A welcome boundary for Mark Chapman and New Zealand as he drills the first ball of Luke Wood's third over straight as a die for four.

Two balls later and Tim Seifert with a hefty swing of the willow to a cross-seamer to the left-arm quick and heaves it into the legside for another boundary along the ground.

Jem Green
CricViz data analyst

In the last year New Zealand have had the lowest dot ball percentage (29.5%) of all batting sides in T20Is. Today, when they need the scoreboard to be ticking over more than ever, they have failed to score off 13 balls in the first four overs.

Brydon Carse, head freshly shaven, has looked purposeful here.

Neither Mark Chapman nor Tim Seifert are able to really get the England seamer away. Two singles apiece.

England captain Harry Brook is grinning as he chirps some encouragement to his colleagues.

Adil Rashid has a shy at the non-striker's end after Tim Seifert sets off for a single having worked Luke Wood round the corner, but the Kiwi batter has comfortably made his ground.

Wood has 0-14 off two overs and seven dots. Solid stuff.

Kevin Howells
BBC Test Match Special commentator

England look to be shaping themselves into a good T20 team.

Luke Wood strays on to the hip of Tim Seifert with his first ball, who pulls it fine for four.

The England left-arm quick responds with a couple of dot balls.

Brisk stuff from Wood.

Mark Chapman opens the face to guide Brydon Carse for four through the vacant third region.

Carse is then punished with a front-foot no-ball but Chapman cannot punish one down the leg side, which brushes his pad on the way through.

An eventful second over comes to an end.

Luke Wood beats the outside edge of Tim Robinson's bat, then the England left-arm quick draws a leading edge to give him a single to complete the over.

Brydon Carse is limbering up.

NZ 9-0published at 0.4 overs

0.4 overs

A hint of movement in the air for Luke Wood who, as usual, does not have a single hair out of place.

Tim Robinson picks up one slightly over-pitched from the England left-arm quick and times it beautifully as he effortlessly dispatches it back over Wood's head for six.

Luke Wood has the new ball in hand for England. Tim Seifert has just marked his guard.

WinViz reckons this is going England's way. Let's see...

Image source, CricViz

I've actually played cricket in Cluj, as it happens, Mike.

Played against the great Pavel Florin, before he was famous.

Anyway, a quick turnaround at the Hagley Oval. England's players are already out on the field. We'll be under way shortly.

England opener Phil Salt, speaking at the innings break: "If we bowl well I think we have enough on the board. Obviously the wicket has had the chance to dry out and had more pace in it.

"It was brilliant fun batting with Harry [Brook] and he makes my job easier. It's easy to just give him the strike and allow him to continue the momentum of the game.

"I'll give the bowlers bits and pieces and let them figure it out! The slower balls gripped a bit more when the lights came on which might help us in the second innings."

Thanks, Mattthew.

Impressive from England - and especially from Phil Salt and Harry Brook.

That was breathless stuff. Here's Timothy Abraham to take you through the chase.

That was England's second-highest total in T20 internationals against New Zealand:

• 241-3 - Napier, November 2019
• 236-4 - Christchurch, October 2025
• 214-7 - Auckland, February 2013
• 198-4 - Old Trafford, September 2023
• 196-5 - The Oval, June 2013

Jacob Duffy nails his yorker last up but another wayward throw means England get back for two.

England end with their fifth highest T20 score. New Zealand will need to pull off their highest chase by a distance.

Two more. Good running.