Live Commentary: New Zealand vs. England first T20 - as it happened

Good morning everyone. Today is the day when this tour gets officially underway and England know they face a big challenge against an improving side. News from Auckland is that New Zealand have wont the toss, putting England into bat.

Wright appeals for a catch when Munro miscues a big shot. The replay shows that the ball did hit the ground and the batsman survives.

England: Hales, Lumb, Wright, Morgan, Buttler, Bairstow, Patel, Broad, Tredwell, Finn, Dernbach

Guptill fires a drive straight to Broad at cover and that's the wicket England desperately wanted.

New Zealand: Guptill, Rutherford, B. McCullum, Taylor, Munro, Franklin, N. McCullum, Ellis, Hira, Boult, McClenaghan

Franklin is the new batsman and he combines well with Munro to find 10 from the first five balls. Munro looks a good player and he hits two big sixes in the over off Tredwell.

New Zealand fans will be delighted to see Ross Taylor back in the team and the hosts can produce some magnificent performances in this format, especially with their best players available.

Broad will be expected to deliver a series victory from these three games and after revealing the full extent of his injury woes recently, it will be interesting to see how the seamer performs.

England will open with Hales and Lumb, with the latter needing some big runs to prove his worth to the team. England's middle order have been firing in the warm-up matches and there is plenty of firepower within the 11 players.

Brendon McCullum has taken his players out into the gorgeous sunshine and they are closely followed by the England openers. Mitchell McClenaghan will begin with the ball in his hand.

Lumb turns the first ball onto the leg-side to begin the scoring immediately. Hales pushes the ball through the covers and good running earns him three runs. Lumb adds another before Hales attempts to pull the ball out of the ground, with no reward. One more single follows and it's six from the first over.

Boult, making his debut in this format, begins with a wide delivery that beats McCullum down the leg-side to gift England five extras. Hales takes a couple of steps down the pitch to guide the ball through mid-wicket for two runs before a huge pull shot provides the first maximum of the game. Boult responds well but that six has done the damage.

Lumb looks like he is ready to entertain the fans but an expansive shot only brings a single. Hales takes advantage of a fuller delivery to drive the ball through extra cover for four runs. A single to mid-wicket has Lumb back on strike and he is surprised by a sharp bouncer from McClenaghan.

McCullum brings on spin early, with Hira being thrown the ball. The slower bowler begins well but Hales finds the boundary midway through the over with a powerful leg-side drive.

Superb cricket from new Zealand as Hira's slower ball completely deceives Hales, allowing McCullum to whip off the bails. Luke Wright in next for the tourists.

Wright gets off the mark with a clip off his toes but that's a brilliant start from Hira.

There's a change of ends for Boult and his return starts with two dot balls before Wright reaches the boundary rope with a beautifully lofted shot down the ground for four. Wright's confidence continues to improve as he launches the ball over mid-wicket for six runs.

Wright backs away but he can't pick the gap at point. However, he shows some superb timing just a ball later to pick up six more runs with a gorgeous shot over cover. Four more follows wide of mid-on before the Sussex ace gets off strike with a single. Lumb decides it's time for him to join in, sweeping the ball over square-leg for four before striking a superb shot wide of mid-on for six. Disastrous over for the hosts, superb batting from the visitors.

Nathan McCullum is on to bowl for the hosts but he can't prevent Wright collecting a single to mid-wicket. The fielding restrictions have been lifted but that doesn't deter Wright later in the over as he records another huge straight six.

Andrew Ellis is introduced as McCullum searches for another breakthrough. A single brings Lumb on strike and he strikes the ball over the ropes without much effort at all. Lumb goes again but his shot goes straight into the air and Taylor fails to take the catch! Awful moment for New Zealand and Wright piles on the misery as he top edges the ball over McCullum for four. Huge, huge six from Wright over mid-wicket and this is great entertainment.

Wright attempts another big shot but his superb knock comes to an end when his flat pull shot finds Hira on the boundary rope. Great innings and Morgan comes out to the middle with a good base to work from.

Lumb gets off strike at the start of McClenaghan's new over and Morgan is off the mark with a prod to mid-off.

McClenaghan fires in a bouncer and Lumb proceeds to help the ball into the hands of Rutherford at short fine-leg.

Bairstow gets off the mark in style, pulling the ball through mid-wicket for a boundary. New Zealand have clawed their way back into this but England have some big hitters at the crease.

Franklin starts a new spell but McCullum's poor field placement is immediately punished by Morgan, who drives two consecutive boundaries through the vacant mid-off area. Franklin seems to recover but a standard length deliver is too inviting for Morgan to miss out and the left-hander hits his first maximum of the innings over mid-on.

Bairstow picks out the fielder at fine leg with a reverse sweep, bringing him a single. Morgan adds another before Bairstow joins the party by punching the ball beautifully over mid-wicket for six.

Franklin starts his new over with a wayward deliver, allowing Bairstow to help himself to six over fine leg. The seamer responds well but there's no reward as a bottom edge races past McCullum for four. Bairstow pushes the ball into the gap on the off-side to earn a single and Morgan adds another run to square leg. Franklin concedes a wide with a shorter ball before Hira drops a difficult chance off Bairstow in the deep on the leg-side. Lifeline for England, that could be a big moment.

McClenaghan begins his final over, with Morgan happy to take a single early on. Bairstow's completely misses a pull shot and is lucky not to be bowled. Great running from England as Bairstow nudges the ball to mid-wicket for a couple. A slower bouncer is guided to third man for a single before Morgan manages to flick the ball over fine leg for six more runs. 11 scored in the over.

Morgan drills the ball to long-off for one and Bairstow adds another single straight down the ground. A thick edge off the pads sees Morgan reach the boundary again, this time for four. The left-hander's miscued shot sends the ball into the air but it drops safely, much to the annoyance of the hosts. Two singles follow, nine from the over.

New Zealand are beginning to let themselves down in the field. McCullum finds the edge of Morgan but the ball somehow goes straight through the hands of McClenaghan at gully before finding the rope. Morgan takes full advantage by smashing the next delivery into the stands on the leg-side. The England duo share three singles, this partnership is now worth 75.

Morgan pushes Hira to mid-off for a single before Bairstow drills one straight past the bowler for four runs. The right-hander then finds the gap to add another to his total.

Morgan eyes another boundary but his sliced shot finds Taylor at short cover. The left-hander goes having made 46 from 26 balls and it's Buttler's turn to have a go in the middle. Bairstow ends the over with a single to keep the strike.

Bairstow knocks the ball to mid-wicket for a single. Buttler misses his first delivery but he shows his form by smashing two sixes over the head of McCullum twice in two balls. A cover drive follows and it's four for the new batsman, who races to 17 from five balls.

Boult is back for a new spell and he starts well, with Buttler only managing a single to mid-wicket. Bairstow finds the man in the deep with his pull shot to earn another run.

Bairstow hammers another shot down the ground but he picks out Guptill, who takes a good catch. Samit Patel is the new batsman and he starts with a single.

Patel backs away before guiding the ball onto the leg-side for one run before Buttler adds another to deep mid-wicket

Patel is cramped for room by a good short ball and send his pull shot straight into the sky. The skipper takes a good catch with the gloves on. Broad comes to the crease following that wicket.

Buttler pushes the ball to cover to bring his captain on strike. Broad is completely beaten by a slower bouncer and is struck on the forearm for his troubles. The left-hander then lofts the ball towards the mid-wicket boundary and Franklin drops the catch, allowing England to pick up four more runs in the process.

Boult will bowl the last over and he concedes a single from the first ball, allowing Buttler to reach the non-striker's end.

Broad had to attempt the big shot but a top edge allows McCullum to take another good catch. The good news for England is that the batsman crossed and Buttler will be on strike.

Superb bowling from Boult as he sends down two dot balls following the wicket. Buttler ruins the bowler's good work by launching the ball over mid-wicket for a fantastic six. A cover drive races through the gap for four and it's also a no ball. England have a free hit to end the innings, with Buttler on strike. Boult hits the stumps but Buttler will remain not out and what a great innings from him.

Of course, this pitch is a cracker and England will have been targeting a big score but you can take nothing away from that batting performance. Broad will be delighted with his troops and New Zealand will need a brilliant performance to reach 215.

That is England's highest ever total in a Twenty20 international. Broad has seen his top six all contribute but the bowlers must perform to secure this victory.

New Zealand dropped four catches in that innings and that just wasn't good enough. The hosts are usually good in that department and those mistakes could make the difference.

Don't rule out a New Zealand victory just yet. On a pitch like this, anything is possible but England remain favourites.

Rutherford, making his debut, is out in the middle and he's joined by Guptill. Finn will bowl the first over.

Rutherford is immediately off strike with a single to mid-on before Guptill adds one with a prod onto the leg-side. New Zealand think about a second but Guptill quickly returns to his crease. Rutherford finds the boundary for the first time with a whip through mid-wicket for four. Finn hits the stumps in the run-up but he has been warned before the game about that, so he may be nervous. Rutherford drives beautifully through the covers for another boundary and 13 runs are scored in total.

Finn will only get one warning in this series and if he hits the stumps again, it will be a dead ball.

Broad will bowl the second over and he starts by giving away a leg bye. Guptill opens the face to earn a single to third man before a good piece of fielding from Finn at short fine leg restricts Rutherford to one run. Guptill hurries a single but that won't bother Broad too much. Five runs from the over, good start from the skipper.

It's an early change as Dernbach comes on for a bowl. The pace bowler begins well, with just one run coming from the first three deliveries. Guptill cuts past point to collect two runs before adding four more through the same area. Seven from Dernbach's first over.

Big six from Rutherford straight down the ground at the start of Broad's new over. New Zealand plenty more of those shots.

We won't see anymore of those shots from Rutherford. Thew new boy pulls the ball straight into the air, with Tredwell taking a simple catch. Broad looks pumped up and it's Brendon McCullum's time to come to the crease.

The home side's skipper is off the mark with a single before showing his class with a crunching pull shot for four. Two more singles follow in the over.

Guptill nudges the returning Finn for a single before McCullum adds one more on the leg-side. The captain finds the boundary later in the over with another pull shot. A bouncer is delivered by Finn but it's too short and a wide is given.

Big, big moment in this match. McCullum slices the ball into the air and Morgan takes a great catch over his shoulders to remove the skipper. Ross Taylor comes out to the middle to a great reception on his comeback. Big pressure on him now, superb from England.

Dernbach returns and Taylor is immediately off the mark with a single. Guptill adds another quick run to short third man before Taylor pushes the ball into the same area. The over ends with Taylor smashing the ball over the heads of the fielders on the off-side to pick up four runs.

Wright comes on for a bowl and he'll be hoping for some success early in this spell. The batsmen combine well for four runs before Guptill launches the ball over Wright's head for a huge six.

Patel is brought on by Broad and he starts with a big wide down the leg-side before adjusting to bowl a slightly smaller wide. Taylor punches the ball to mid-wicket to earn two runs The same batsman then attempts the slog sweep but instead collects a single with a thick edge. Guptill finds two down the ground before edging the ball past Buttler to pick up two more.

Finn has the ball in hand and is inches away from catching Taylor's edge outside off stump. A prod down the ground brings a single before Guptill hits a lofted cover drive for four.

The stadium has gone completely silent after that wicket. Taylor heaves the ball onto the leg-side, with Bairstow taking the catch. England have fielded well and New Zealand now need a big partnership. Munro is the new batsman.