England clinched series with a majestic win – 3rd T20 vs. New Zealand

England 0-143 (Alex Hales 80*, Michael Lumb 53*) beat New Zealand 8-139 (Martin Guptill 59, Brendon McCullum 26, Stuart Broad 3-15) by 10 wickets.

Alex Hales and Michael Lumb blasted the ordinary looking New Zealand bowling attack as England lifted the three match series 2-1 against the hosts at Wellington.

The Black Caps managed 139 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the measured 20 overs and England hammered 143 without losing any wicket and 44 balls to spare.

The third and final Twenty20 of the series was played on Friday February 15, 2013, at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.

Earlier, Stuart Broad, the skipper of England won the toss and opted to send the hosts in to bat first. The first wicket was lost at 17 in 3.3 overs as the Kiwis captain, Brendon McCullum, joined in with Martin Guptill. The first five overs produced 20 runs and 10 runs were scored in the next over with a four from McCullum and they reached 50 after 8 overs. The score was taken to 62 in 9.3 overs when Brendon McCullum was gone for 26 off 20 balls with 3 fours.

Martin Guptill secured his wicket while adding useful runs to the total as the wickets kept on sliding from the other end at regular intervals. He attained his fifth T20 fifty in the 18^th over with 1 six and 1 four. Guptill became the sixth batsman who went back to the pavilion after scoring 59 off 55 deliveries with 1 six and 2 fours as New Zealand scored 139 runs with two wickets remaining at the end of the 20^th over.

Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbach were the most successful bowlers with three wickets each whereas James Tredwell and Joe Root claimed one wicket each.

Michael Lumb and Alex Hales started off briskly for England by scoring 11 runs in the first over with one four from each batsman. Hales was dropped by Ross Taylor at slip off Ian Butler at six runs on the second ball of the third over. Lumb dispatched two back to back sixes on the first two balls of the next over and the poor fielding of the hosts continued when Hales was again dropped two balls later at 11. Alex Hales got full use of the dropped chances and hit three fours in the following over which accounted for 23 runs.

The duo continued with their aggression and took the score to 85 after 9 overs as Michael Lumb was dropped in the next over by Brendon McCullum off Nathan McCullum at 33 runs. Alex Hales murdered Mittchell McClenaghan by smashing 22 runs comprising 3 huge sixes and 1 four while completing his fifth T20 half century as well. He hit another 2 consecutive fours in the 13^th over as Michael Lumb achieved his second Twenty20 fifty with a grand six and won the match for his country. England piled up 143 in 12.4 overs with all their wickets intact, Alex Hales remained unbeaten for 80 off 42 mere balls with 4 lofty sixes and 9 fours whereas Michale Lumb secured his end with 53 from just 34 with 5 giant sixes and 1 four.

England won the third Twenty2o by a big margin of 10 wickets and lifted the three match series 2-1.