Overview
- New Zealand claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead with wins by four wickets in the opener and five wickets in the second ODI.
- Harry Brook’s 135 off 101 rescued England from 56/6 in the first match but could not prevent defeat.
- Blair Tickner’s four-wicket burst in the second ODI helped bowl England out for 175 in 36 overs.
- Mark Butcher urged England to show humility, respect conditions, and adapt tactics rather than stick to a fixed plan, while saying selection is not the core issue.
- England’s ODI slump has deepened with 17 losses in 25 since the 2023 World Cup, including 10 of 14 this year, as the dead-rubber third ODI awaits in Wellington on November 1.