One of the many things England’s limited-overs side excel at is finding silver linings. Even in the manner of their defeat in the fourth one-day international, when a collapse of eight for 46 allowed New Zealand to not only chase a lesser target of 336 but also to level the series at 2-2, there were positives. Hundreds for Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were immediate glints and now, with a decider at Hagley Oval on Saturday, comes a final in disguise.
“It’s huge,” said Bairstow when asked of the benefits of a winner-takes-all match. “If it’s not meant to be, we will learn from it and take it into the next series. The World Cup’s not tomorrow, or in two days, it’s in 16 months. This is part of the journey, it’s about getting it right for then.”
Getting it right for 2019 will include a few more wrongs in 2018. England’s failure to launch from 267 for one in the 38th over meant they relinquished all initiative in Dunedin. While they did reach 335 for nine, their highest score posted during this tour of Australia and New Zealand (only their second over 300), the fumble was enough to allow Ross Taylor’s stellar 181 not out to square the series.
Source : theguardian
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