New Zealand overcame a blitz from centurion Harry Brook to beat England by four wickets on Sunday in the opening game of their three-match one-day international series, with Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell scoring half-centuries.
The hosts wobbled chasing 224, losing four quick wickets, including former captain Kane Williamson for a first-ball duck in his first match for the side since March, but Mitchell took them home with an unbeaten 78 after being dropped on 33.
Bracewell also earned a reprieve early on and ran himself out for 51 to open the door for England after the initial burst from Brydon Carse (3-45), but New Zealand got back on track thanks to Mitch Santner's 27 and prevailed in 36.4 overs.
"There was still a lot in the wicket," skipper Santner said.
"We lost a couple more than we would have liked in the chase but the intent was great ... Daryl and Michael's partnership was massive for us."
England recovered from a disastrous start as captain Brook bludgeoned 135 from 101 balls and Jamie Overton made 46 to help their side finish on 223 all out in 35.2 overs for a fighting chance in the contest.
Asked to bat first at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, England were rocked early by New Zealand's seamers as Zak Foulkes (4-41) and Matt Henry (2-53) reduced the tourists to 56-6 within 12 devastating overs in helpful conditions.
'GREAT START'
"Yeah it was tough work in the end, but I think the way we started off, with wickets in the powerplay, it's always a great start," Santner said.
"We know Matt can do that and then Zak was outstanding, the way he swung it. It looks like a nightmare facing him. Obviously long spells, but we knew wickets were massive because even when they're four or five down they've got (batsmen).
"Getting Brook earlier would have been nice but he was outstanding today."
Brook went into attack mode despite the carnage around him and brought up his fifty in 36 balls with a top-edged six off Nathan Smith, before Overton took his team's total to three figures with another big hit off Jacob Duffy (3-55).
Overton shrugged off being hit on the helmet by Smith and closed in on his own half-century, but departed four runs short after a fine catch on the second attempt by Mitchell that ended the 87-run seventh-wicket partnership.
CONSECUTIVE SIXES
Duffy removed Carse with the very next ball to leave England teetering again on 143-8, but Brook took control following Adil Rashid's fall shortly afterwards, reaching his ton with three consecutive sixes and taking his side past 200 runs.
A belligerent Brook continued to deal in big shots, swelling his tally of sixes to 11, but was snared trying to sweep Santner out of the park as New Zealand stopped the bleeding to stay on top in the series opener.
"I felt I was in good touch," man of the match Brook said.
"Obviously we didn't get off to a great start and I tried to take it up on myself to have a counter-punch. Thankfully it came off today.
"I've done it a few times actually, it's a do-or-die moment. I managed to get us a decent score to defend. We started nicely with the ball, but we just struggled to take wickets throughout the middle."
The second game takes place in Hamilton on Wednesday, with New Zealand seeking another victory after losing the preceding rain-hit Twenty20 series between the teams 1-0.
