England became the third team to reach the semi-finals of the 2019 ICC World Cup with a comfortable 119-run victory over New Zealand in Durham on Wednesday.
Jonny Bairstow became the first English batsman to hit centuries in back-to-back World Cup matches as his 106 off 99 deliveries laid the platform for England’s first innings score of 305/8.
In reply, New Zealand never really got going and lost their first wicket in the very first over.
The Kiwis who made cautious progress thereafter suffered a hammer blow when Kane Williamson was run out for 27. Tom Latham’s half-century took the Kiwis closer to the 200-run mark and thus ensured that their net run-rate did not slip enough to give Pakistan any encouragement.
The Kiwis were bowled out for 186, but are very much likely to feature in the semi-finals.
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