England beaten by NZ despite outrageous Brook ton

First one-day international, Mount Maunganui

England 223 (35.2 overs): Brook 135 (101), Overton 46 (54); Foulkes 4-41

New Zealand 224-6 (36.4 overs): Mitchell 78* (91), Bracewell 51 (51); Carse 3-45

New Zealand won by four wickets; lead series 1-0

Scorecard

England were beaten by four wickets by New Zealand in the first one-day international, despite Harry Brook's outrageous century threatening to rescue his side after a horrid top-order batting collapse.

The tourists lost Jamie Smith to the first ball of the match, were 5-3 at the end of the second over with Joe Root bowled for two and 33-5 in the ninth.

Their hopes, along with any idea of Root and co easing into form before the Ashes, appeared in tatters but captain Brook counter-attacked against superb New Zealand bowling in favourable, seaming conditions, hitting an audacious 135 from 101 balls to drag his side to 223 in Mount Maunganui.

No other batter in England's top seven made double figures but Brook struck 11 sixes - seven of which came as he dominated a 10th-wicket stand of 57 with last man Luke Wood.

Although England were all out in 35.2 overs, Brook had given his side a chance and when Brydon Carse took three wickets in a fine new-ball spell the Black Caps were in real danger at 66-4.

Crucially, though, England dropped Michael Bracewell on two and Daryl Mitchell on 33. Bracewell went on to make 51 and Mitchell 78 not out as the hosts won with 13.2 overs to spare.

England can level the series in the second match in Hamilton on Wednesday (01:00 GMT) but this match will be best remembered for:

It is no secret England are using this tour, including the stop-start rain-affected T20s that preceded these ODIs, to build towards the Ashes.

While others are yet to find form, the question for Brook, who scored 78 in the second T20 last week, is whether he can maintain his through the switch in conditions and formats.

Batting was perilously difficult when he came in.

Brook was hit on the body three times as he failed to score from his first six deliveries. He advanced to his seventh to drive Henry through the covers and it showed him the way.

The 26-year-old reached 50 in 36 deliveries before settling into a stand of 87 with Jamie Overton. When Overton fell to a leading edge for 46, Carse and Adil Rashid quickly followed and Brook cut loose while farming the strike to protect Wood.

He hit three consecutive sixes off Jacob Duffy to reach his hundred and struck another three in one over from Henry - targeting the leg side and dispatching anything short by either flicking it over fine leg or cracking it over mid-wicket.

The low-key nature of this series and the fact it came in a disappointing defeat should not prevent this knock from being rated among the best for England in ODIs.

He scored 60.5% of England's runs - putting him 12th on the all-time list for that statistic in ODIs. It was also Brook's highest score in the format.