Ross Taylor top-scored with a knock of 119 off 96 balls © Getty Images
Ross Taylor top-scored with a knock of 119 off 96 balls © Getty Images

New Zealand finished on a massive score of 398 for 5 after 50 overs during the second One-Day International (ODI) against England at the Oval in Friday. Ross Taylor remained unbeaten and top-scored with a knock of 119 off 96 balls, along with Mitchell Santner (15 off 11 balls). The England bowling performance was a sorry one, with Ben Stokes‘s haul of 9-0-66-2 being the best performance. Live Updates: England vs New Zealand, 2nd ODI at Oval

The match saw a complete turnaround by the New Zealand batsman from their below-par performance in the first ODI, in which they were bundled out for a paltry score of 198. The batsman looked in complete control for the most part, and the fact that partnerships were forged everytime the Blacks Caps lost a wicket contributed to their dominance. Free Live Streaming: England vs New Zealand, 2nd ODI at Oval

Skipper Brendon McCullum got his side off to a flying start, with New Zealand accumulating 77 runs in the first 10 overs. After the first over went for a maiden, McCullum did not waste much time in getting the team into the fifth gear, smashing 21 runs off the sixth over bowled by Chris Jordan. McCullum however, was not able to get to his half-century, after a half-hearted pull off Liam Plunkett ended in a catch to Ben Stokes. Live Cricket Score: England vs New Zealand, 2nd ODI at Oval

It was not one of those performances in which McCullum, or any New Zealand batsman, single-handedly demolished the opposition bowlers. Most of the top and middle-order contributed to the run-fest, with as many as three batsmen posting 50-plus scores.

The Kiwis took some time to settle after the first wicket, with Martin Guptill adding a steady 53 runs for the second-wicket with Kane Williamson, completing his 23rd ODI fifty in the process. Following his dismissal on 50 off 54 balls, Williamson formed a vital partnership with Ross Taylor. The pair began to attack the bowlers, especially Adil Rashid, as they completed the 100-run stand in just 76 deliveries. Williamson was graceful in his innings, hitting 10 fours and a six. Catch live cricket scores and ball-by-ball commentary of the 2nd ODI between England and New Zealand

The biggest improvement that New Zealand showed in this match was the fact that they did not panic after a dismissal, and that the batsmen composed and calculated in their approach throughout the innings. After Williamson departed seven runs short of a deserved century, Taylor kept the run-rate well above seven per over, with Grant Elliott contributing with two sixes and three fours at a strike rate of over 200.

Elliott’s dismissal for 32 off 15 deliveries paved way for wicket-keeper batsman Luke Ronchi to walk to the crease. Ronchi, who was dismissed for a duck in the previous game, was a different batsman today as he smashed 33 runs off 16 balls, including two fours and three sixes, keeping the hopes of crossing the 400-run mark very much alive. Santner provided vital support to Ronchi for the sixth-wicket stand, as
Taylor brought up his 13th ODI ton in the 48th over. In the end, the Black Caps were just two runs short of the 400-run mark, which they have breached only once in ODIs.

Brief scores:

New Zealand 398 for 5 in 50 overs (Martin Guptill 50, Brendon McCullum 39, Kane Williamson 93, Ross Taylor 113*, Grant Elliott 32, Luke Ronchi 33; Ben Stokes 2 for 66) vs England.

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