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CHRISTCHURCH: England skipper Harry Brook smashed 78 to steer his side to a thumping 65-run victory over New Zealand in the second T20I on Monday.
The visitors raced to a mammoth 236-4 from their 20 overs after Black Caps captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field at Hagley Oval.
Brook and opener Phil Salt (85) blasted New Zealand to all parts while the hosts didn’t help themselves with misfields, errant throwing, and dropped catches.
Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert dropped Jacob Bethell after a top edge swirled high in the strong northwest wind, and later James Neesham put down Brook.
The Brook drop was crucial, with the 26-year-old blasting 78 from just 35 deliveries as part of a 129-run partnership with Salt.
Brook showed his intent just two balls after he was dropped, smacking a powerful pull shot more than 100 metres over midwicket, the ball landing outside the ground.
He hit six fours and five sixes during his stay, finally falling after mistiming a lofted drive to long-on.
Salt played second fiddle for much of his innings, scoring 85 from 56 balls, rotating the strike before seizing on any loose bowling.
Brook said the pair tried to keep one another “calm and composed” during their century stand, while “looking to manipulate the field and put them under as much pressure as possible”.
Tom Banton blasted 29 from only 12 balls to end the innings, helping England to the highest T20 total scored in Christchurch.
New Zealand’s chase started poorly, losing both Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra in the second over.
It found life with Seifert and Mark Chapman, who combined for a 69-run partnership in quick time, but when both fell either side of the 10-over mark New Zealand’s pursuit had all but ended.
England’s spinners, Adil Rashid (4-32) and Liam Dawson (2-38), and seamer Brydon Carse (2-27) gave away little during their spells as New Zealand were bowled out for 171.
The third match of the T20 series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday night.
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