England edged out at Whangarei

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England lost a tight tussle with the New Zealand XI off the final ball of their second Twenty20 warm-up match despite Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan’s half-centuries.

A late fightback with the ball - led by captain Stuart Broad, who claimed 3-24 - also proved in vain as, with scores level on 170, number nine Matt Henry hit Jade Dernbach past mid-off to settle the issue by three wickets.

Buttler and Morgan shared an unbroken 77 in yesterday’s 46-run win over the same opponents at the Cobham Oval - and this time they put on 87 together.

Yet their best efforts, of 51 and 51 not out respectively, were not enough as Tom Latham’s 64 underpinned a run-chase that was eventually completed in the nick of time following the late twist in the tale.

Three wickets fell for four runs - including that of Latham, caught in the leg-side deep off Broad - yet there was still too much leeway for the tourists to claw back.

Buttler’s second successive half-century - yesterday’s was his first for his country - came in 30 balls and contained five fours and two sixes.

Jos Buttler struck his second half-century in as many days yet England lost their final Twenty20 warm-up encounter against New Zealand XI

He fell to a catch at long-on when attempting to club the penultimate delivery of England’s innings for another six off Neil Wagner.

But that gave Morgan the chance to complete his fifty from the last ball by hitting Wagner for a six over midwicket to add to his six fours from just 28 deliveries.

Just as 24 hours earlier, England’s batsmen did not make the most promising of starts after being put in.

Alex Hales had mustered only four when he was short of his ground and run out by a direct hit, vainly trying scamper a single to square-leg for Michael Lumb.

There was a let-off for Luke Wright, who would have been run out for nought had left-armer Wagner managed to hit the stumps after cutting off another single into the off side in his follow-through.

It needed a big over to give England some momentum at the end of the powerplay and two leg-side sixes from Lumb and one from Wright off Test seamer Doug Bracewell was just what was required.

The acceleration was interrupted, though, by home captain Andrew Ellis - whose first two overs cost six runs and contained two wickets.

Wright tried to beat the infield with an upper-cut, but there was not enough pace on the ball and he was easily caught at short third-man.

Jonny Bairstow, promoted to number four, could not cash in on being dropped on one by spinner Nick Beard before he was pinned lbw on the back foot by Ellis.
Lumb was within five of his half-century when he struck Wagner hard to point to be caught by a juggling Neil Broom.

But that brought together Buttler and Morgan, who - with eight overs left - had plenty of time to reprise yesterday’s partnership.

The home openers began ominously and, after the fifth over from Steven Finn cost 20 runs - including a clever hook for six by Anton Devcich - the first-wicket stand passed 50 in only 35 deliveries.

Samit Patel had Hamish Rutherford caught at long-on and got through his four overs for only 20 runs.

Devcich then swept James Tredwell straight to deep square-leg, but number three Latham soon began to carry the game for the hosts - and by the time he hit England’s off-spinner over midwicket for six to reach his half-century from 29 balls, the New Zealand XI were obvious favourites.

Tredwell ended up being more than twice as expensive as his spin partner - and although Broad had Neil Broom caught at short fine-leg, England were still leaking too many runs.

The captain tried all he could, including a one-handed catch to see off danger man Colin Munro for only four.

But Finn recorded identical figures to Tredwell and even the late drama could not prevent England heading for the start of the three-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand on the back of a defeat.

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