New Zealand beat England comfortably enough in their opening encounter of the World Cup, overcoming some tribulations against the new ball to cruise home by six wickets with nine overs to spare.

England's last chance of defending a modest total of 209 for seven came when, with 62 runs still required, albeit at a stroll, Scott Styris, who had played sensibly and calmly through the opening mayhem for 61 at that stage, drilled a ball from Monty Panesar sharply to the right of Kevin Pietersen at shortish extra cover.

The fielder made good ground but failed to cling on. England's fielders commiserated in a matey way but the body language spoke of a game that was all but up.

Styris, who seems to carry the genes of George C Scott, is a stylish driver of the ball, and found the right company in Jacob Oram, who resisted the temptation to employ his gigantic levers and instead played with considerable restraint during their unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 138, finishing with 63.

In at four after Lou Vincent and Ross Taylor had gone inside the first two overs of the innings, and there when Stephen Fleming mishooked to leave New Zealand floundering at 19 for three, and again when Craig McMillan gave Panesar a wicket in his first World Cup over, Styris finished unbeaten on 87, from 113 balls, with nine fours.

As an example of how to shrug off adversity and just get on with things, it could scarcely have been bettered. New Zealand will now carry these points and considerable impetus on into the Super Eight stage.

Earlier, after Pietersen's 60 and a stand of 81 with Paul Collingwood had pulled England round after their own sticky start, the Kiwis knocked the substance out of the innings with the wickets of this pair, in addition to that of Andrew Flintoff first ball, in seven deliveries. Only a doughty, down-the-order effort from Paul Nixon, who made a spritely unbeaten 42, and Liam Plunkett, 29 not out, took England even remotely towards respectability.

Captain Vaughan still appears not to understand quite what his role is, but good judges feel that the game which made him such a fine Test match batsman ought to be more than adequate for one-day cricket provided that there are others capable of taking on the more aggressive mantle.

Yesterday, having pulled Bond's pace emphatically, Vaughan was intent on doing the same to Franklin, failed to heed the warning of several underedges and dragged one on to his stumps.

It was poor cricket, leaving England 52 for three, Ed Joyce having gone insipidly to the first legitimate delivery of the game and Ian Bell in Oram's opening over.

Until Nixon and Plunkett came together England had relied almost totally on the resurrection that came with a fourth-wicket partnership of 81 between Pietersen and Collingwood.

Pietersen began to work the ball around, while Collingwood, eager beaver, nudged urgently to give his partner the strike.

But the innings went into free fall during those seven deliveries. First Collingwood nibbled once too often at Styris and was caught behind by McCullum. Then Pietersen was caught just in from the boundary. The final blow came when Flintoff stiffly pushed his first ball straight to short extra cover.

England, at 138 for seven, might have folded. Instead Nixon began to chivvy the opposition with carefully placed pushes nudges and sweeps, reverse and otherwise, cajoling Plunkett in the process, to such effect that the young bowler felt able to step down the pitch and launch Vettori straight for six.

• Guardian Service

Scoreboard

England Innings

E Joyce c McCullum b Franklin 0

M Vaughan b Franklin 26

I Bell c McCullum b Oram 5

K Pietersen c Franklin b Bond 60

P Collingwood c McCullum b Styris 31

A Flintoff c Styris b Bond 0

J Dalrymple c McCullum b Styris 3

P Nixon not out 42

L Plunkett not out 29

Extras(lb2 w4 nb7) 13

Total(7 wkts, 50 overs) ... 209

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-30, 3-52, 4-133, 5-133, 6-134, 7-138.

Bowling: Franklin 9-0-43-2; Bond 10-1-19-2; Oram 6-0-25-1; Patel 8-0-42-0; Vettori 10-0-53-0; Styris 7-0-25-2.

New Zealand Innings

S Fleming c Joyce b Anderson 7

L Vincent c Nixon b Anderson 0

R L Taylor c Flintoff b Plunkett 0

S Styris not out 87

C McMillan c Dalrymple b Panesar 27

J Oram not out 63

Extras(b2 lb11 w11 nb2) 26

Total(4 wkts, 41 overs) 210

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-18, 4-72.

Bowling: Anderson 8-0-39-2, Plunkett 7-0-43-1, Flintoff 8-1-17-0, Collingwood 3-0-20-0, Panesar 10-0-47-1, Dalrymple 4-0-29-0, Pietersen 1-0-2-0.