England opened their four match Vitality T20 series with a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand at Seat Unique Riverside.
Brydon Carse collected T20 best figures of 3 for 23 on his International T20 debut on home soil before Dawid Malan scored 54 to help England chase down 140 from just 14 overs.
England inserted New Zealand who came flying out of the blocks as Finn Allen punished Luke Wood’s short-pitched bowling, scoring three consecutive sixes from the opening over.
New Zealand’s early momentum was tempered as Sam Curran and Brydon Carse helped apply the handbrake, the latter hitting the back-of-a-length very well.
Wood returned in the fourth over and found his length to claim the wicket of Devon Conway, with the opener finely edging a pitched-up delivery behind to Buttler.
Curran- who put down Allen in the second over- was spared his blushes when Carse had him castled for 21, to claim his maiden T20 International wicket to put the Kiwis in a precarious position at 31 for two.
England had a third inside the powerplay when Tim Seifert attempted to play Wood across the line, the ball striking his off stump; New Zealand ending the powerplay on 38 for three.
The introduction of England’s spinners continued to stifle New Zealand with Moeen Ali’s tight line proving difficult to deal with. He struck in his opening over, beating Mark Chapman on his back foot and finding the top of his off peg.
The visitors struggled to break above seven an over during the middle overs and this was compounded by regular dismissals. Liam Livingstone removed Lancashire teammate Daryl Mitchell in the 12th before Adil Rashid then returned to remove Mitchell Santner in the 15th with the Kiwis falling 96 for six.
Glenn Phillips looked to be The Kiwis’ main hope of salvaging a respectable score but immediately after he powered Wood through cover for four, he holed out to Sam Curran for 41 from 38 deliveries.
The Kiwis crashed Livingstone and Curran for back-to-back sixes before Curran bounced back with an impressive death bowling display. Carse claimed the wickets of Adam Milne and Ish Sodhi in the final over of the innings to take the best IT20 figures by an England bowler on debut since 2015.
England’s chase of 140 did not begin as planned, Kiwis skipper Tim Southee finding enough movement to have Jonny Bairstow edging to Mitchell at slip for four.
England found their rhythm in the fourth with Will Jacks immediately making use of Lockie Ferguson’s extra pace, clubbing him through the off side for consecutive fours before striking six on his third delivery, scoring 16 from the over.
Malan followed suit the following over as he scored 15 off Santner, with three consecutive fours. England scored 61 in the powerplay before Sodhi had Jacks caught in the deep in the seventh.
England passed halfway to their target in the eighth over before Brook showed his power in the ninth, launching Sodhi over the rope twice consecutively. Malan brought up his 16th IT20 half century with a maximum next over.
Brook continued to put on a show as he sent a Southee slower delivery flying into the stands for his third six. Malan miscued a Ferguson slower ball the next over, departing for a well-made 54 with England requiring just 24 more for victory.
Brook- who made an unbeaten 43- and Livingstone took England to a comprehensive victory with the pair scoring 15 from the final over.