Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 28: Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan made half centuries to guide England to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second One-day International here today, leveling the five-match series at 1-1.
Morgan made 62 and Stokes signalled his return to form after a five-month layoff with an unbeaten 63 as England surpassed New Zealand�s total of 223 with more than 12 overs remaining.
Stokes scored 12 and took 2-43 in the first match of the series, which was his first appearance for England since his arrest on September 25 after a brawl outside a Bristol, England nightclub.
He had a more imposing influence on Wednesday�s match, taking 2-42 from eight overs, contributing to a runout and reaching his half century from 54 balls, his first 50 in ODIs since his 73 against the West Indies in Bristol on the day before his arrest.
New Zealand�s mediocre total seemed unlikely to challenge England and after it briefly slipped to 86-3 losing Jason Roy for 8, Joe Root for 9 and Jonny Bairstow for 37, Morgan and Stokes put it on track to victory with a partnership of 88 for the fourth wicket.
Stokes and Jos Buttler (36 not out) then added an unbroken 56 for the fifth wicket to steer England home in the 38th over.
�We wanted to come back strong after the defeat in the first game,� Stokes said. �We felt we�d let ourselves down a little bit in the field.
�I think the lads jumped around that and I think we showed new intensity by the way that we fielded. Then to restrict them to 220 on a pretty decent batting wicket, I think the bowlers did a great job.�
SCORECARD
New Zealand: Martin Guptill c Roy b Ali 50, Colin Munro c Buttler b Woakes 1, Mark Chapman c Willey b Woakes 1, Ross Taylor run out 10, Tom Latham c Curran b Ali 22, Henry Nicholls c Roy b Stokes 1, Colin de Grandhomme run out 38, Mitchell Santner not out 63, Tim Southee run out 6, Lockie Ferguson c Rashid b Stokes 19, Trent Boult run out 2. Extras: (5lb, 5w) 10. Total: (All out in 49.4 overs) 223. Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-9, 3-48, 4-79, 5-82, 6-108, 7-141, 8-147, 9-216, 10-223. Bowling: David Willey 5-0-16-0, Chris Woakes 7.4-0-42-2, Adil Rashid 10-0-32-0, Tom Curran 9-0-17-0, Moeen Ali 10-0-33-2, Ben Stokes 8-0-42-2.
England: Jason Roy c Santner b Boult 8, Jonny Bairstow c sub (Astle) b Ferguson 37, Joe Root c de Grandhomme b Boult 9, Eoin Morgan c and b Munro 62, Ben Stokes not out 63, Jos Buttler not out 36. Extras: (2lb, 8w) 10. Total: (For four wickets in 37. 5 overs) 225. Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-47, 3-86, 4-174. Bowling: Tim Southee 7-0-55-0, Trent Boult 8-1-46-2, Mitchell Santner 7.5-0-40-0, Lockie Ferguson 8-0-48-1, Colin de Grandhomme 2-0-11-0, Colin Munro 5-0-23-1. � AP
