England beat N.Zealand in Group A clash of the Champions trophy

TIL Desk Sports/ England beat New Zealand by 87 runs in a Group A clash of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Sophia Gardens here on Tuesday to become the first side to qualify for the semi-finals.

Chasing 311 for victory, New Zealand lost the plot after in-form skipper Kane Williamson (87) departed at a crucial juncture and could only manage 223 all out in 44.3 overs.

The hosts had Liam Plunkett to thank for his 4/55 in 9.3 overs while Jake Ball and Adil Rashid picked up two wickets each.Williamson’s essay was studded with eight boundaries as he and Ross Taylor (39) stitched together a 95-run stand for the third wicket, the highest of the match.