England thrash Kiwis to reach WT20 final

The match in a tweet: Ben Stokes helps England tie previously unbeaten Kiwis in knots before Jason Roy blasts 2010 champions into the #WT20 decider

The hero: Jason Roy picked a helluva time to hit a new career best. His previous was 43 but tonight he blasted 70 from just 44 balls. With New Zealand so brilliantly restricted at the end of their innings, Roy stamped England's authority all over the run-chase in the first over, despatching Corey Anderson for four boundaries to ease the nerves in the Old Dart. He smashed 11 fours, picking the Black Caps bowlers apart seemingly at will, and lifting two more over the fence. The foundation he gave England was enough they were able to weather a mini-storm when his dismissal – beaten by Ish Sodhi and far from the first to have that fate befall him in Inida – was followed next ball by his skipper Eoin Morgan.

The support cast: Ben Stokes picked up three wickets, a run-out, and personified the confidence and self-belief that this victory was possible that has imbued this England outfit reborn under Australian coach Trevor Bayliss. His first over saw Kane Williamson strike one of the purest sixes you'll see. But his endeavour and commitment to the cause was not better demonstrated than his sprint skirting the boundary rope before a perfectly timed dive to cut what seemed a certain four to just two. That two of Stokes' victims fell to miscued low-full tosses that on another night would have cleared the pickets by some margin is neither here nor there.

Honourable mention must go to Chris Jordan. Oft maligned and expensive early in this tournament he has slowly come into his own and his four overs went for a very tidy 24. With the bonus of the very handy wicket of Ross Taylor, thanks in no small part to a very smart catch from Morgan. The Stokes-Jordan combo took 5-20 from the final four overs.

The talking point: Many Australians will be chagrined to know that not only has their vaunted side been bundled out before the semi-final stages, but the oldest of enemies are thriving and into the semi-final. England were last seen on Australian shores making an early exit in disgrace from the 50-over World Cup, bundled out at the expense of Bangladesh with the usual Fleet Street recriminations that follow. A change of coach followed – there was the small matter of an Ashes home triumph – and somewhere along the line the limited-overs side has reinvented themselves into a team playing with flair, panache and power.

Same old England was the notion after defeat to a Chris Gayle inspired West Indies, then came that remarkable match against South Africa where they chased down 229. The 20-over version of Australia and South Africa's fabled 438 ODI a decade ago.

But then there was a scare against Afghanistan. Easy to dismiss England, but this proved to be a banana skin negotiated, where previously it had ended England in the trash can – recall the World T20 defeats to the Netherlands (twice!) if you will. Here was a team finding a way to win.

As New Zealand discovered and thereby extending their own dreadful run of reaching semi-finals at ICC events. Suddenly the World Cup final against Australia looks the outlier, the result of a surge of home ground conditions and home ground support that pushed them the extra step above what appears to be their natural home on the global scale.

Not that such a record should be sniffed at.

The consolation effort: Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, with 10 wickets apiece, are the leading wicket takers of the Super 10 stage. Sodhi added two against England – two in two balls that cause momentary anxiety for an England cricket fan-base that had already see one national team throw away a winning position. The selection masterstroke from the New Zealand brains trust that kept stellar bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult sidelined for the tournament proved a bridge too far when the Black Caps batsmen had underperformed. New Zealand also dropped Nathan McCullum for this match while replacement Adam Milne's three overs went for 27.

The stat:

The next stop: It's a flight home for New Zealand – or to their IPL franchises for the few Kiwis involved in the Indian Premier League – while England advance to their first World T20 final since 2010. They now have the luxury of an extra day's rest and will sit back tonight to await the winner of the second semi-final between tournament hosts India and 2012 champions the West Indies.

MOST RUNS

BEST STRIKE-RATE

MOST WICKETS

BEST ECONOMY RATE

SERIES STATS

POINTS TABLES

SOCIAL HUB