England claimed a convincing victory over New Zealand in the first of two Twenty20 internationals with Dimitri Mascarenhas starring in Auckland.

Jacob Oram hit a brilliant 61 off 40 balls but the other New Zealand batsmen were powerless as a target of 185 proved enough for a 32-run win.

Mascarenhas hit four sixes in a row off Jeetan Patel in a thrilling 31 before taking 2-19, a catch and a run-out.

Ryan Sidebottom took 3-16 in 3.2 overs in an excellent team effort.

By Ben Dirs

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the match

E-mail [email protected] (with 'For Ben Dirs' in the subject), text 81111 (with "CRICKET" as your first word) or use 606 . (Not all contributions can be used)

NEW ZEALAND INNINGS

"The estimable Mr Johnson did a three-date tour of NZ in 2005 (there are only three places to play in NZ). I was at the Christchurch gig and he went down very well."
Chris, Somerset, in the TMS inbox

"PS. Jack Johnson is an abomination. That is all."
Tom King in the TMS inbox

20th over - WICKET - Oram c Bell b Sidebottom 61 (NZ 152 all out)
That's a wrap ladies and gents, Oram following up a slap down the ground by holing out to Bell at long-off. A pretty impressive 32-run victory for England. Right, good to be back and I'll see you soon.

19th over - 148-9 Martin picks up a kamikaze single and there are a couple more before Oram goes for some clatter and picks up two for an inside-edge. Actually, that's four, although I'm not sure why. Does anyone happen to know whether singer-songwriter Jack Johnson is big in New Zealand? A mate of mine said he liked him the other day, and I said, "he's rubbish, he's the sort of bloke who'd be big in New Zealand". I thought it was quite pithy at the time, but I'm not sure if it has any basis in truth. The crowd seem slightly baffled by the ones and twos from Martin and Oram, as am I. Consequently, New Zealand require 37 from the final over.

"Surely you have seen brothers and sisters engage in play-fighting before, and I'm fairly sure that isn't a sign of blossoming romantic love. In other news, custard creams are at the very least a mid-afternoon biscuit. You should really start with a large diameter round biscuit, such as a Rich Tea or a Digestive, before graduating to the more robust Hob Nob around elevenses."
Tom King in the TMS inbox

18th over - 141-9 Martin picks up one with a thick inside-edge, before Oram leans back and punches Broad to long-on for a single. Martin almost perishes next ball, but Bell is unable to locate the stumps with his shy, and Martin nicks the strike with a push into the covers.

17th over - WICKET - Patel b Anderson 5 (NZ 135-9)
Is play-fighting with a woman a definitive sign of blossoming love? Just a little thought for the morning. Four more for Oram courtesy of a thick outside-edge and that's his fifty courtesy of a single to long-on. But that's nine down, Patel making room and finding himself beaten all ends up by an Anderson yorker. The end is nigh - number 11 Martin makes Devon Malcolm look like Dennis Compton...and he's got a dodgy hamstring...

16th over - 129-8 Wright to have a bowl and Patel chips him over mid-on for a few. Oram then carts him over Cow Corner for another maximum. Oram and Patel exchange singles before Oram goes for some more hammer but falls just short of the deep cover boundary. Two for the shot. The Kiwis need 56 to win from just four overs.

15th over - WICKET - Southee c Mascarenhas b Collingwood 1 (NZ 102-8)
Collingwood brings himself into the attack and takes a wicket with his second ball, Southee top-edging a pull to Mascarenhas at deep mid-wicket. But while Oram's still there, England will be unable to rest - he larrups Colly over the wide long-on rope for a maximum before crashing him to the long-off fence for four.

"Interesting call on the custard creams (see below). We may debate the rights and wrongs of such a breakfast but I am keen to blow this discussion wide open with the postulation that custard creams are the best dunking biscuit. The cream acts as a binding agent, allowing the biscuit to soak up a lot of tea/coffee. The mix of textures when eaten is then an additional bonus. All in all a good breakfast choice if accompanied by a cuppa."
Robbie King in the TMS inbox

14th over - WICKET - Mills c Anderson b Swann 11 (NZ 90-7)
That's Mills gone, sweeping Swann to Anderson on the mid-wicket boundary. The Lancashire paceman did well to take that, palming the ball upwards to take the sting out of it before taking the catch. Oram puts pedal to the metal, reverse sweeping Swann for four next ball before heaving another four through long-on. Three more singles from the over and that's New Zealand's ton.

13th over - 90-6 Indeed, Paul, Worcester (see below), indeed...we'll be using apostrophes to abbreviate words next...plenty of nudge and nurdle from Mills and Oram - four singles and a brace from Mills to long-off.

"Even the BBC have resorted to using 'top score' as a verb. What is the world coming to?"
Paul, Worcester, in the TMS inbox

12th over - 84-6 Broad getting some tap, Oram dragging him to long-on for a single, where Pietersen does well to pick the ball up on the half-volley, and Mills playing a smart upper-cut for six. Saying that, only seven from the over and England can deal with that.

11th over - 77-6 Mills is off the dreaded goose egg with a paddle round the corner for four. Three singles from the over but either Oram or Mills is going to have to play an absolute jamspangler of a knock if the hosts are going to win this.

10th over - WICKET - Fulton b Broad 8 (NZ 70-6)
Broad serves up a bit of chin music and Oram sways easily out of line. One for Oram with a mis-timed pull and Fulton picks up four courtesy of an outside-edge. And that's the sixth wicket down, Fulton attempting to whip a full delivery from Broad to leg and losing his middle and off-stumps. Mills is the new batsman.

9th over - WICKET - Styris b Mascarenhas 1 (NZ 64-5)
Surely that's the end of Black Cap hopes, Styris going for some serious tap and finding himself bowled by Mascarenhas. Oram is off the mark with a thick inside-edge for one.

8th over - 63-4 Swann into the attack and there are more extras from England, Mascarenhas having a dart at the stumps and Pietersen allowing it to pass through his guard and run away for four - five leg-byes in total. Two Metre Peter Fulton is the new batsman and he's off the mark with a clip to square-leg for two.

7th over - How c Pietersen b Mascarenhas 6 (NZ 47-3)
How gets in on the act, clattering new bowler Mascarenhas over mid-wicket for four, but How's gone next ball, chipping straight to Pietersen, who snaffles an easy catch. Two leg-byes off the pads of Styris, Broad doing well to save four.

WICKET - Ryder run out (Bell/Mascarenhas) 22 (NZ 49-4)
Ryder's out, slipping at the non-striker's end and failing to beat the throw of Bell. The home side are serious trouble now, although that's four more leg-byes from the final ball of the over.

6th over - 43-2 Broad has a vociferous lbw appeal against Ryder turned down by Umpire Bowden and the ball dribbles away for four leg-byes. That's four more off the bowling of Broad, who drops short and is top-edged to the third-man fence by Ryder. And another four, Ryder with an outside-edge to move to 22. Not much luck for Broad there, the burly Ryder still flailing away.

5th over - 31-2 That's brutal from Ryder, latching onto a shot ball from Sidebottom and depositing the ball to the mid-wicket fence for four. This morning I caught my housemate eating custard creams for breakfast? Is that as wrong as I think it is? Two more singles from the over - Shah very nearly got his fingers to a catch from the final ball - and the Black Caps are going to have to start giving it some hammer if they're to stand a chance.

4th over - 24-2 Anderson flings down a couple of wides, and that's one more than New Zealand bowled in England's entire innings. All of a sudden Anderson is hooping it all over the shop and New Zealand's batsman are struggling to deal with it. Ryder drops the ball into the covers and scampers one, but England well on top here.

"I suffered from bad ears when I was small too, but it didn't make me posh. It left me with as limp though, as I didn't hear the car coming."
Paul, Lancs, in the TMS inbox

3rd over - WICKET - McCullum c Shah b Sidebottom 9 (NZ 18-1)
That's England's first wicket, Sidebottom hurrying McCullum and Shah pouching his mis-timed pull at square-leg. Taylor is the new man, and he's got a Twenty20 ton to his name in domestic cricket.

WICKET - Taylor lbw b Sidebottom 0 That's another for Siders - a hint of swing and Taylor, swishing across the line, is caught plumb in front. A Higher State of Consciousness by Josh Wink is pumping out of the sound system as How makes his way to the middle. Is that a dummy he's got in his mouth?

"'Popping off for a growler'? Could be taken out of context. Surely 'popping off for a Salmon and Trout' would leave the reader clear as to one's intentions."
Scantily Clad, Singapore, in the TMS inbox

2nd over - 17-0 Our cricket sub has just wandered over, said "I suffered from bad ears as an infant" (he's quite posh) and walked out of the office. Seriously, someone is smashing the absolute granny out of the toilet outside our office with a very large drill, it's not pleasant. That is though from McCullum, crashing Anderson straight over his head for six, and Ryder climbs into Anderson a couple of balls later for four more. The Black Caps into their stride.

1st over - 5-0 Players are back out and news is in that England's total has been trimmed to 184-8 because one run short was spotted. New Zealand are underway with a leg-bye. Former Kiwi wicket-keeper Ian Smith reckons he hasn't seen Eden Park rocking like this for for 25 years, and when you bear in mind that Keane played there a couple of years ago, that's remarkable. McCullum scores the first run off the bat, a single into the covers. That's risky from Ryder, he would have perished given a direct hit. Big lbw appeal from Sidebottom, but there was plenty of wood on that. Saying that, it's given as a leg-bye.

ENGLAND INNINGS

20th over - 185-8 Good bowling from Southee - just one from the first two balls of the final over. But Sidebottom feathers him to the third-man fence for four before chipping him into the covers for a single. Good shot that from Swann, squeezing Southee to the third-man fence for four and England scurry two off the final delivery for a very respectable total of 185-8. Very defendable that, I'm off for a growler...see you in 20...

"Regarding the 'bathroom maintenance engineers' (see below), you won't have any joy becoming one of them so put on your best Radio 4 accent and put them to task. Just came in from an evening of drinking and am overjoyed to find cricket on."
Mark, Seattle, in the TMS inbox

19th over - WICKET - Broad c Styris b Mills 6 (Eng 172-8)
That's a crackerjack shot from Broad, slapping Mills to the long-off boundary for four, but that's him gone, skying Mills to Styris at mid-wicket. Simple take, we're all wondering where Jesse Ryder has gone - one over, one wicket, two runs...you do the ruddy math...

"Just had to factor in a quick shower and managed to miss Dimi's bish bash bosh over. Now he's out. Rats!"
Sarah, sniggering in Canterbury at the vision of Ben the English teacher explaining "bish bash bosh" in South Korea, in the TMS inbox

18th over - WICKET - Collingwood c Styris b Southee
The England skipper is 19-year-old Southee's first international scalp, Collingwood attempting to smear the youngster over the covers and only succeeding in slicing it to Styris, who needs three goes at pouching it. Swann picks up his first four with an inside-edge for four. Thank you for your emails informing me that the cricket is indeed on the radio, just not within the walls of TV Centre.

17th over - WICKET - Mascarenhas c Patel b Mills 31 (Eng 157-6)
Collingwood swishes a full-bunger from Mills for four to backward square-leg before Mascarenhas picks up four more with a hook, despite a valiant effort from Ryder, who got a finger to it diving full length. But the Hampshire man falls next ball, backing away and carving Mills straight to Patel at third-man. Swann is the new man at the crease and he's off the mark with a single.

"Aggers is loud and clear on my diggie radio talking about nubile ladies. It even displays the score! What a techno marvel. And I can take it with me all over the house."
Karen in the TMS inbox

16th over - 148-5 Oh my giddy aunt, Mascarenhas is going bonkers - three sixes straight over wide long-on...make that four...26 off the over, and Patel has had his trousers pulled down.

15th over - 122-5 The fifth floor toilets are being refurbished and some grease monkey is going at it with a masonry drill. I can't hear a thing and I've got TV interference! I would go and ask him to turn it in, but I've forgotten how to speak to manual workers. Do I call him pal? Just three from that over, a couple of singles and a wide.

"I teach English in South Korea and I am hoping today's lesson will be watching live text, so please no weird words (I'm explaining what a dinner lady is) and think about your grammar!"
Ben Dyas in the TMS inbox

14th over - WICKET - Shah lbw b Ryder 23 (Eng 117-5)
Shah takes one liberty too many, attempting a sweep, and Ryder takes a wicket with his second ball in international cricket. Mascarenhas is the new batsman and he and Colly exchange singles. But that over from Ryder was absolute gold dust - just two from it and a wicket.

13th over - 115-4 Chastening for new boy Southee, straying onto Shah's legs and finding himself whipped imperiously over the square-leg fence for six. Look at that follow-through from Shah, it's like he's Vogueing. Four more for Shah with a crisp drive down the ground and we cut to some boundary dancers. Not much cop to be honest, the four of them look like they're smacked up to the eyeballs.

12th over - 102-4Rob from Wiveliscombe is having Pietersen with his Crunchy Nuts - what's in everyone else's breakfast bowl? I had half a banana and a Malboro Light before I set off this morning. I'm not trying to be clever, I was almost sick as I walked down stairs. A bit of nudge and nurdle before Colly clubs Patel to the wide long-on boundary for four to bring up England's ton.

11th over - 95-4 The fresh-faced Southee is into the attack and Shah is off the mark with a sweet drive to long-on for a couple. And that's Shah's first boundary courtesy of a wristy whip through mid-wicket. Classic Owais that.

"At last - some breakfast time cricket. There's nothing like having a bit of Pietersen over your Crunchy Nuts..."
Rob, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, in the TMS inbox

10th over - WICKET - Pietersen c Taylor b Patel 43 (Eng 87-4)
Patel is on for Martin. News on the advertised radio coverage is that there is no radio coverage. It was supposed to be on Radio Five Live Sports Extra, but it's not appearing and no-one knows why. Aggers will be over the moon when he finds out he's been chatting for three hours for the benefit of his mates in the box. Colly picks up four with a steepling stroke to mid-wicket, but KP is out a couple of balls later, clipping Patel straight to Tayor in the leg-side. Fine innings from Pietersen, but a disappointingly soft dismissal.

9th over - 81-3 England dealing in singles before Pietersen scampers two to deep square-leg. Pietersen then attempts a remarkable shot, walking down the track to Oram before dropping on one knee and attempting a sweep. Funnily enough, it doesn't come off and that's the first over without a boundary.

8th over - 75-3 Martin tries out some chin music and Pietersen absolutely ram-a-dam-a-ding-dongs him over the mid-wicket rope for six. Nasty. I see Sarah Canterbury has joined us early - get some Sugar Puffs down your neck and get chatting girl, it's eerily quiet out there...Colly is beaten twice by Martin, fishing outside off-peg, but he does pick up a single with a punch into the covers. Martin finishes four overs with 2-34.

7th over - WICKET - Bell b Oram 12 (Eng 65-3)
Oram gives Bell some width and Bell carves him through point for his second four. But Oram cleans Bell up with a decent yorker next ball and the Kiwis are far from out of this. Collingwood is the new batsman.

"Morning Ben. Wonder how long ago Paul in Lancs had his opening email of the season written? I like to fly off the hoof, so to speak! Boo to Treddars not playing!"
Sarah, Canterbury, in the TMS inbox

6th over - 59-2 Pietersen means business - an outside edge dribbles away for four before he gets a thick inside edge to the long-leg fence. Patel then dives to save a four on the mid-wicket boundary, but KP moves into the 30s with a dreamy cover-drive. England motoring.

5th over - 55-2 Oram into the attack and Bell picks up his first four with an outside-edge. Bit of tickling from Bell and Pietersen and that's seven off the over. This Ryder lad is a BOU (Big Old Unit), I've seen more athletic looking dinner ladies.

4th over - WICKET - Mustard c Ryder b Martin 20 (Eng 31-2)
Mustard perishes, failing to get hold of an attempted pull and sticking it down Ryder's neck at deep square-leg. Bell is the new man in the middle. KP continues to play by the text book, standing tall and driving Martin through the covers for four. Absolutely rammo at Eden Park and the weather looks slightly more clement than it did in Romford at 3.45 this morning. I looked out the window and contemplated killing myself.

3rd over - 31-1 A life for Mustard, who thick-edges a rustic hoick down to third-man only for Martin to shell the catch. And the Durham man makes the most of his reprieve, putting manners on Mills' next ball and watching it sail over the mid-wicket fence. Pietersen works Mills to mid-wicket for a single before Mustard misses out on a full-bunger and picks up one. KP shows that Twenty20 doesn't have to be agriculturual with a lip-smacking straight drive for four.

2nd over - WICKET - Wright c McCullum b Martin 1 (Eng 12-1)
Wright saunters down the pitch and picks up a leg-bye before charging Martin and missing with a waft outside off-stump. But that's England's first wicket down, Martin dredging up a bit of extra pace and Wright nibbling him to McCullum, diving to his right, behind the timbers. Here comes God, and he's off the mark with a clip to the long-leg fence.

"A quick update from my Lancashire winter Live Text Chat training camp. I've had a productive winter break here, focusing my reading and related random thought construction on the very interesting developments over the last twenty years in sub-atomic theoretical physics. As the 2008 season starts up, I'm quietly confident of bringing a new attacking dimension to my text chatting, though as the Harry Piling of Text Chat (look him up on google if you're a youngster), I'm always likely to be more suited to the long form game later in the season."
Paul, Lancs, in the TMS inbox

1st over - 10-0 Mills has first bung and Mustard gets England off the mark with a clip tp leg for one. Wright is off the mark with a fence to point before Mustard goes for some heave-ho, attempting to cart Mills over Cow Corner when a stroke through covers might have worked. Mustard then gropes at one and is beaten before he crashes Mills for two fours, the first to the wide long-on fence and the second a paddle round the corner.

0557: The Black Caps have two new faces in their line-up - Jesse Ryder, who will open with McCullum, and fast bowler Tim Southee...hold on a second, I've naused that up - the Kiwis won the toss and have put England in...sorry, the pair of you...

0554: New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum has won the toss and decided to bat first at Eden Park. Stand by for some serious crash, bang, wallop...although I might have to make most of it up as neither TV or radio have kicked in yet...yes they have, we'll be off in three...

"I'm off to tell my boss I don't feel well and find a pub with Foxtel not too close to work. Come on England!"
Andy, Brisbane

"It's 0839 here in Riyadh and another 16 hour day beckons (that'll be 32 straight). Always good to be able to escape to the cricket news in a country where almost every taxi driver is from Pakistan and I regularly have conversations about the greats of the past (Khan, Younis etc.) Have a great day - you're going to distract me from mine."
Richard Jones, News at Ten, working like a pillock in Saudi Arabia

0541: I would like to provide you with some information about the toss at Eden Park, but Sky One are instead showing a promotional programme about 'The Bricky', which, to be fair, looks like the absolute daddy. It appears to be a lump of plastic with which you can build your own house. If only Bobby George had known about that, he might not have knackered his back trying to knock up his own gaff and won the Embassy in 1994. Sorry, if you don't know anything about darts, that will mean nothing to you...

0532: Morning all. Good grief this is unGodly...team news has just dropped on the wires and the main headline is that Alastair Cook's impressive early tour form has failed to earn him a place in England's line-up.

Instead, hard-hitting Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright will open alongside wicket-keeper Phil Mustard while Ravi Bopara, spinner James Tredwell, wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose and Tim Tremlett have also been overlooked, although off-spinner Graeme Swann is included.

Nottinghamshire fast bowler Stuart Broad plays his first Twenty20 match since being hit for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

0517: Just before Senor Dirs meanders his way into the building, a very good day to you, particularly those of you in the US preparing to vote on "Super Duper" Tuesday.

No team news yet from Auckland, where it is 6.17pm in the evening local time with a start due at 7pm there. We'll keep you posted.