Mighty Malan erupts as England crushes NZ

DAWID Malan struck a maiden century from 48 balls in a record 182-run partnership with Eion Morgan, which propelled England to a 76-run win over New Zealand in the fourth Twenty20 cricket international yesterday.

The five-match series, which ends tomorrow in Auckland, is now level at 2-2.

Malan’s century was the fastest by an England batsman in a T20 international, beating by 12 balls Alex Hales’ record of 60 deliveries and lifting England to 3-241, its highest score in the 20-over format.

New Zealand, never in the match, was dismissed for 165 in the 17th over. Morgan was out in the last over for 91, ending a 182-run partnership which was the highest by an England pair in T20s and the fourth highest of all-time.

Malan finished 103 not out, extending his extraordinary record in T20 internationals. The left-hander now has a century and five half-centuries from nine innings and a batting average of 57.25.

Malan said Morgan launched the England batting attack “and I sort of jumped in his slipstream and tagged along a little bit”. “I got to about 80 and I thought these boundaries are so small I may as well have a crack. [Morgan] played fantastically well.

“The intent he showed from ball one took the pressure off me especially early on in my innings.”

Martin Guptill and Colin Munro gave New Zealand’s run chase early pace, raising a half-century partnership in only 4.1 overs. But Guptill, having reached 27 from 14 balls, thrashed a delivery from Tom Curran into the leg side and found the only man within 50 metres — Malan.

Tim Seifert (3), Colin Munro (30), Colin de Grandhomme (7) and Daryl Mitchell (2) quickly followed, taking with them any hope of a New Zealand win which would have clinched the series.

Spinner Matt Parkinson finished with 4-47.