Football
Reuters 17y

UPDATE 1-Styris inspires Kiwis to important win over England

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By Mark Meadows

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, March 16 - Scott Styris took
two scalps before striking an unbeaten 87 to help New Zealand
recover from a shaky start and beat England by six wickets in
their World Cup Group C match on Friday.

The Black Caps reached their target in 41 overs after
England had been undone by some rash shots and suffered a
middle-order collapse on their way to 209 for seven.

If both sides progress to the Super Eight stage as expected,
New Zealand will carry over the two points gained from this
match.

Their chase began badly however when seamer James Anderson,
playing despite a broken little finger on his bowling hand,
tempted Lou Vincent to nick behind for a duck in the first over.

Andrew Flintoff then produced a stunning one-handed slip
catch to remove Ross Taylor also for nought in the second over.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming followed for seven when
he played an uncharacteristically wild shot and was caught in
the deep by Ed Joyce off Anderson to leave his side in trouble
on 19 for three.

Styris and Craig McMillan, who recovered from a bruised toe
to play, then repaired the damage before McMillan decided to go
after left-arm spinner Monty Panesar's second ball and was
caught by Jamie Dalrymple off the cover boundary for 27.

All-rounder Styris was joined by Jacob Oram (63 not out) and
the pair guided their side home with a partnership of 138 as
England became increasingly ragged in the field.

LOOSE SHOTS

Heavy morning rain forced the start to be delayed by half an
hour, with the wet conditions leading Fleming to put England
into bat.

But the bowlers needed little help early on with England's
top three getting themselves out with loose shots.

Opener Joyce wafted away from his body and edged James
Franklin behind to Brendon McCullum for a duck in the second
delivery of the first over after a no-ball.

Ian Bell then made five before making the same mistake
against Oram.

Captain Michael Vaughan, who played a full part despite
fitness concerns, hit 26 before dragging a Franklin ball on to
his stumps.

Kevin Pietersen, who missed most of England's recent
tri-series triumph in Australia because of a broken rib, then
survived an lbw shout, dropped catch and close stumping to
steady the innings with 60 before the mini-collapse left England
reeling.

Paul Collingwood (31), Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff (0)
fell inside seven balls for one run with New Zealand paceman
Shane Bond taking two of the wickets to finish with two for 19
from 10. Styris grabbed two for 25 off seven.

However, an unbeaten eighth-wicket 71-run partnership
between Paul Nixon (42) and Liam Plunkett (29) gave England at
least something to bowl at and thrilled a half-full Beausejour
stadium, which was swelled by ranks of England's Barmy Army.

Kenya hammered Canada by seven wickets in the first Group C
match on Wednesday. The seven-week long World Cup culminates in
the Barbados final on April 28.

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