New Zealand overcame a blitz from centurion Harry Brook to beat England by four wickets on Sunday in the opening game of their three-match one-day international series, with Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell scoring half-centuries.

The host wobbled during its chase of a modest 224, losing four wickets, including former captain Kane Williamson for a duck in his first game since March, but Mitchell took it home with an unbeaten 78 after being dropped on 33.

Bracewell also earned a reprieve early on and ran himself out for 51 to open the door for England after the initial burst from Brydon Carse (3-45), but New Zealand got back on track thanks to Mitch Santner’s 27 and prevailed in 36.4 overs.

England recovered from a disastrous start as captain Brook bludgeoned 135 from 101 balls and Jamie Overton made 46 to help the side finish on 223 all out in 35.2 overs for a fighting chance in the contest.

Asked to bat first at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, England was rocked early by New Zealand’s seamers as Zak Foulkes (4-41) and Matt Henry (2-53) reduced the tourist to 56-6 within 12 devastating overs in helpful conditions.

Brook went on the attack despite the carnage around him and brought up his fifty in 36 balls with a top-edged six off Nathan Smith, before Overton took his team’s total to three figures with another big hit off Jacob Duffy (3-55).

Overton shrugged off being hit on the helmet by Smith and closed in on his own half-century, but departed four runs short after a fine catch on the second attempt by Mitchell that ended the 87-run seventh-wicket partnership.

Duffy removed Carse in the very next ball to leave England teetering again on 143-8, but Brook took control following Adil Rashid’s fall shortly afterwards, reaching his ton with three consecutive sixes and taking his side past 200 runs.

A belligerent Brook continued to deal in big shots, swelling his tally of sixes to 11, but was snared trying to sweep Santner out of the park as New Zealand stopped the bleeding to stay on top in the clash.