The Latest: England posts 305-8 vs New Zealand

By Associated Press 04 July 2019, 12:00AM

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Day 35 of the Cricket World Cup (all times local):

2:25 p.m.

England stumbled after a blazing start by in-form openers Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy to post 305-8 against New Zealand in their high-stakes group match at Chester-le-Street.

Bairstow scored 106 for his second straight century and Roy swatted a 61-ball 60, setting up England for a shot at a massive total under sunny skies in a match the team must win to guarantee a place in the semifinals.

But from 194-1, England lost Joe Root (24), Bairstow and Jos Buttler (11) in a 19-ball spell to slump to 214-4 and the boundaries began to dry up.

Eoin Morgan's 42 off 40 balls helped to inch his team past 300, but New Zealand is back in the contest at the packed Riverside Ground. Jimmy Neesham had the tightest bowling figures of 2-41 off his 10 overs.

New Zealand will qualify for the semifinals with a win, and simply avoiding a big loss should be enough to ensure the Black Caps cannot be shunted from the semifinal lineup by fifth-placed Pakistan.

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1 p.m.

Jonny Bairstow has struck his second straight century at the Cricket World Cup, hitting form just when England needed him to.

The opener followed up his knock of 111 against India on Sunday by reaching three figures against New Zealand by flicking a full toss for four. It was his 14th boundary. Bairstow has also smashed a big six down the ground.

Bairstow acknowledged after the India game he was fired up after being called "negative and pathetic" by former England captain Michael Vaughan for suggesting pundits wanted England to lose at the World Cup.

He was bowled in the 33rd over by Matt Henry for 106 off 99 balls, leaving England 206-3.

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12:20 p.m.

England is 161-1 halfway through its allotted 50 overs against New Zealand, a flying start to a match the team must win to guarantee a place in the semifinals.

Jason Roy was the man out after a typically entertaining 60 off 61 balls, but fellow opener Jonny Bairstow (76 not out) was closing in on his second straight century.

Joe Root was unbeaten on 16.

Roy and Bairstow both reached 50 for the fourth time in this tournament.

By reaching 67-0 after 10 overs, England matched its best score from the opening powerplay. New Zealand's bowlers were getting flayed, the only respite coming when there was a brief delay in play as two Black Caps players searched for a ball in the pitchside covers after Roy's top-edge for four.

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10:10 a.m.

England has won the toss and chosen to bat first against New Zealand, a huge boost for the Cricket World Cup host in a tournament where chasing teams have struggled.

While England was unchanged from its weekend win over India, New Zealand had two alterations in personnel, both in the bowling department: Pacemen Tim Southee, making his first appearance of the tournament, and Matt Henry in for the injured Lockie Ferguson and spinner Ish Sodhi.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said after the toss he would also have had a bat under sunny skies in northern England.

England captain Eoin Morgan said there was "excitement" among his players because "there's a bit more on the line ... it's a bit like a quarterfinal."

Lineups:

England: Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (captain), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Trent Boult.

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9:30 a.m.

New Zealand will be without Lockie Ferguson against England, with the seamer missing out because of a tight left hamstring.

Ferguson is the Black Caps' leading wicket-taker at this Cricket World Cup with 17.

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9 a.m.

One of England and New Zealand will be in the Cricket World Cup semifinals after their high-stakes meeting at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.

While the winner heads to the playoffs, the loser will face a nervous wait until Friday when fifth-placed Pakistan gets a final chance to climb into the top four.

There's more at stake for England at Riverside Stadium, where the forecast is for unbroken play.

The tournament host is in fourth place and only a point clear of Pakistan, which closes its group campaign against already-eliminated Bangladesh.

New Zealand is two points clear of Pakistan but has a much healthier net run-rate than its rival. So just avoiding a heavy defeat against England should ensure the Black Caps cannot be shunted from the semifinal lineup.

England is looking to avenge an embarrassing eight-wicket loss to New Zealand at the 2015 World Cup, which captain Eoin Morgan described as the "rock bottom" moment of his career.

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More AP cricket: www.apnews.com/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

By Associated Press 04 July 2019, 12:00AM

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