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New Zealand star Devon Conway powered the Blackcaps to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over England in the 1st ODI of the four-match series. The match was held at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and saw Conway hammer a brilliant century to help his side gain a lead in the leg. The sensational inning by the 32-year-old Kiwi batter was even appreciated by New Zealand’s injured skipper, Kane Williamson, who stood up on his feet and applauded his efforts from the balcony.
England innings
Asked to bat first, England’s innings began steadily with contributions from Harry Brook (25) and Dawid Malan (54), who held the innings together. However, it was the duo of Ben Stokes (52) and Jos Buttler (72) who played crucial roles in the middle overs for the English side. Liam Livingstone also added a brisk 52 runs to power England to a competitive total of 291/6 after their allotted 50 overs.
New Zealand’s bowlers were spearheaded by Tim Southee, who picked up two wickets for 71 runs, and Rachin Ravindra, who bagged an impressive three scalps for 48 runs.
Devon Conway’s match-winning century
In reply, New Zealand’s opening pair of Conway and Will Young laid a solid foundation. However, it was Devon Conway who emerged as the hero of the day, crafting a splendid century (111 runs) that included thirteen boundaries and one six. The magnificent inning by Conway received great applause from the spectators, and even his teammates acknowledged the batter’s exploit from the balcony.
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Kane Williamson’s appreciation for Conway from the balcony
Among others, Williamson was also present at the balcony and appreciated Conway’s efforts by standing up on his feet as soon as Conway touched the three-figure mark. Williamson was seen wearing a big smile on his face while he clapped for the Kiwi opener.
Here’s the video:
🔥 Witness an extraordinary display of cricketing prowess as Devon Conway smashes his way to a century that changed the game! 🏏💯
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.#ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/w43XzxmpTx— FanCode (@FanCode) September 9, 2023
It is worth mentioning that Williamson injured his knee in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season but has made progress in his recovery and is expected travel to India with New Zealand for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023.
New Zealand’s resounding eight-wicket victory over England
Coming back to the match, Daryl Mitchell contributed with an explosive innings of 118 runs as well and ensured New Zealand’s dominance throughout the chase. Meanwhile, England’s bowlers struggled to make an impact, with Adil Rashid managing just one wicket for 70 runs and David Willey taking one wicket for 32 runs.
In the end, New Zealand comfortably reached the target of 292 in just 45.4 overs, securing a resounding 8-wicket victory. The outstanding performance by Conway earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
