Hamilton : An aggressive Colin Munro belted New Zealand into the Twenty20 tri-series final against Australia despite England claiming their final round-robin match by two runs in Hamilton on Sunday.
Munro plundered the England attack at the top of the New Zealand innings, equalling the sixth-fastest half-century of all time in cricket’s shortest form as he raced past 50 in just 18 deliveries. England, on the back of an unbeaten 80 by returning captain Eoin Morgan, posted 194 for seven after being sent into bat.
New Zealand, with Martin Guptill adding 62 and Hong Kong-born Mark Chapman unbeaten on 37, made 192 for four in reply.
The narrow two-run margin was not enough to save an England side who had lost all their previous games in the competition, and needed to win by 20 runs to overtake New Zealand on overall run-rate to face unbeaten Australia in Wednesdays final.
New Zealand passed that target at the start of the 18th over but the groundwork had been laid by opener Munros whirlwind 57 in a big-hitting innings that included seven sixes and three fours.
After New Zealands rollicking start, England spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson quietened the pace through the middle of the innings.