Cricket: Joe Root and Jos Buttler key to English series hopes

England's Jos Buttler celebrates his 50 runs during a One Day International cricket match against New Zealand in Hamilton. Photo / AP

Contrasting innings from Joe Root and Jos Buttler suggest the pair are crucial to England's hopes of beating New Zealand in their five-match one-day international duel, and securing their ninth bilateral series victory out of 10 in the format.

Root's technical confidence and Buttler's hand-eye co-ordination prevented ball dominating bat in their 284 for eight at Seddon Park yesterday.

No 3 Root made 71 from 75 balls, his third half-century in six ODI innings across the Southern Hemisphere summer.

No 6 Buttler made 79 from 65 balls. He channelled a mood befitting someone who owns three of England's four fastest ODI centuries.

The pair's ODI records are outstanding against New Zealand.

Root averages 62.25 and strikes at 94 in 15 innings, compared with a career record of 51.15 in 97 innings with a strike rate of 87.

Similarly Buttler averages 42.70 and strikes at 136 in 12 innings, compared with an overall average of 38.20 in 89 innings with a strike rate of 118.

Root began his innings at the start of the fifth over, with England under pressure at 10 for one. They lost Bairstow edging Trent Boult to Taylor on four from 13 balls.

England were still battling at 34 for one when New Zealand opted for first change Mitchell Santner in the 10th over, but Root held his nerve.

He worked the ball to set a platform that the lower order struggled to capitalise on, despite Buttler's effort.

Root formed a second-wicket partnership of 79 with Jason Roy, 37 runs better than the next best stand. Eventually he was undone by a Colin Munro knuckle ball which took the top of off stump.

Buttler's was an innings of contrasts compared to the metronomic Root.

He took eight balls to get off the mark, which occurred awkwardly with a boundary between wicketkeeper and first slip off Santner in the 31st over. After struggling against Ish Sodhi in five balls to start, Buttler hit him for three consecutive sixes as part of a 32nd over which conceded 20 runs.

He again battled at the death as Sodhi, Santner, Boult and particularly Tim Southee proved troublesome to unleash.

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