More spin now as Hira comes into the attack. Hales makes room for himself and cuts the first ball past point for a boundary. There are just two runs from the rest of the over, however, as Hira limits the damage.
Wright wastes no time getting his eye in as he smacks McCullum through the covers for four first ball. No run from the final delivery but it is an expensive over nonetheless, even if it did contain a wicket.
Nathan McCullum comes into the attack and his first ball is hit over midwicket for four by Hales. His second just eludes the hands of short midwicket as the right-hander runs a single. McCullum then tosses one up to Lumb, who smacks it over mid on for a massive six. The spinner finds the sweet spot with the next ball, however, as Lumb is beaten by the flight and the ball spins off his pads and onto the stumps.
Lumb has another heave down the leg side, this one bouncing just before going through the midwicket boundary. Hales then gets in on the act, smacking a full one from McClenaghan over deep square leg for a six. Hales tries to get hold of another one but this goes up, up, up and further up. Rutherford has no real chance of catching that on the long leg boundary and it goes through his hands for four. It was a no ball as well, but the free hit only yields a leg bye. Lumb steers a short one over point for another four and the final delivery is a full one which is dispatched to the same boundary. A huge over for England. 25 from it.
Ian Butler opens the bowling at the other end and sees his second ball flicked over long leg for a six by Lumb. Two leg byes bolster the total before Lumb narrowloy avoids chopping onto his stumps. The final ball of the over is lofted over cover and lands safe, but does not have the pace to travel on to the ropes as the batsmen run three.
MItchell McClenaghan takes the opening over and swings the first two balls past Lumb's edge for dots. There is no run from the third ball either before the fourth is chipped down the leg side for a single. Hales then flicks one down to fine leg for a couple to make it three runs from the first over.
So, Lumb and Hales are out in the middle. A fast start is needed if England are to retain any hope. This should be fun.
...And if they get there it will be their biggest run chase ever in the 20-over format. Morgan decided to bowl after winning the toss but may now be ruing that decision after some massive top-order hitting from McCullum and Rutherford. England managed to slow things down somewhat in the closing overs but it will still take something special to win from here.
The batsmen crossed so Taylor gets to face the final delivery. It's a good length from Dernback and Taylor can only work it down to deep point for one.
Dernbach is given the final over and serves up a wide one first up, but Latham cannot connect with it. His second ball is much the same but this time Latham gets a top edge and it goes over Buttler's head for four. Third ball is much better, a wide yorker which Latham cannot do anything with. Fourth is a little shorter and Latham lofts it to deep extra cover, where Stokes cannot take the catch but manages to stop the boundary. Penultimate ball is sliced straight up in the air and is caught by Bopara.
Latham dabs Stokes down to third man for a single before Taylor smacks a high full toss over midwicket for four. A single gives the strike to Latham, who chops one through the leg side for two. Another single off the final ball nudges New Zealand up towards 200.
Taylor now gets going as he drives a full one from Wright over the man at long on for six. A superb piece of fielding from Michael Lumb at deep cover prevents another boundary but there are 12 from the over in total.
Dernbach comes back on and stops Latham in his tracks with a first-ball bouncer. But his second delivery drifts down the leg side for a wide. A decent line and length from the England bowler allows just five runs from the first five balls, but that is ruined when Latham top-edges one behind the wicket for six in much the same vein as McCullum earlier on.
New batsman Tom Latham gets off the mark by taking a single off the final ball of the over.
Wright stops the flow of boundaries, although the ones and two keep coming, before a yorker does for McCullum as he is bowled attempting another heave.
McCullum ties himself in knots while attempting another reverse sweep before Bopara sends a wide down the leg side, past Buttler and to the ropes for five runs. McCullum then absolutely smashes one over midwicket for six - that might be the biggest hit yet. A four through the covers follows before a single, a wide and another single gives the strike back to McCullum, who beats deep extra cover for another boundary with the final ball. Huge over for New Zealand.
McCullum mis-times a reverse sweep and Wright looks to have trapped him plum lbw, but the umpire says no and replays show it may have hit him outside the line. Taylor then takes two lots of two runs before two singles and an edge down to the third-man boundary for four complete the over.
Rankin is back on and his first ball is a loosener which deflects down to the fine leg boundary for four leg byes. Another leg bye follows before the seamer tidies things up and his final four balls go for just two runs.
The batsmen crossed so McCullum faces the final ball of the over and takes a single to bring up his fifty.
Luke Wright is now given an over and his first ball is hit for two by Rutherford, who is then served up a wide full toss which Bopara stops superbly at backward point. Another dot ball follows before Rutherford tries to hit another one down the ground into the stands, but this time finds the hands of Hales at long off. Crucial wicket.
Stokes is brought back on. His first ball is too full and McCullum smashes it over the covers for four. He tries it again next ball but is stopped at extra cover by Morgan, who misses a direct hit which would have run Rutherford out at the non-striker's end. McCullum then takes a couple of swings and misses before the final ball of the over is sent down to deep midwicket for two.
McCullum hits a scruffy one over extra cover for two to start Tredwell's second over. A pull and a reverse sweep allow the skipper to run a two and a single before Rutherford lofts one down to fine leg for four to bring up his half century from just 28 balls. Tredwell floats one up to end the over and Rutherford middles it down the ground for another huge six. The opener is in full flow now and is seeing the ball beautifully.
Another new bowler now in the form of Bopara, whose first ball is a massive wide down the off side. Another wide down the leg side follows before three singles are taken. McCullum then smacks another boundary square through the offside before a deep point is put in ton stop the same happening from the final ball of the over.
James Tredwell is brought on and keeps things tight early in the over as both batsman run singles. But Rutherford slog sweeps his third ball deep into the stands six and smashes an even bigger maximum down the ground off the next ball. The spinner limits the damage as his last two balls go for just one more run.
Ben Stokes is now brought into the attack in place of Rankin. The batsmen trade singles before McCullum attempts to heave one over mid off, but doesn't connect cleanly and it stops short of the rope for two runs. A better-looking strike through backward point brings two more and Rutherford grabs a single from the final ball.
McCullum walks down the wicket to Dernbach and strokes him down the ground for four more. The New Zealand skipper then plays and misses at one before fending off two more dot balls. The final ball of the over is pulled to short fine leg for a single. End of the powerplay.
Rankin continues for a third over and sees McCullum flash at a short one, but the batsman possesses so much power that the top edge flies high into the stands for a six! That looks to have done some damage to the ball as well as the umpires discuss a change while McCullum uses the delay to get some strapping on his fingers. Rankin responds with some tidy bowling, conceding just a lone single from the rest of the over.
Woakes is taken out of the attack straight away as Dernbach comes on. His first ball is a wide one which Rutherford has a flay at, with his flash almost being caught by Bopara, who was stretching above his head at point. It was a tough chance but definitely catchable. Two singles and a two bring Rutherford back on strike and the opener slices a wide delivery over mid off for another four.
Rankin continues and his second ball of the over is steered down to the third-man boundary for four by Rutherford, who then scoops another one over midwicket to send the ball bouncing away to the ropes again. The towering seamer responds by tightening up his line and there is just one single from the rest of the over.
Woakes takes the second over and is given a vicious welcome by Rutherford. The left-hander clips one through the leg side for four before smashing another over midwicket for the first six of the innings. The next ball is lofted over mid off for four before a single gives the strike to McCullum, who gets in on the act by smashing a wide one square of the wicket for another boundary.
Rankin sends a wide down the leg side before tossing up a full one to new batsman Brendon McCullum, who drives down the ground through mid off for four.
Rankin starts with a couple of wide ones. Rutherford plays and misses at one before getting off the mark third ball. That brings Franklin on strike and with the first ball he faces the left-hander sends an inside edge to Buttler behind the stumps. Rankin has his first England wicket in his opening over!
Debutant Boyd Rankin has been given the ball and will bowl the first over.
The sun is out and we shouldn't get any rain this evening. The players are out in the middle and England are ready to bowl.
Play will get underway in minutes. England opt for a vastly different squad from the one which made it to the final of the 50-over ICC Champions Trophy recently. Needless to say it will be all change again when England face Essex in an Ashes warm-up on Sunday so today and Thursday gives many players a rare chance to shine in England colours this summer.
New Zealand XI: Rutherford, Franklin, McCullum, Taylor, Latham, Munro, Buttler, Mcullum, Anderson, Mills, Hira.
England XI: Hales, Lumb, Wright, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes, Woakes, Tredwell, Dernback, Rankin.
England have won the toss and captain Eoin Morgan has decided to bowl. Boyd Rankin will make his debut. Full teams to follow.
Hello and welcome to our live commenatary of the first Twenty20 between England and New Zealand.