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Prior to the downpour began, England's winter campaign had turned into a disappointing affair. During a chilly Christchurch night, the team's batters were caught off guard by the ball's deviation – “You don’t expect that in white-ball cricket, so when it does do a little bit it’s almost a shock,” remarked Harry Brook. They were also stifled by the bowling of Santner and Michael Bracewell, stumbling to five wickets for 81 runs until first Curran seemed to save them, followed by the rain definitively took over.

Feeble Start for the English

Only two batters managed more than 20, with the fall of Buttler for 29, ex-skipper turning into the fifth man to fall, highlighting a poor opening to England’s innings before Curran’s 49 boosted their position.

“Having him return is crucial; he contributes significantly with batting, bowling, and fielding,” commented Brook. “For him to get us out of a bit of a hole and up to a respectable total was awesome. He’s a valuable player to have in the middle order, a left-hander as well – he’s going to be around for a while, I think.”

The Batsman's Milestone Overshadowed

Prior to the match, Harry Brook received a special award – almost identical to his regular one – to celebrate his half-century of games in this format, the skipper now the 14th Englishman to reach this feat. But, the highlight on his cap was the only high point of his night, which featured a unsuccessful toss and a equally unfortunate dismissal, clean bowled off his pads just as he got into form after a awkward beginning.

Curran’s Lucky Reprieves

Any good fortune England experienced was eagerly seized by Curran, who was helped by three remarkable let-offs. At 14 runs when he lofted a Duffy delivery high into the Christchurch air, from which precipitation had, conveniently, just started to come down. The ball came back slippery and duly slipped through the fielder's fingers.

A 10-minute rain delay and later overs after, Curran, now on 26, lifted the ball towards point, where Robinson did not have to move but nonetheless failed to handle it. Then, in the subsequent over, he attempted to paddle a Kyle Jamieson ball that was too full for that shot, missed it entirely, and was pinned on the front pad.

There was little doubt about where the ball was going, and the official agreed, but by this point Curran was the final key batsman and England had reviews to spare. After reviewing at a video, the 27-year-old was partway to the dressing room, preparing to leave, when it was established that the ball had landed beyond leg stump and he was called back. He added 19 more off his last eight balls to carry the team to 153/6, at which point the rain returned to end the contest.

Team Confidence Remains High

But, their inability to handle the questions presented by the Kiwis' bowlers does not mean the team will be seeking any other options. “We didn’t begin as planned, but we’ll focus on reinforcing our strategy,” explained the batsman. “There’s a reason why the team is laid out the way it is – because if we get into situations like that we always have someone who can get us out of the problem.”

New Zealand’s Encouraging View

In spite of those missed catches, New Zealand will be buoyed up by the way they sunk England’s supposedly strong order, their attackers claiming a single wicket each. “Not knowing how the game would have played out we can only judge on our performance and I guess we’re happy with where we’re at,” said Jamieson. “I think we made good improvements from when we played Australia a couple of weeks ago. It’s just growth really. As long as we continue along that path that’s a win for us, and that’s what success looks like.”