Scott Styris took two crucial wickets and then struck an unbeaten 87 as New Zealand beat England by six wickets in their Group C encounter in St Lucia.

Kevin Pietersen top-scored for England with 60, but Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett's stand of 71 was crucial after four wickets fell in 21 balls.

That took them to 209-7, and the Kiwis fell to 19-3 to give England hope.

But Styris and Jacob Oram (61no) shared a fantastic stand of 136 to ease New Zealand home with 54 balls to spare.

By Tom Fordyce

41st over: NZ 210-4 - NEW ZEALAND WIN BY SIX WICKETS
Oram polishes it all over with some final flaying off Plunkett, and it's all over - a crushing win for NZ. Oram's left happy on 63, while Styris finishes on 87. Hats off to the Black Caps - great bowling from Bond, fine captaincy from Fleming and an uber-sensible partnership from Scotty and Jacob.

That now gives New Zealand a huge chance of making the semis - they'll only need to win three of their six matches in the Super Eight, assuming they make it. England, meanwhile, have a real battle on their hands. They were only ever in this game briefly, when the three wickets fell cheaply at the start of the NZ innings.

40th over: NZ 199-4
KP gets a chance to pull off a miracle. He settles for reining 'em back to two singles.

39th over: NZ 197-4
Colly gets a final joust, and Styris tucks in with a lusty sweep to move to 85. He was out of form before today, you know.

From Dave Ody, TMS inbox: "Had to compromise with the other half... switching between cricket and American Idol..... Awful painful noises from people bereft of talent. So have now switched over to American Idol."

38th over: NZ 189-4
Dalrymple is as threatening as a mouse on crutches - Styris hoists him over midwicket for a one-bounce four, and then cracks an over-pitched half-volley on off-stump thorugh the covers for another.

37th over: NZ 180-4
Oram, who's made the most of the lives given him by England, brings up his half-century off Panesar. Cruise control's on. I know I said that last night during Zimbabwe v Ireland, but this time i reckon it'll stay that way...

36th over: NZ 175-4
Another stinker in the field from Pietersen as a little push from Styris goes through his hands. Latest on the Badgerphone: "Come on boys - let's go for the strawberry. Find some pink Monty, that's the stuff."

35th over: NZ 172-4
There's the 100 partnership - a couple of little flip-sweeps off Monty, and Enn Zed are completely in control. Funny to think Styris came in with his boys reeling at 3-2...

From Neil Brown, TMS inbox: "One of these sides is unruffled, in control and certain of victory. And to a man they say sux instead of six and fush and chups. Hope all over soon so I can get on with my chores - wifey getting agressive, and not in a nice way...."

34th over: NZ 163-4
Shocker for England - with Dallers back in the attack, Freddie shys at the stumps, Badger fails to grasp and the ball whistles away for four overthrows. The partnership's up to 91 - very professional job from these two.

33rd over: NZ 155-4
Three singles off Monty. Oram tries a slashing reverse-sweep, misses, and gets quiet word from partner Scotty S.

32nd over: NZ 152-4
Fred toils away to no avail. 58 needed off 18 overs. This was Badger's chat in the last over: "This wicket's all that matters boys - this is the one. Come on� (Monty draws the leading edge) CATCH IT!!! (KP spills it) ..... Erm�. Never mind, Kev..."

31st over: NZ 149-4
Was that England's big chance? Monty induces a loose drive from Styris, only for KP to spill the chance at cover. He had to move to his right, but he had to take that. Zut alors.

30th over: NZ 145-4
Conflab between Vaughan and Freddie, and the big fella's back into the attack. Styris swipes and misses and then nearly chops on, before Fred cuts one into his thigh-guard. Good over, but England need wickets - they're looking as toothless as an aged worm here.

From Robin Jacobs, TMS inbox: "In response to the teacher from Arkansas, I'm teaching English in Munich, and funnily enough the Germans don't really get cricket either. I recently did a lesson on sledging. Not sure I ever fully succeeded in persuading the students that no snow was involved."

29th over: NZ 143-4
The partnership goes up to 71 as Styris moves on to 58 and Oram to 33. Vaughan's trying his best - he's made 10 bowling changes already - but his options aren't working for him

28th over: NZ 137-4
Vaughan turns to Plunkett again, but with no joy - Oram thumps him brutally through cover for four. New Zealand are cruising here - just 73 needed off 22 overs. You gotta fancy that.

27th over: NZ 128-4
Now it's Colly's turn, but it's still all too easy-peasy - four no-sweat runs, and the run-rate required drops to 3.5 an over...

From Gareth Thomas, TMS inbox: "Enjoying watching the text feed in Boston, Massachusetts, USA - it's snowing hard here. Just saw a hawk gobble up a mouse in the back garden - feel free to use the analogy..."

26th over: NZ 124-4
Plunkett into the attack, and Oram edges him through the vacant first slip area for four. He then takes a strollable single. More from the Badger: "Right - this is the one - top edge, right up in the air, here it comes� oh."

25th over: NZ 118-4
Not a great deal, is the early answer - Styris bottom-hands him away for four to bring up his half-century, off 69 balls. Smart batting from the beaky fella.

24rd over: NZ 110-4
Jacob O's been quiet so far, but he was clearly just loosening up - he walks down the track to Monty and boffs him high over long-on for six. Looks like Vaughan's signalling to Dalrymple - what can he do with his regulation tweaks?

From Dave Robertss, TMS inbox: "Stuck in Milan airport. This will go to the wire - both my departure and the result."

23rd over: NZ 101-4
That's the hundred up, and NZ are way ahead of the run-rate - they're scoring at 4.5, and they only need 3.9. Reckon England will have to bowl them out here. Monty? Freddie?

From Mike Edwards, TMS inbox: "I'm teaching my last class of the day here in Little Rock, Arkansas. The kids are all excited about the basketball tournament here in the US. I've tried to explain cricket, but there's little point..."

22nd over: NZ 97-4
Good work from Styris - he squirts Monty away behind square for three, and then helps himself to two singles. Ian Bell chased the former with a strange rolling gait, rather like the Hofmeister bear.

21st over: NZ 91-4
Badger Nixon's gone into overdrive. Here's a sample of his chat: "Come on boys, this is it. Styro's in - he can't afford to get out now. Oh no. Now he's in, he can't afford it. One bad shot, that's all it takes. He can't afford that, not now. Come on boys."

20th over: NZ 87-4
Monty's now conceded just six off his three overs, despite the powerplay being in force. And he's got that wicket. Who said he couldn't do the bizzo in one-dayers?

19th over: NZ 83-4
Freddie, fired up, digs one in at Oram and strikes him on the arm. The ball flies past Nixon, who dives like a man twice his age, if that were biologically possible, and the ball goes for four byes.

From David Collyer, TMS inbox: "Definitely the last one in the office here in Sao Paulo - the weekend starts early in Brazil..."

18th over: NZ 77-4
Super work from Monty - just a leg bye off the over. Monty's eyes are bulging with excitement, and his hands are doing that strange fluttering thing when the ball comes off the bat.

From Joe Arditti in Denver, Colorado, TMS inbox: "I am following this on my Blackberry from Denver International airport. Some kid just threw up their burger on my luggage. Nice!"

17th over: NZ 76-4
Jacob Oram into the fray, and Fred serves him up a no-room maiden.

16th over: WICKET - McMillian ct Dalrymple b Panesar 27, NZ 72-4
Vaughan summons Monty for his first ever twirl in the World Cup, and guess what? Mont strikes with ball no.2, McMillan launching a crazy swipe and Dalrymple running in from the cover boundary to take the catch - with his eyes shut. He was that confident of the bag.

15th over: NZ 72-3
Plunko's straying like a indisciplined hound, pushing it down leg as he searches for some in-wobble. McMillan clips him for four through square to bring up the 50 partnership before Liam tightens up with three dot balls. On comes the drinks cart, and over trot the thirsty workers.

From Jim Goodison in Philadelphia, TMS inbox: "I'm certainly the only one left in this office - there's a winter storm here, and everyone else has gone home. I'm supposed to be on the 8.20pm flight home tonight - no hope of that now, I'm afraid..." 14th over: NZ 66-3
Three more to Styris. Scotty knows what he's doing here - work Fred for a few while staying safe, and then help yourself when you get down the other end.

13th over: NZ 63-3
McMillan is clearly keen to not let Colly settle, and takes a big stride to the leg side before hoicking him through midwicket for two, thanks to a misfield from Anderson. Nixon's ringtonesque chirping from behind the timbers fails to prevent McMillan thumping the last ball for four, and a half-decent over becomes an expensive one.

12th over: NZ 55-3
Freddie keeps 'em to three singles as Colly windmills his arms at cover, ready for a joust from the other end.

From Rob Burman, TMS inbox: "Hello - is anyone else there, or am I the only one left in the office?"

11th over: NZ 52-3
Styro helps himself to another short one from Anderson - four more over midwicket. If these two hang around for another 10 overs, the balance will have swung very much in New Zealand's favour again. Good game, innit?

10th over: NZ 46-3
Freddie tightens things up, and everyone calms down a little after those early fireworks.

From Seb in Brazil, TMS inbox: "Freddie's catch - was it as good as the one he took in a one-dayer in England in the summer of 2003? The one that gets shown all the time in clips?" I'd say it's right up there, Seb - a similar completely-airbourne effort, with the ball almost behind him when his giant paw snagged it.

9th over: NZ 44-3
Styris v Anderson again, and the squinting Scotty comes out on top - loft-pulling Jimmy A to deep midwicket for three.

8th over: NZ 41-3
Vaughan's seen enough - he calls Freddie into the attack. McMillan tries to smash him out of the ground and misses, and is then hit on the back leg. Massive appeal, but Asad Rauf shakes his head.

7th over: NZ 37-3
Neither is Styris - he takes on Anderson and slaps him through cover off the back foot for four. McMillan repeats the trick to leg, and they're scoring at over five an over.

6th over: NZ 23-3
McMillan comes in, all gunslinger-style flinty stares, and gets busy from the off - driving for two twos and then cracking a four straight. He's not messing around here.

5th over: WICKET - Fleming ct Joyce b Anderson 7, NZ 19-3
Skipper - what were you thinking? Fleming tries to hoick Anderson to leg, gets the toppest of top edges and Joyce runs back from midwicket to bag the steepler. Delirium in the England ranks - that was the big wicket...

4th over: NZ 13-2
Nice from Scotty - he digs out two fine Plunko yorkers and then pops a leg-stump fullish one through square leg for a sweetly-timed four. Plunkett winces and tugs at his shirt.

3rd over: NZ 8-2
Styris has a thrash at Anderson and gets him past mid-on for the first boundary of the innings. The ground is still buzzing after seeing Freddie in flight. There's a big lbw shout against Fleming but it's sliding wide. Deep breaths all round.

2nd over: WICKET - Taylor ct Flintoff b Plunkett 0 NZ 3-2
Kaboom-a-boom! An unbelievable catch from Flintoff - full length to his right at second slip at bag Taylor's thick edge off Plunkett. Taylor shouldn't have chased it, but that was a sensational pouch. Flintoff disappears under a pile of blue-shirted team-mates.

1st over: WICKET - Vincent ct Nixon b Anderson 0 NZ 1-1
Kaboom! Jimmy Anderson opens up to Lou Vincent, who plays and misses twice before feathering the tiniest of edges behind to a tumbling Nixon. Just the start England needed...

INNINGS BREAK

50th over: Eng 209-7
I tell you what - these boys have given England a fighting chance. Nixon finishes on 42 and Plunkett on 29 after Franklin takes medium stick in the last over. I reckon New Zealand are still favourites, but it could be interesting now - particularly if Jimmy Anderson and Plunkett can get busy early on...

49th over: Eng 200-7
Chaos - Nixon survives a massive lbw shout and is then almost run out twice - once for the run he actually takes, and then for a non-existent overthrow. He then throws the kitchen sink at Patel and gets two fours on the bounce over wide mid-on. much more of this and he'll explode with excitement. That's the 50 partnership too.

48th over: Eng 187-7
It's the Paul Nixon show - he finally connects with one of his swiping reverse-sweeps and gets a four - and then drives a fullish one from Vettori for another.

47th over: Eng 175-7
Four singles off Patel. No food for Ian Bell, from the look of it - either that or he's scoffed it already. He stares blankly into space, fiddling with a bit of hair just above his left ear.

46th over: Eng 171-7
Plunkett spots that Vettori is giving it plenty of air, comes down the track and hammers him straight and high for a morale-boosting six. Several rum-afflicted England fans celebrate joyously.

45th over: Eng 162-7
Two singles off Patel to Nixon, who has his mouth wide open like a plankton-feeding whale. KP is now also tucking in on the England balcony. He's got the same dish, but he's focusing his attention on a decent-sized slab of grilled chicken.

44th over: Eng 159-7
With Vettori back on, Nixon tries his patented reverse sweep - one of the worst versions of that shot in world cricket. The ball hits him on the back leg as he almost falls over and goes for a leg bye.

43rd over: Eng 156-7
Plunkett opens his shoulders to Styro and cracks him straight for a sweetly-timed four. Nixon is twitching and jerking like some sort of maniacal sparrow.

42nd over: Eng 148-7
A single apiece to the batsmen, and Bond finishes with 2-19 off his 10 overs. Super effort. On the England balcony, Michael Vaughan is shovelling tagliatelle into his mouth. As a clump slides off his fork before he can get it to his mouth, he looks at his plate angrily and then licks the sauce off his knife reflectively.

41st over: Eng 146-7
Penguin Styris now looks like a world-beater. Liam Plunkett can't get him off the wicket.

From Paul Nowak, TMS inbox: "I'm with Michael Holding. These diddy teams should not be allowed into the World Cup."

40th over: Eng 145-7
Nixon, still jabbering to himself despite the carnage, hacks Bond away behind square and it goes for four. He loves that.

From Vinny Celino, TMS inbox: "That killed the colour debate, didn't it ? Perhaps we should now discuss what colour would be most appropriate for an England fan - black for armbands, perhaps green for the nausea or a nice red for the anger."

39th over: WICKET - Dalrymple ct McCullum b Styris 3, Eng 138-7
Quelle surprise - Dallers tries to glide a Scotty Sty wobbler fine, but edges into McCullum's grateful gloves. What a collapse. Styris, beaky nose to the fore and hair tufted up, looks like a happy emperor penguin.

38th over: Eng 138-6
Single to Dalrymple off Bond, who's got 2-12 off his eight overs. And he's bowling about 10mph slower than he used to in the old days...

37th over: Eng 137-6
It's now the Dalrymple and Nixon show. If that doesn't get you going, you're not human. Fleming brings the field in tight, and Dalrymple plays and misses.

36th over: WICKET - Flintoff c Styris b Bond 0, Eng 134-6
What the... Freddie chips his very first ball gently to cover, and England are on the ropes. A nothing shot, and England are now in all sorts of bother. All sorts.

36th over: WICKET - Pietersen 60 c Franklin b Bond, Eng 133-5
Disaster! You might call it the commentator's curse, you might call it the predictability of England, but somehow they've managed to turn a half-decent situation into a poor one. Pietersen decides Collingwood's exit is the perfect time to dolly a chip off the returning Shane Bond into the grateful hands of James Franklin in the deep and suddenly England are wobbling again.

35th over: WICKET - Collingwood 31 c McCullum b Styris, Eng 133-4
Well, well, well - another wicket down for England and this time it's Colly with the wobbles. Two balls after Styris drops him off a caught-and-bowled chance, he lures the thinnest of edges from the Durham all-rounder and McCullum takes a sharp catch behind the stumps. The only consolation for England is that the huge frame of Andrew Flintoff strides in to replace him. Let's hope he can stick around a while.

34th over: Eng 130-3
At the risk of jinxing Pietersen's effort, he looks to have quickly put the scare of the last over behind him and he's looking comfortable again. A swipe behind square brings three, before a couple of neat chips over the infield bring a few more. That's more like it, son.

33rd over: Eng 123-3
Heart in mouth time for KP - Styris drifts down leg but McCullum, standing up, gathers and whips the bails off. Rudi asks for the third umpire, and after an age KP is reprieved. About a big toe in that one.

32nd over: Eng 120-3
Lots of loop and variation in pace Vettori - two more to Pietersen, but the Eternal Student's trying to tempt him here.

31st over: Eng 117-3
On comes Scott Styris, who decelerates so much as he jogs in to bowl that he might as well start seated. KP drives him for a crisp two, and that's his half-century - off 73 balls.

30th over: Eng 112-3
Colly wants a slice of this wallop pie - after three singles off Vettori, he sweeps his last ball over midwicket for a well-placed four. Barely bothered with a back-lift either. Strong forearms, y'see.

29th over: Eng 105-3
KP's had enough - he charges Patel and clouts him high over long-on for the first six of the day. Colly tries to do the same a little wider and gets two more. That's the 50 partnership too...

28th over: Eng 96-3
Six singles off Vettori. Now that's progress.

27th over: Eng 90-3
Singles off Patel. We're officially in the mid-innings doldrums. Remember all that chat about totals of 300-plus in this tournament?

26th over: Eng 86-3
Just a single for KP from Vettori. Three people around me have just yawned in quick succession.

25th over: Eng 85-3
Two nine-irons from Pietersen over midwicket for two twos - very Collyesque shots, but at least it's runs...

24th over: Eng 80-3
Three singles and a no-ball off Vettori's over. Still under 3.5 runs an over. Hmmm.

From David Grimm, TMS inbox: "Surely one top, which is black on the inside and white on the outside, is a better solution?"

23rd over: Eng 76-3
It's all gone a bit quiet out there. Patel ties KP down, and it feels curiously unlike a key World Cup match. More like another one of those meaningless warm-up games.

From Paul Vickers, TMS inbox: "To contradict Ian Malone, Wikipedia says black is not a 'colour': It is a neutral which in practice is seen as another colour, so both things in the natural world such as animals and things in the human world such as dark paint are described as black. Black is, as perceived generally, not a very dark color but a neutral, usually so much so that its exact hue and saturationare difficult to determine with the naked eye."

22nd over: Eng 74-3
Daniel Vettori, who still looks like a student (albeit a postgrad now) replaces Franklin. His first ball dips on KP and strikes him in front - there's a massive appeal, but Umpire Rudi K stays still. I'd have given that one, I really would.

21st over: Eng 72-3
Jeetan Patel comes on for his right-arm twirlers and keeps it tidy - just a single apiece for the batsmen.

20th over: Eng 70-3
Big let-off for KP - he smashes Franklin to Vincent at deep cover, but the diving Lou can't hang on. The ball flies off his wrist and rolls slowly over the boundary rope for four.

From Stephen Ottaway, TMS inbox: "It is the colour pigments which absorb or reflect light - and white does reflect and black does absorb. So it is cooler to wear a white top over a dark top in the sun." Two tops, Stephen? It's cooler to wear two tops?

19th over: Eng 65-3
Colly slashes at Oram - or rather, one of Oram's deliveries - and gets another inside edge past his stumps. Woof. This is one of those Colly knocks where he scrabbles around like an anxious ginger chicken, seemingly unable to hit the ball off the square. Then you look up at the scoreboard and find he's raced to 50.

18th over: Eng 63-3
Just a single to KP off Franklin, and the pressure goes up another notch.

From Ian Malone, TMS inbox: "Richard Preece said 'Black does not attract heat - it absorbs more light and converts it into heat energy.' In fact, true black absorbs all light, but it also gives off heat better than any colour. I know that makes no sense, but don't blame me - blame Einstein."

17th over: Eng 62-3
Oram to Collingwood, who gets going with an inside edge past his stumps and through McCullum's legs for four. The Beige Brigade are still dancing after Vaughan's dismissal. One of them is waving a flag that features one kiwi (the rotund bird, that is) doing something rather rude to another kiwi. I'm not sure it's medically accurate, either.

From Alex Bussey, TMS inbox: "Actually, white shirts reflect the body's own heat back, and so are one of the worst things to wear in hot weather, while dark clothing lets it escape."

16th over: WICKET - Vaughan b Franklin 26, Eng 52-3
Wallop - Vaughan tries to follow flashy suit, aims a big pull at Franklin and plays on. No need for that shot at all, no need...

15th over: Eng 52-2
KP wakes up and chases Oram - flicking him fine for four, and then crashing him off one leg through midwicket for another. That brings back memories.

14th over: Eng 43-2
Vaughan is beaten by Franklin outside off and then launches him high over mid-on for four. Just a little warning for those who had forgotten - it's Mothers' Day on Sunday, so if you want to avoid a whole heap of ear-ache, get yourself down to the newsagents sharpish. I'd estimate you've got around two hours to get a card in the post to guarantee delivery for the big day.

13th over: Eng 38-2
Four dot balls from Oram to KP, who then drives him straight for an effortless four. Nice. Still, the run-rate's stuck just under three an over - no fireworks there.

12th over: Eng 34-2
Bond's doing the job here - just 10 runs off his five overs. Vaughan tries to pull him but gets a toe end on it, and the ball dribbles to point.

From Richard Preece, TMS inbox: "Black does not attract heat - it absorbs more light and converts it into heat energy."

11th over: Eng 32-2
Whoosh - almost a disastrous run-out as KP calls for an insane single. Vettori hurls the ball at McCullum with Vaughan half a pitch short, only for the 'keeper to fail to gather the ball. Massive let-off.

In reply to those of you asking for more info on the gaggle - specifically, how many are international class - I say two things: firstly, that that sort of sexist badinage has no place on the BBC, and secondly, about half of them.

10th over: Eng 31-2
Here comes Big KP, windmilling his blade as he strides out. Vaughan thick-edges a single before Pietersen holds on against some lively jabbers from Bond.

From Paul B, Maidstone, via TMS inbox: "Of course, a black shirt would also attract the heat - making you more sweaty." I knew there was a reason cricketers used to wear white. Although then of course you've got the issue of grass stains. Nightmare.

9th over: WICKET - Bell ct McCullum b Oram 5, Eng 30-2
Jacob Oram comes on for Franklin, and it's instant joy for the wobbler - Bell advances down the track, drives loosely at a wide one and McCullum goes high to his right to take the snag. He won't be putting that shot in his scrapbook. Unless he's some sort of obsessive, detailing all his worst ever dismissals.

8th over: Eng 27-1
Bond keeps it tidy, Vaughan nabs a single. It's warm out there already - Bond's floppy hair is plastered to his forehead already. That's the benefit of wearing a black shirt, of course - tremendous at hiding sweaty patches.

From Andrew Scott, TMS inbox: "Come on boys - we've gotta win today. It would be extra special if we did, because I've got an Aussie sitting opposite me supporting New Zealand." Blimey - has it got so bad that Aussies are now supporting Kiwis?

7th over: Eng 26-1
A few of 'em are now frowning - Vaughan strides down the pitch to Franko and clips him behind square for two. He then puts another big stride in and times a sweet straight drive back past the bowler and through Bell's splayed legs for another four.

6th over: Eng 17-1
Nice from Vaughan - he rocks back to a shorter one from Bondo and pulls him high over midwicket for England's first boundary of the tournament. The gaggle are unmoved.

5th over: Eng 12-1
Single to Bell, who's taking a step down the track to counter Franko's angles. Vaughan does the same and takes two down to third man. There's a gaggle of 10 or so female NZ fans in one of the stands who are very much enjoying the attention of the TV cameras. Are they worth it? I'm saying nothing.

From BBC Sport's Martin Gough in St Lucia: "Fifteen minutes after the scheduled start, there are still swathes of empty seats. Almost everyone here is an England fan, so perhaps locals will fill the gaps as the day progresses. The grass bank across from me is the most packed area of the ground, with a disco blasting out Bob Marley."

4th over: Eng 9-1
Maiden from Bond - tidy as you like just outside off. No smiles from the bowler - it's all narrowed eyes and lingering stares. Not that kind of lingering stare, of course.

3rd over: Eng 9-1
Nice angle from Franklin - slanted across the right-handers with a little deviation to monkey with the mind too. Single to Vaughan, another wide too.

From Ben Richards, TMS inbox: "Why is there always a wicket in the first over when you are in the commentary position? Yesterday it was Ireland, today it's England. Was writing my prediction. Now I am hiding under the sheets, like a kid in a thunderstorm." If only I really did have the powers you assume, Ben - I'd be a Betfair billionaire in minutes...

2nd over: Eng 7-1
Ian Bell jogs to the crease, sunscreen smeared all over his nose and lips. Shane Bond's tearing in, and his inswinger's firing well from the off. A couple of wides give England a precious breather. Up in the stands, the Beige Brigade are on their feet - including one wiry fella in a skin-tight catsuit.

1st over: WICKET - Joyce ct McCullum b Franklin 0, England 1-1
Sweet Nelly Brown - after an opening no-ball, Joyce slashes at a very wide one and feathers the nick behind. England are a wicket down in the blink of an eye - anyone want to re-think their match prediction?

From Ian Melding, via TMS inbox: "NZ to win - England collapse more often than Britney Spears."

1355 GMT: Here come Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce - and it's James Franklin to open the attack. Big applause from the crowd here in St Lucia.

1343 GMT: Let's have some chat while we're waiting - how do we see this one going? Huge match, of course - win this and you're looking well set for the Super Eights - three wins from six matches would probably see you into the semis. Predictions to the TMS inbox please...

1331 GMT: Stephen Fleming calls correctly - and he sticks England in. So Vaughan and Joyce will be out there in about half an hour, with New Zealand going for two spinners in their attack. We think.

1328 GMT: Here come the skippers for the toss. Those in the know reckon whoever wins the toss will choose to bowl. Let's see...

1315 GMT: Latest chat: we're definitely starting at 1400 GMT. Bingo. Good news for those of you worrying about Michael Vaughan's fitness - he's been jogging around for at least 10 minutes with no sound of twanging, tearing or snapping whatsoever.

1305 GMT: Latest from the middle - after the heavy rain early this morning, there'll be an inspection in 20 minutes. Stay chirpy though - the covers are off, and both sets of players are out there warming up.

1255 GMT: Here we go then - England's opening joust in this year's World Cup. And New Zealand's too, of course. To be fair, my brain's still fried from the madness that was Ireland-Zimbabwe last night - but the heady rush of adrenaline that comes with the chance to watch Jamie Dalrymple and Paul Nixon in action should soon sort that out.