England win second tour match by five wickets

Andrew Flintoff batted and bowled England to a confidence-building five-wicket win over Northern Districts in the second limited-overs match of its New Zealand tour on Sunday.

Flintoff took 3-20 from nine overs as Northern was bowled out for 160 in 49.2 overs, batting first after winning the toss, and hit an unbeaten 45 from 25 balls as England reached its winnings target with 16 overs to spare.

Northern had beaten England by three wickets in its opening tour match in Hamilton on Friday. The tourists meet New Zealand in the first of five one-day internationals in Christchurch on Wednesday.

England turned in a much-improved bowling performance on Sunday to restrict Northern Districts throughout its innings. Grant Bradburn produced a late innings of 46 not out to boost the home side's total.

Darren Gough took 2-21 from 9.2 overs, Ashley Giles 2-22 from 10 and Craig White 2-23 from eight.

Hopes of a second home win rose briefly when England slumped to 96-5 in its reply but the aggressive Flintoff and a watchful Owais Shah saw the tourists home.

Flintoff's innings, which was full of powerful hitting, included nine fours and a six. Shah batted for 108 minutes for his 29, hitting four fours and a six.

Captain Nasser Hussain, playing his first match on tour, also scored 29 from 49 balls and with five boundaries.

England 163-5 in 33.4 overs (Andrew Flintoff 45 not out, Nasser Hussain 29, Owais Shah 29; Joseph Yovich 3-33) def. Northern Districts 160 in 49.2 overs (Grant Bradburn 46 not out, Robbie Hart 26, Michael Parlane 25; Andrew Flintoff 3-20, Darren Gough 2-21, Ashley Giles 2-22, Craig White 2-23) by five wickets.