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Harry Brook’s stunning solo strike saves England from embarrassment new zealand Mount Maunganui leveled the three-match ODI series for the first time with a four-wicket win.
Brook came to the crease England At five for three they were further mired at 33 for five, their lowest ODI score of 86 against Australia in 2001.
The Yorkshireman ensured he avoided that infamy by hitting 11 sixes and nine fours with a smashing 135 off 101 balls, which accounted for 60.54 per cent of his team’s 223 runs – a record for England in ODIs.
New Zealand, in reply, scored 66 for four, with Kane Williamson out for a golden duck for the first time in ODIs, but England’s fielding let them down as they dropped three catches, including that of Daryl Mitchell, whose unbeaten 78 helped the Kiwis seal victory with 13.2 overs to spare.
England suffered their ninth defeat in 13 ODIs in 2025, but what was a competitive contest appeared to be away after a dreadful start, with only Brook and Jamie Overton reaching double figures.
While Brook’s innings bodes well less than four weeks before the start of the Ashes, his Test teammate Jamie Smith, ben duckettJoe Root and Jacob Bethel all failed in bowler-friendly conditions.
Matt Henry bowled the first ball in defense of Smith, while Jack Foulkes struck twice in the next over, surprising Duckett, who bowled low to Tom Latham, before Root threw his head back in frustration after missing a drive and being bowled.
Foulkes produced another Jaffa to strengthen Bethel and Jos Buttler and Sam Curran both dismissed the England side, who had scored 414 for five against South Africa last month but were reduced to 56 for six.
Brook, however, was completely relaxed at the other end, using his legs to deny seam movement, while he took advantage of the strong gusts prevailing at the Bay Oval to pull Foulkes for a few sixes.
A third six off the leading edge took Brook to his eighth fifty-plus score in 12 innings in New Zealand and he finally found a capable foil as Overton contributed to a 46-run-a-ball 87 partnership.
Brook got life after sweeping on 63 runs. Rachin RavindraWho had both hands on the ball but was unable to hold on, and took advantage when Jacob Duffy caught Overton, Carse and Adil Rashid in the ring.
With only Luke Wood for support, Brook hit his century in 82 balls with three consecutive sixes off Duffy and continued on his merry way before dismissing opposite number Mitch Santner.
New Zealand found the batting difficult early on, as did England, with Carse bowling to Will Young and then finding a hint of movement to take the edge of Williamson’s bat on his next ball.
Carse then trapped Tom Latham LBW, but Root conceded a low chance when Bracewell was on two and Wood missed a routine waist-high chance when Mitchell reverse-swept for 33, and both batsmen ensured mistakes were not spared as they scored valuable fifties.
Bracewell did not continue, being run out for 51 after a direct hit from Overton through mid-on, but Cares could not reach Santner’s pull in the deep and hit a couple of sixes before being caught at long-off in an attempt to hit his third six in four balls.
New Zealand still needed 18 runs but Mitchell ensured there were no nerves in guiding the hosts home.