled tight spells to keep the Black Caps on a tight leash with only opener Henry Nicholls managing to hit a fifty.

After electing to bat first, the Black Caps were never really able to lift their innings in what were quite challenging conditions. Out-of-sorts opener Martin Guptill briefly threatened the potent English attack as he hit Archer with a six and four but in the end it was yet another World Cup disappointment for him. Guptill, who was the top-scorer at the 2015 World Cup, fell to a peach of a delivery from Woakes that nipped back in off the seam. It seemed plumb but the openers discussed it and then opted for a review, a decision which turned out to be a bad move.

Williamson then joined Nicholls and the duo slowly began to build a platform with a second wicket stand of 74. In the 23rd over, things were looking good for New Zealand at 103-1 but it was then that Liam Plunkett got into his act.

He first claimed the prized scalp of Williamson, who came into the final as New Zealand’s most prolific run-getter with scores of 40, 79, 106, 148, 41, 40, 27 and 67. But in perhaps the most important game of his international career, Williamson was undone by a cross-seamer leaving England ecstatic. But umpire Dharmasena didn’t agree and England were forced to seek a review. TV replays showed that there was a feather edge when Williamson attempted to drive away from his body.

It was the key wicket as England knew that with Williamson gone, they could go for the kill. It was only the second time in this World Cup that the New Zealand captain was dismissed for less than 40. His workmanlike 30 came off 53 balls with just two fours.

Plunkett struck again 15 runs later, this time removing the well-settled Nicholls to put New Zealand on the back foot. Nicholls was trying to hit him towards the covers but ended up dragging on to his stumps leaving New Zealand at 118-3. His 55 came off 77 balls and included four boundaries. From then on wickets fell at regular intervals as England’s pace attack tightened the screws. Ross Taylor was trapped LBW by Mark Wood for just 15 and it mainly because of a fighting 47 from 56 balls by Tom Latham that New Zealand were able to put a decent total in challenging conditions. England gave away 30 extras – the joint third highest of the innings.

New Zealand could have scored more but the England pace quartet of Woakes, Archer, Plunkett and Woods bowled a piercing line. James Neesham was kept on a tight leash in his 25-ball 19 while Archer toyed with Colin de Grandhomme (16 from 28) with an array of short and fast deliveries.

Woakes, who was England’s hero in their big semi-final win against Australia, finished with 3-37 from nine overs while Plunkett took 3-42 from 10. Before them, Derek Pringle was the only England player to take a three-wicket haul in a World Cup final – against Pakistan in 1992.

New Zealand

M. Guptill lbw b Woakes 19

H. Nicholls b Plunkett 55

K. Williamson c Buttler b Plunkett 30

R. Taylor lbw b Wood 15

T. Latham c sub (Vince) b Woakes 47

J. Neesham c Root b Plunkett 19

Grandhomme c sub (Vince) b Woakes 16

M. Santner not out 5

M. Henry b Archer 4

T. Boult not out 1

Extras: (lb12, nb1, w17) 30

Total: (8 wickets, 50 overs) 241

DNB: L. Ferguson

Fall: 1-29 (Guptill), 2-103 (Williamson), 3-118 (Nicholls), 4-141 (Taylor), 5-173 (Neesham), 6-219 (Grandhomme), 7-232 (Latham), 8-240 (Henry)

Bowling: Woakes 9-0-37-3 (w4, nb1), Archer 10-0-42-1 (w5), Plunkett 10-0-42-3, Woods 10-1-49-1 (w2), Rashid 8-0-39-0, Stokes 3-0-20-0 (w2)

England: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wkt), Liam Plunkett, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood

Toss: New Zealand

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Marais Erasmus (RSA)

TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).