Alastair Cook played a captain's knock with a chancy half-century in testing conditions. Cook scored a brisk 64 off 47 balls with four fours and two sixes.
Nathan McCullum had a day he would never forget. The Kiwi dropped Cook 3 times in the match before finally catching him off his own bowling. Nathan took a total of 4 catches in the England innings.
Cook was involved in a fruitful 75-run third wicket partnership with Joe Root (38) after the hosts were reduced to 25 for 2 in the fourth over of a rain-hit match.
New Zealand kept taking wickets at regular intervals, with Kyle Mills finishing with 4/30 - that makes him the highest wicket-takes in Champions Trophy history - with 28.
More than half the match was lost after rains lashed Cardiff and the Sophia Gardens was mostly under covers throughout the day. Good work by the groundstaff enabled a late afternoon start after the rains relented, but sky remained overcast.
James Anderson was yet again England main bowling threat, ending with 3/32. He moved the ball both ways and generated some hostile pace as the Kiwi batsmen failed to find their feet.
