Dominant England Seals A Semifinal Spot With A Big Win

Bairstow’s hundred helps the host go past 300; New Zealand batsmen come a cropper in face of some sustained bowling

- Shayan Acharya

Jonny Bairstow hammered his second consecutive World Cup century as England defeated New Zealand by 119 runs to storm into the semifinals of the World Cup.

At the picturesque Riverside ground on Tuesday, Bairstow’s gritty knock of 106 guided England to 305 for eight.

And, chasing a rather tricky total, two crucial runouts of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, cost the Kiwis, who folded up for 186 in 45 overs.

Despite the defeat, New Zealand stands close of reaching the semifinals. However, Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the last-four dimmed further. It will now have to beat Bangladesh by a heavy margin.

On a surface that had very little for the bowlers, New Zealand had a messy beginning as it lost openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls for just 14 runs.

Though Williamson and Taylor tried steadying the innings, a freak run out in the 15th over crashed Williamson’s dreams, and also that of New Zealand’s.

Mark Wood got a slight touch on Ross Taylor’s drive in his follow-through, and Williamson, who backed up too far at the non-striker’s end, had to depart. In the next over, Taylor too was run out by Adil Rashid.