New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first, which produced electrifying early results when Matt Henry grabbed a wicket with the first ball of the Chemist Warehouse ODI three-game series.
 
Zak Foulkes entered the action, and England were in deep trouble at four down with just 10 runs on the board. England skipper, Harry Brook, then set about the visitors' rescue with a take-no-prisoners batting assault on the New Zealand bowlers.
 
Jamie Overton, batting at eight, combined with Brook to give their team some semblance of a genuine recovery, with an 87-run partnership.
 
Brook gave a masterclass in batting ferocity, in belting 135 from 101 balls at a strike rate of 134 (per one hundred balls. He smashed 102runs in boundaries with nine 4’s and a mighty ten 6’s.
 
Bowling honours belonged to Zak Foulkes, who finished with four wickets for 41 runs and Jacob Duffy with three bowling scalps.
 
The near full house of cricket fans where brought back to reality with their first three batters removed for 24 runs. 
 
Darryl Mitchell dug in and went on to his side's top score of 70 from 91 balls. A 92-run stand with Michael Bracewell (51) did the damage as the Black Caps took first blood in the series with four wickets to spare.
 
Bay Oval cricket fans have plenty to look forward to in the next four months. 
 
Test cricket returns to Mount Maunganui from the 19th  to the 22nd December 2025, when the West Indies meet the New Zealand Black Caps. The five-day encounter will be the sixth test to be played at the Bay Oval since England played the home nation in late 2019.
 
Two NZC Major Association fixtures will precede the international game in November. A rare Ford Trophy one-dayer will be played at the Blake Park main ground on the 12th November, with Northern Districts playing Otago.
 
Two weeks later, starting on the 26th of November, a Plunket Shield game will see ND play long-time rivals Auckland.
 
Two Super Smash double headers will attract plenty of interest, with the Northern Brave men's and women's teams meeting their Wellington and Otago counterparts, in the middle of the holiday season.
 
Another first for the Bay Oval will take place on the 15th March 2026, with a T20 International double header. The White Ferns will open proceedings against the South African Women before the Black Caps square of with the Proteas. 

ICC ODI @ Bay Oval 26 November 2025

England 223 (Harry Brook 135, Jamie Overton 46; Zak Foulkes 4/41, Jacob Duffy 3/55) lost to New Zealand 224/6 (Daryl Mitchell 70, Michael Bracewell 51; Brydon Carse 3/45)

Bay Oval Big Game Schedule 2025-26

 

November 12 | NZC Ford Trophy | Northern Districts v Otago
November 26-29 | NZC Plunket Shield | Northern Districts v Auckland
 
December 18-22 | ICC Test Match | Black Caps v West Indies
December 31 | NZC Super Smash | Northern Brave v Wellington Blaze (W)
December 31 | NZC Super Smash | Northern Brave v Wellington Firebirds
 
January 4 | NZC Super Smash | Northern Brave v Otago Sparks (W)
January 4 | NZC Super Smash | Northern Brave v Otago Volts
 
March 15 | ICC T20 | White Ferns v South Africa
March 15 | ICC T20 | Black Caps v South Africa