An impressive bowling display from co-hosts New Zealand made England regret their decision to bat in the World Cup clash at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
Ian Bell, targeting the off side, was bowled when he missed an excellent awayswinger from Tim Southee, who then yorked Moeen Ali two balls after surprising the left-hander with a sharp bouncer.
Gary Ballance, who survived an lbw review early in his innings, then toe-ended an attempted pull off Trent Boult straight to Kane Williamson at short-cover.
Although Joe Root and Eoin Morgan took England into three figures, the latter was the victim of a stunning catch at long-on by Adam Milne off Daniel Vettori before Southee bowled James Taylor with another inswinging yorker.
Root and Jos Buttler were then charged with the task of taking England from 104 for five to a challenging total.
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England innings
3.06am - WICKET! Buttler c Ronchi b Southee 3; Eng 108/6 - Southee strikes again, moving the ball away from Jos Buttler and finding the edge through to Luke Ronchi.
2.58am - WICKET! Taylor b Southee 0; Eng 104/5 - McCullum brings Southee back into the attack and the paceman bowls James Taylor second ball with another brilliant yorker. The Black Caps are sensing blood here now.
2.55am - WICKET! Morgan c Milne b Vettori 17; Eng 104/4 - Morgan lifts Vettori towards long-on where Milne takes a superb catch diving to his right.
2.45am - Morgan, with nine from 27 balls, confidently moves to 13 with a superb drive through the covers off Corey Anderson. That shot will give the skipper confidence.
2.36am - Root, although not in control, hooks Milne to the vacant fine-leg rope to collect a welcome boundary. At the other end, Vettori is ramping up the pressure by keeping things tight.
2.27am - Eoin Morgan starts watchfully, collecting his first run in five matches, alongside Root. Milne is warned for running on the protected area in his follow-through.
2.12am - McCullum turns to spin for the first time today, handing Daniel Vettori a chance to back up the impressive work done by the seamers. England are 60 for three after 15 overs. Time for a drink!
2.04am - WICKET! Ballance c Williamson b Boult 10; Eng 57/3 - Ballance will not believe what he has done here. Looking to pull Boult, in his seventh over, Ballance toe-ends straight to Kane Williamson at short-cover.
2am - Boult continues to probe outside off stump and a tentative Ballance keeps playing and missing. Root drives Milne through the covers for four.
1.51am - McCullum throws the ball to Adam Milne, a right-armer who expresses real pace. Southee takes a break. He and Boult have moved the ball away superbly this morning, their new-ball partnership continuing to blossom.
1.42am - Yorkshire pair Ballance and Joe Root, playing his 50th one-day international, are charged with rebuilding the England innings.
1.32am - WICKET! Moeen b Southee 20; Eng 36/2 - After delivering a superb bouncer that almost caught Moeen out, Southee yorks the left-hander two balls later.
1.27am - REVIEW! - New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum decides to review an lbw appeal from Boult against new batsman Gary Ballance. However, the ball was going over the top and the left-hander survives.
1.24am - Moeen reacts to Bell's dismissal by taking on Southee, driving through mid-off and over the covers before clearing the slips to collect three consecutive fours.
1.19am - WICKET! Bell b Southee 8; Eng 18/1 - Bell, targeting the off side, misses an excellent Southee delivery that shapes away and bowls the right-hander.
1.14am - Trent Boult, operating with a remarkable four slips, concedes three singles from his opening over. Moeen Ali then pulls the first boundary of the innings, off the fifth ball of Southee's second set of six.
1.04am - Tim Southee shapes three away from Ian Bell, who then uses soft hands and edges just short of the second of three slips. A decent first over from the paceman.
Pre-play news
Brilliant atmosphere and lots of England fans here! National anthems about to be sung! #LoveEngland #NZvEng pic.twitter.com/WsXCOZ3en5
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 20, 2015
12.55am - The national anthems take place in the middle of the pitch. We are almost ready to go!
12.50am - England have the chance to post a commanding total here at the ‘Cake Tin’. Batting Coach Mark Ramprakash, in a press conference yesterday, has backed his side’s attacking instincts.
12.45am - Away from this game, England women have just been beaten by New Zealand by six wickets, setting up a winner-takes-all in the third and final Twenty20 international.
And that's it, Kate Broadmore clubs one over wide mid-wicket for 4 @WHITE_FERNS win by 6 wickets #EngWomen
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 20, 2015
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.
England: Ian Bell, Moeen Ali, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, James Taylor, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson.
12.30am - TOSS! - Unchanged England win the toss and opt to bat. New Zealand name the same set of players that beat Scotland, England's next opponents.
12.20am - Eoin Morgan’s side are looking to bounce back from their opening defeat to Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Valentine’s Day. The Black Caps, on the other hand, started their Pool A campaign in emphatic fashion with back-to-back victories over Sri Lanka and Scotland.
12.15am - Good morning and welcome to live coverage of England’s World Cup clash against co-hosts New Zealand at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
This is our spectacular view of proceedings as England take a look at the pitch before play. #NZvEng #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/yYpsRdjmXH
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 19, 2015