By Matthew Sherry
England were left to rue inclement weather as New Zealand began their World Twenty20 campaign with a nine-run Duckworth/Lewis win.
With dew a major factor at Chittagong, Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum had no hesitation in putting Stuart Broad's men in.
But England, powered by thirties from Michael Lumb, Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler, racked up a decent 172 for six.
New Zealand started impressively in reply, reaching 52 for one after 5.2 overs – thanks, in the main, to a fine cameo from McCullum.
In what proved a crucial four deliveries, he hit Broad for two big sixes either side of edging a four over slip.
The upshot was New Zealand being nine runs ahead of the D/L par score when rain, thunder and lightning hit to ultimately end proceedings early.
It appeared England would secure a mammoth total when Lumb and Moeen were in full flow, their 72-run stand representing the perfect riposte to Alex Hales’ first-over departure.
But Moeen, who played with typical elegance in a 23-ball 36, pulled Corey Anderson straight to deep midwicket before Lumb was caught on the off-side fence off Mitchell McClenaghan.
Anderson was instrumental in Lumb’s dismissal too, his sliding catch impressively following up the one-handed stunner he claimed to oust Hales.
England never fully regained their momentum thereafter, although Buttler’s 34, plus unbeaten knocks of 24 and 17 from Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan, left the game intriguingly poised.
It looked even more in the balance when Jade Dernbach got rid of Martin Guptill, who skied an attempted swivel-pull.
However, it was the intervention of McCullum and a series of downpours that would prove the deciding factors.
Match Scorecard/ Ball-By-Ball Commentary
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New Zealand Innings
New Zealand win by 9 runs on Duckworth Lewis. Fingers crossed for better weather for the double header in Dhaka tomorrow. On air 915am
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) March 22, 2014
4.55pm - The rain continues to pour...
4.29pm - Ignore that! It's raining again. How frustrating.
4.28pm - It looks like we'll get some more play. England will have a sniff but such a break tips the power in New Zealand's favour.
Current conditions in Chittagong. Wet. pic.twitter.com/IMex0Uul6J
— Simon Mann (@Cricket_Mann) March 22, 2014
4pm - RAIN STOPS PLAY! New Zealand 52/1 after 5.2 overs - Rain, thunder and lightning have combined to force the players off. The Black Caps are ahead of the Duckworth/Lewis par score, which is 43.
3.55pm - It's fair to say McCullum is into his stride, crunching Stuart Broad over midwicket for six before seeing an edge fly over slip for four. After a brief interlude when lightning crackles, he hits a straight maximum to end the over.
3.47pm - WICKET! Guptill c Jordan b Dernbach 11; NZ 29/1 - There's a first breakthrough for England as Guptill top-edges a swivel-pull and Jordan claims a simple catch. Brendon McCullum in now.
3.45pm - New Zealand are off to a good start, reaching 25 without loss after three overs with Kane Williamson getting into his stride by cutting successive Tim Bresnan short balls to the fence.
3.41pm - Martin Guptill's first boundary comes when he chips Jade Dernbach down the ground for four.
3.37pm - England open up with Moeen Ali, who should be full of confidence following his batting exploits. He sends down a solid over that costs seven, four of which come from a surprise Chris Jordan mis-field.
England Innings
3.20pm - END OF INNINGS! England 172/6; Bresnan 17, Bopara 24 - The over goes 2-2-1-6-1-1, with Bresnan delivering a stunning straight maximum, as England manage a very solid total.
3.15pm - Back-to-back fours from Tim Bresnan have taken England to 159 with an over to go. It's shaping up to be a decent total but this is a big set of six.
3.09pm - WICKET! Jordan c Southee b N McCullum 8; England 148/6 - Unfortunate end for Jordan, who timed a slog-sweep beautifully but picked out the man on the fence.
3.05pm - MISSED CHANCES! - What a bad few minutes for Southee. Having seen wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi drop the simplest of chances to oust Bopara, and then miss a straightforward run-out opportunity, he is launched for a straight six by the number six. The over ends with Chris Jordan taking England's maximum count to four with a remarkable smite over mid-on.
2.59pm - WICKET! Buttler b Anderson 32; Eng 129/5 - Big wicket for New Zealand as Anderson bowls Buttler via an inside edge.
Scoop! 4 runs for @josbuttler#wt20
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 22, 2014
2.51pm - England are 114 for four after 14 overs. Buttler and Ravi Bopara are rightly opting for strike rotation at the moment. When will they go big?
2.40pm - WICKET! Morgan c B McCullum b Southee 12; Eng 103/4 - A clever off-cutter from Southee does for Morgan, who chips straight to mid-off.
2.39pm - Buttler is flowing now, driving and clipping boundaries off Nathan McCullum amid some pretty unconventional field placements from Brendon McCullum.
2.35pm - Good shot from Morgan, who drives McClenaghan over point for four. He almost falls next ball, yet Mills fails to pick up a pull that he timed too well.
2.30pm - Big period coming up with key men Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler aiming to set up a launching pad.
2.25pm - WICKET! Lumb c Anderson b McClenaghan 33; Eng 76/3 - Another quite ludicrous catch from Anderson, this time diving forward, does for England as Lumb skies an attempted drive to deep point.
2.18pm - WICKET! Moeen c Anderson b McClenaghan 36; Eng 73/2 - How New Zealand needed that. McClenaghan sends down a slower-ball bouncer and Moeen just fails to clear the boundary-rider at midwicket.
19 dot balls so far… #wt20
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 22, 2014
2.14pm - The introduction of spin makes little difference as Lumb sweeps and beautifully cover-drives Nathan McCullum for boundaries.
55/1 in England's 6 over power play. Decent recovery from 1/1 #engvnz#wt20
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) March 22, 2014
Moeen Ali adds to his boundary count over fine leg for 4. 34 from 18 balls #wt20
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 22, 2014
2.05pm - Suddenly, this is becoming a superb start for England. Tim Southee's opening over brings two pulled fours from Moeen, plus a heaved six from Lumb. Fourty-eight for one after five.
2pm - Two powerplay overs left and England are 31 for one. Michael Lumb's first boundary comes via a straight chip from a McClenaghan slower ball.
1.56pm - BOOM! Stunning from Moeen, who follows a mistimed four over mid-off with a pulled six and sumptuous aerial drive down the ground.
1.50pm - Shot! Mitchell McClenaghan bowls too straight and, with a flick of the wrists, Moeen Ali times one beautifully through midwicket. The over brings eight and England are nine for one.
1.43pm - WICKET! Hales c Anderson b Mills 0; Eng 1/1 - Outstanding work from Corey Anderson! Alex Hales advances but misjudges Kyle Mills' slower ball and watches the ball go high to mid-on, where Anderson moves backwards and claims a stunning, one-handed catch.
Pre-Play News
1.30pm - We're not far away from the action now. England could do with a big performance today.
England - Lumb, Hales, Ali, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara, Bresnan, Jordan, Broad, Tredwell and Dernbach #wt20
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) March 22, 2014
1.15pm - NEW ZEALAND WIN TOSS & BOWL - Brendon McCullum calls correctly and opts to put England in with dew a major factor. Broad, who is fit having been struggling with tendonitis in his right knee, would have done likewise but his men will hope for a good score on a fine pitch.
1.01pm - Sri Lanka seal a five-run win. Main event coming up...
12.54pm - Sri Lanka are headed to victory it seems as Lasith Malinga starts the final over, with 15 needed, by sending down a perfect yorker which ends with Dale Steyn being run out.
12.43pm - For now the England boys can enjoy the entertainment of a thrilling finish between South Africa and Sri Lanka. The Proteas, who are five down, need 24 from 16 balls.
12.30pm – Hello and welcome to our live commentary of England’s first game in this year’s World Twenty20. Stuart Broad’s men will aim to invoke the spirit of 2010, when they won the competition. Their aims to repeat that triumph begin today, with New Zealand offering a stern initial test.