Stokes’s England ODI record 182 sets up rout of New Zealand

LONDON: Ben Stokes struck the highest score by an England batsman in a one-day international on Wednesday, his 182 setting up a thrashing of New Zealand at The Oval as he sent a warning to the champions’ World Cup rivals just weeks before they begin the defense of their 50-overs title in India.

Stokes’s stunning innings was just slightly more than England’s colossal 181-run margin of victory that put them 2-1 up in a four-match series ahead of Friday’s finale at Lord’s.

England were struggling at 13-2 after Trent Boult’s early double strike, which included Jonny Bairstow’s exit off the first ball of the match.

But Stokes and Dawid Malan (96) hit back with a third-wicket stand of 199 as England recovered to 368 all out.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips kept England at bay with 72 but when he was lbw to spinner Liam Livingstone, the Black Caps were all but beaten at 173-8.

Livingstone (3-16) ended the match with 11 overs to spare when he had No 11 Ben Lister stumped by England captain Jos Buttler as New Zealand were dismissed for 187.

“Coming back into the team after a while out, it’s nice to come back and help the team,” said player-of-the-match Stokes at the presentation ceremony.

Buttler hailed Stokes’s innings by saying: “He’s played a few good ones, but that was amazing.”

Boult kept New Zealand in the game with an impressive 5-51 in 9.1 overs, although England were set for a huge total at 348-5 when Stokes was dismissed.

But they lost their last five wickets for 20 runs, left-arm quick Boult wrapping up the innings with 11 balls to spare.

England, however, had more than enough runs.

Chris Woakes (3-31) did the bulk of the damage as New Zealand — without regular skipper Kane Williamson while the star batsman