England crush NZ to storm into semis

England stormed into the Cricket World Cup semi-final for the first time since 1992 after Jonny Bairstow's second consecutive century helped secure a comprehensive 119-run victory over New Zealand Wednesday.

Bairstow smashed 106 to lift England to 305/8 in their final group game at the Riverside Ground, though the total could easily have been bigger but for a middle-order collapse.

New Zealand wobbled early in their chase, losing both openers cheaply, before a couple of run-outs effectively derailed them and they were all out for 186 in 45 overs.

England will face either holder Australia or twice champion India in the semi-final at Edgbaston.

New Zealand could not qualify yesterday but, given their superior run rate, Pakistan would need a freak result against Bangladesh Friday to leapfrog the Black Caps.

After England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss, Bairstow and Jason Roy threatened to replicate their Edgbaston heroics where the openers added 160 to set up a campaign-reviving victory over India.

Back to back #CWC19 hundreds for Jonny Bairstow ?

No Englishman has ever before reached two World Cup tons in succession!

What a player ?#ENGvNZ | #WeAreEngland pic.twitter.com/JmzPQvhiP8

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 3, 2019

Against a New Zealand attack missing Lockie Ferguson, who is nursing a tight hamstring, Bairstow and Roy looked unstoppable, scoring freely to bring up England's 100 in the 15th over.

Jimmy Neesham ended the 123-run partnership in the 19th over when Roy, having made a run-a-ball 60, was caught at short cover.

Bairstow needed 95 balls to bring up his 100 as he and Joe Root kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Trent Boult returned to dismiss Root for 24 and England suddenly began losing wickets regularly with the pitch showing signs of slowing down.

Bairstow chopped a Matt Henry delivery onto his stumps and Jos Buttler miscued Boult to Kane Williamson at mid-off.

Ben Stokes struggled to get going and managed only 11 off 27 balls.

England become the third team to qualify for the semi-finals as Bairstow scores his second century on the trot
#ENGvNZ #CWC19https://t.co/Lt8VHTfg1I pic.twitter.com/LDtcHsguKY

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) July 3, 2019

Morgan made 42 before Mitchell Santner took a stunning catch off Henry to dismiss the England captain.

New Zealand were rocked early in their chase, losing both openers by the sixth over with a meagre 14 runs on the board.

The onus was on Williamson (27) and Ross Taylor (28) to put the chase back on track but two run-ours, one fortuitous and another ill-judged, led to the dismissals of New Zealand's two senior batsmen.

Taylor's drive brushed Mark Wood's fingers before hitting the stumps at the non-striker's end with Williamson out of his ground and Taylor ran himself out going for a risky second.

Tom Latham made a fighting 57 but it was too late to effect the result.

MATCH 41

ENGLAND INNINGS            R    B

Roy c Santner b Neesham         60    61

Bairstow b Henry             106    99

Root c Latham b Boult         24    25

Buttler c Williamson b Boult         11    12

Morgan c Santner b Henry         42    40

Stokes c Henry b Santner         11    27

Woakes c Williamson b Neesham     4    11

Plunkett not out             15    12

Rashid b Southee             16    12

Archer not out             1    1

Extras (b4, lb4, w7)             15

Total (50 overs)             305/8

Fall Of Wickets

1-123 (Roy), 2-194 (Root), 3-206 (Bairstow), 4-214 (Buttler), 5-248 (Stokes), 6-259 (Woakes), 7-272 (Morgan), 8-301 (Rashid)

Bowling

Santner 10-0-65-1, Boult 10-0-56-2, Southee 9-0-70-1, Henry 10-0-54-2, De Grandhomme 1-0-11-0, Neesham 10-1-41-2

NEW ZEALAND INNINGS        R    B

Guptill c Buttler b Archer        8    16

Nicholls lbw b Woakes        0    1

Williamson run out (Wood)        27    40

Taylor run out (Rashid)        28    42

Latham c Buttler b Plunkett        57    65

Neesham b Wood            19    27

De Grandhomme c Root b Stokes    3    13

Santner lbw b Wood            12    30

Southee not out            7    16

Henry b Wood                7    13

Boult st Buttler b Rashid        4    7

Extras (b 2, lb 6, w 6)            14 

Total (45 Overs)            186 all out 

Fall Of Wickets

1-2 (Nicholls), 2-14 (Guptill), 3-61 (Williamson), 4-69 (Taylor), 5-123 (Neesham), 6-128 (De Grandhomme), 7-164 (Latham), 8-166 (Santner), 9-181 (Henry), 10-186 (Boult)

Bowling

Woakes 8-0-44-1, Archer 7-1-17-1, Plunkett 8-0-28-1, Wood 9-0-34-3, Root 3-0-15-0, Rashid 5-0-30-1, Stokes 5-0-10-1

England won by 119 runs

MoM: Jonny Bairstow