Fours, sixes and huge targets certainly create an excitement and buzz around 50-over cricket.
300 is generally not enough nowadays, with totals of 350 and 400 seen regularly around the world.
But there is definitely still a place for a low-scoring nipper as we saw between New Zealand and England in Wellington. In fact, these games are the best to watch.
Thankfully, despite a brilliant 133-ball century from Kane Williamson, England won it defending a target of 235.
Williamson’s 112 not out from 141 balls was his eleventh ODI career century, but he could not prevent a four-run defeat.
There was plenty of criticism for the turgid pitch, which spun and seamed. However, in this instance, it helped to create the drama.
Williamson’s was the only half-century of a day/night clash that saw spinners on both sides excel.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi claimed 3-53 from 10 overs for the BlackCaps, removing Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler.
Man-of-the-match Moeen Ali then returned 3-36 and Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid 2-34.
The pace off of seamer Colin de Grandhomme also worked a treat for the hosts, with him returning 1-24 from his 10. Joe Root was his solitary victim.
Each of England’s first nine batsmen made it into double figures, with captain Eoin Morgan top-scoring with 48.
In response, New Zealand slipped from a position of strength at 80-1 in the 18th. They lost five wickets for 23, with all falling to either Ali or Rashid.
At 103-6, the game seemed to be England’s. However, White Rose star Williamson had other ideas, and he found support from in-form all-rounder Mitch Santner.
Santner produced useful contributions down the order in the first ODIs, scoring 45 in an opening victory and then a career best 63 in defeat.
Here, he added 41 in a 96-run stand with Williamson before being run out backing up via a Chris Woakes deflection in his follow through as the target become 36 off 28 balls with only three wickets in hand. By that stage, Williamson was 91 not out.
That target became 25 off three overs, 22 off two with two wickets left and then 15 off the last.
Williamson reached his ton at the start of the penultimate over by chipping Tom Curran over mid-off’s head for four.
Woakes then just about defended that 15 off the last, including five off the last ball, to leave New Zealand needing to win the last two matches to turn the series around, starting in Dunedin on Wednesday.
