Brook ton in vain as NZ beat England by 4 wickets

Captain Harry Brook’s brilliant century wasn’t enough to rescue England as hosts New Zealand eased to a four-wicket win in the first one-day international on Sunday.

- Agencies

England's Harry Brook.

(AFP)

Brook struck 11 sixes on his way to 135 in England’s modest score of 223, before New Zealand reached 224-6 in response with more than 13 overs remaining.

Daryl Mitchell hit the winning runs to be unbeaten on 78 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and put the Black Caps ahead 1-0 in the three-match series.

Victory was set up by a lethal early spell from New Zealand seamer Zakary Foulkes (4-41), who scythed through the top order, reducing England to 10-4 and then 56-6. Brook led the recovery with a scintillating career-best ODI score. He raised his ton with three successive sixes off Jacob Duffy before he was last man out in a rearguard 101-ball knock.