MANCHESTER (England), June 14: Ian Bell responded to the challenge of opening with an unbeaten 60 as England thrashed New Zealand by nine wickets in the one-off Twenty20 International at Old Trafford here on Friday.

Bell, normally a middle-order batsman and often accused of not making runs when they are needed, produced a chanceless innings.

Together with Kevin Pietersen, dropped on nought by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, he saw England to their modest target of 124 with 15 balls to spare.

Pietersen finished on 42 not out, at just over a run-a-ball, and shared an unbroken stand of 79 with Bell in 12 overs as New Zealand lost their seventh straight Twenty20 international.

By contrast, this was England’s third consecutive Twenty20 victory against the Black Caps after two wins in New Zealand in February.

New Zealand’s total of 123 for nine was their lowest in 15 Twenty20 matches after they’d lost the toss on a lively Old Trafford pitch.

Fast bowler Stuart Broad led England’s attack with two wickets for 17 runs and off-spinner Graeme Swann two for 21.

“It was an excellent performance. The guys seem to hit their lengths from ball one,” said England captain Paul Collingwood. “Credit to Jimmy [Anderson] and Broady for the way they set the tone. There were no negatives, the way Belly and KP finished it off, it was all very professional.”

This week it was announced that England players would have the chance to earn a million dollars each if they beat a Caribbean ‘Super Stars’ side put together by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford in a Twenty20 match in Antigua on Nov 1.

However, Collingwood said the way in which England performed at Old Trafford was a testament to their collective professionalism.

“It is a massive game, the Stanford match. But it’s not been a distraction, if anything it’s been a positive for us.”

A disappointed Vettori added: “When we reflect on the seven losses, we’ve had a couple of close ones and a couple of hidings. But today [Friday] just wasn’t good enough.”

England have struggled for a reliable opening batsman in limited overs cricket since the international retirement of Marcus Trescothick.

But Luke Wright and Bell, England’s 10th different first-wicket pair in 14 limited-overs matches got the run-chase off to a rapid start with a stand of 48 which left the hosts needing under a run-a-ball for victory.

Bell, who struggled for runs in the Test series, had warmed up for this match by making 42 as an opener for Warwickshire in a washed-out Twenty20 clash against Glamorgan.

“It’s been a frustrating month,” said Bell. “It was nice to get runs for Warwickshire in the Twenty20, just free up, get some runs and enjoy it.”

Pietersen had a lucky break when, on nought, he saw Vettori drop a high, one-handed, caught and bowled chance in the left-arm spinner’s first over.

Bell though did attack Vettori successfully by making room outside leg-stump before stylishly lofting him for four over extra cover.

And the 26-year-old demonstrated excellent footwork to go down the pitch and drive Vettori for a textbook straight six.

Bell’s single off Mark Gillespie took him through to a 39-ball fifty with one six and seven fours before his boundary off Scott Styris ended the match.

New Zealand saw several batsmen get a start but no-one pushed on with 25, from Ross Taylor, the top score.

England didn’t have to wait long for a wicket.

Anderson struck with his first ball when Jamie How was caught by Owais Shah at first slip and medium-pacer Collingwood — with his fourth ball — bowled Taylor between bat and pad

Wright, punished by Brendon McCullum for bowling short, made amends by yorking the dangerman for 24 to leave New Zealand 67 for four — a position from which they never recovered.

England, who beat New Zealand 2-0 in a Test series this month, begin a five-match One-day International series against the World Cup semi-finalists at Collingwood’s Riverside home ground on Sunday.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

J.M. How c Ambrose b Anderson 1

B.B. McCullum b Wright 24

J.A.H. Marshall c Ambrose b Broad 13

L.R.P.L. Taylor b Collingwood 25

S.B. Styris b Broad 10

P.G. Fulton b Swann 0

D.R. Flynn st Ambrose b Swann 23

D.L. Vettori not out 11

K.D. Mills c Bell b Anderson 12

M.J. Mason run out 2

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1) 2

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 20 overs) 123

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-14, 3-45, 4-67, 5-68, 6-96, 7-98, 8-118, 9-123.

DID NOT BAT: M.R. Gillespie.

BOWLING: Broad 4-0-17-2; Anderson 4-1-25-2; Wright 4-0-32-1; Collingwood 2-0-17-1; Swann 4-0-21-2; Mascarenhas 2-0-10-0.

ENGLAND:

L.J. Wright c Gillespie b Mason 24

I.R. Bell not out 60

K.P. Pietersen not out 42

EXTRAS (W-1) 1

TOTAL (for one wkt, 17.3 overs) 127

FALL OF WKT: 1-48.

DID NOT BAT: R.S. Bopara, P.D. Collingwood, O.A. Shah, A.D. Mascarenhas, T.R. Ambrose, S.C.J. Broad, G.P. Swann, J.M. Anderson.

BOWLING: Mills 3-0-30-0; Gillespie 4-1-25-0; Mason 3-0-18-1; Vettori 4-0-27-0; Styris 2.3-0-20-0; Flynn 1-0-7-0.

RESULT: England won by nine wickets

UMPIRES: I.J. Gould and P.J. Hartley (both England).

TV UMPIRE: R.A. Kettleborough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ian Bell.—Agencies