Apparently batsman need to be able to anticipate the ball bowled before it has even left the hand of a quickie.

Image source, Getty Images

Tim Southee is no express train, but Joe Root changed his mind when that delivery was halfway to him - aborting a sweep to leg to offer the face of the bat and glance the ball past short third man for four.

You won't see better improv on who's line is it anyway?

MoMo:, external Still finding it genuinely difficult to understand the transformation in England's one day game. Outstanding.

Ismaeel akujee:, external T20 cricket is the best the teams just go all out that's what everyone wants to see in all forms of cricket.

Nathan McCullum is on to see if his spin can clog up England's batting gears.

And he has done a decent job with England's batsman reduced to ones and twos rather than the show-stopping, block-busting fare they have been dealing in for much of the summer so far.

Seven from that over, but that is down from the average of 10 an over previously.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"You can hear the buzz around Old Trafford. The crowd are absolutely loving this so far."

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

"The straight boundaries at Old Trafford aren't the biggest. On the front row of the press box, right behind the bowler's arm, I feel right in the game. If I'm feeling cowardly, it might be best to tactically retreat to the back row."

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to the party, Tim Southee.

New Zealand's first bowling change is given the run around as Joe Root clumps a lovely straight six down the ground on the back of a cut through point for four.

Root gets a little cheeky with an attempted switch sweep, the ball glances off the toe and he gets away with it with another run.

Fourteen runs off the over, 60 off the powerplay. Good work from England.

Mitchell Santner is not giving Joe Root and Alex Hales much width to work with. Just four runs off the first four balls of the over before Hales strides back towards leg side and works the ball though a gap on the off side for a four.

Image source, Getty Images

And once he has cracked the riddle, Hales plunders more. A slog-sweep six keeps England's rate ticking along a decent rate. Glorious shot.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Early indications are this is a belting batting pitch. Expect a massive total and a great New Zealand chase."

That wicket has taken some of the steam out of England's turbines.

Mitchell McClenghan, treated like an all-you-can-eat run buffet in his first over, is a lot more slippery this time around.

England are particularly struggling to pick up his useful slower ball.

And he is a goner.

Jason Roy pushes his luck after getting a flying start to his innings and Kane Williamson's throw is a dead-eyed shy.

There were a good few yards separating him from safety.

Image source, Getty Images

A chance for New Zealand as Jason Roy gets a top edge and a fast-backpedalling Munro almost snags it. Not quite.

Hang on! A run-out shout...

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

"I'm not sure of the wisdom of the ferocity of the pyrotechnics that the players walked through as they entered the arena. Just a yard or two away from fireworks and flames, I spotted all of Eoin Morgan, Alex Hales, Joe Root and Grant Elliott flinching. A young lad holding a flag almost came a cropper, too."

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"You have to love the audacity of Jason Roy. So brave, he takes the shot on. What a start."

Image source, Getty Images

And a pose for the cameras to boot.

Jason Roy absolutely wallops an enormous straight six back down the ground. Mitchell McClenaghan looks like he has returned home to find his cats have dragged a dead bird onto his kitchen floor.

Not amused at all.

A slower-ball bouncer catches Roy out later in the over, but Roy has the final word, thumping a clean drive over the top for another clouting six.

England's over and pace under attack.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"It is still important we keep going forward and keep being aggressive. It is a good wicket today and a fantastic opportunity to deliver that."

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Jason Roy has not done a bad job this series, he has just been overshadowed by Alex Hales."

Nice from Santner who has Jason Roy pinned down for the first half of the over.

Dot-ball, followed by one that darted back and caught him unawares, eventually Roy scarpers down the other end, relieved to see a leading edge drop short.

Hales and Roy scrape another two singles, but that was tied down tight as a straitjacket by the Kiwi twirler.

Mitchell Santner will open up for New Zealand with a bit of spin.

Jason Roy on strike for England.

England: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Sam Billings, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 David Willey, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Steven Finn

New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson, 3 Brendon McCullum (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Colin Munro, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Matt Henry

Image source, Reuters

Right, out come the two teams amid some worryingly loud and close pyro.

Any errant nostril hairs will have been thoroughly singed.

Let's get a cast list.