Tag: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka

WELLINGTON: Aggressive double centuries for Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls powered New Zealand’s dominance in the second Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

The Black Caps declared their first innings at an imposing 580-4 before reducing Sri Lanka to 26-2 at stumps on day two, leaving the tourists with a very slim prospect of squaring the two-match series.

The in-form Williamson scored 215 and Nicholls posted a career-best 200 not out, with the pair’s third-wicket stand of 363 virtually batting Sri Lanka out of the contest.

Their partnership was the fifth-highest by any New Zealand combination and they became the country’s first batters to reach 200 in the same innings.

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne will resume on 16 on Sunday and nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya remains on four, with the deficit a daunting 554 runs.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to generate life on a flat Basin Reserve pitch, forcing Karunaratne to set defensive fields during much of the mammoth partnership.

Williamson and Nicholls batted at a lively clip from the outset, advancing quickly from a 155-2 overnight score and barely looking troubled as they unleashed an array of attacking strokes through the first two sessions.

Williamson was impenetrable as he reached three figures for the third time in successive Tests, becoming the first New Zealander to pass 8,000 runs in the process.

It was a sixth double-century for the 32-year-old — whose unbeaten 121 was pivotal in a final-ball first Test in Christchurch earlier this week.

Having resumed on 26, Williamson struck 23 fours and two sixes before holing out in the deep off spinner Jayasuriya as he tried to escalate the scoring rate.

Nicholls marched on from his overnight 18 to reach three figures before pushing past his previous-best score of 174.

His aggressive 240-ball knock, which featured four sixes, represented a remarkable return to form for the left-hander, whose place in the team was under pressure after failing to reach 40 in his 15 previous innings.

Nicholls said he was aware of criticism of his ongoing selection but said he was made to feel comfortable by support from his teammates and coach Gary Stead.

“Everyone in the group’s been great and you really feel that support,” he said.

“For me, it was just about trusting that I had done it before. It hasn’t happened as much as I’d like in the last period.

“Now the challenge is doing it again knowing that the blueprint is there.”

Nicholls compared the partnership with a 369-run stand with Williamson against Pakistan in Christchurch two years ago.

“The way Kane’s playing, he’s in a real zone out there. It was nice to make that partnership into another really big one.”

Kasun Rajitha, who was off the field for a period nursing a shoulder injury, lodged the best bowling figures of 2-126.

Sri Lanka spinner Dhananjaya de Silva said the tourists were guilty of allowing the double centurions too much leeway.

“Obviously Kane and Henry batted very well. We have to be at our best when we’re facing these players but we missed our lengths,” he said.

De Silva said Sri Lanka hadn’t given up on squaring the series although he conceded it will be very difficult to force a victory.

“We’re not playing for a draw, we’re playing for a win.

“So we have to bat for at least one and a half days. We’ll see what will happen,” he said.

Their response began poorly.

Matt Henry removed opener Oshada Fernando for six before fellow-seamer Doug Bracewell dismissed Kusal Mendis without scoring via a spectacular catch at point from Devon Conway.

It came from Bracewell’s third ball of the match in what is his first Test appearance for more than six years.

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WELLINGTON: Devon Conway’s blistering 78 helped hosts New Zealand race to 155-2 against Sri Lanka at the end of a rain-delayed opening day of the second Test on Friday in Wellington.

Conway fell short of a hundred as he was caught and bowled by Dhananjaya de Silva, who dived low to his right to get both hands on a superb catch, to end a thrilling 108-ball knock.

First-Test hero Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 26 alongside Henry Nicholls on 18 when bad light stopped play at the Basin Reserve after Sri Lanka won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat in blustery conditions.

“I was gutted to get out when I did, I had put in all the hard work,” Conway said.

“Those are the ones you want to kick on and make the most of it on day one… We just have to focus on tomorrow now.”

New Zealand started strong, with Conway and Tom Latham putting on an opening partnership of 87, after the 2,500th Test match in cricket history was hit by a damp start.

Heavy overnight rain delayed the toss until after lunch.

Latham fell for 21 around the halfway point of the day’s curtailed proceedings when he spooned a Kasun Rajitha delivery to deep square, into the hands of Prabath Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne opted to give his bowlers an early opportunity to use a green wicket to attack the New Zealand batters.

Conway responded by smashing 13 fours in a fiery knock.

Sri Lanka made one change from the team that lost the first Test on the final ball in Christchurch, with wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka making his debut in place of Niroshan Dickwella.

New Zealand were forced into a single switch with seamer Doug Bracewell playing his first Test since 2016, replacing Neil Wagner, who tore a hamstring in the first Test.

It is the first time Bracewell has played a Test match alongside his cousin Michael.

New Zealand are chasing a third straight Test win.

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CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand’s thrilling last-ball win over dejected Sri Lanka on Monday, propelled last season’s runners-up India into another World Test Championship (WTC) Final, said International Cricket Council (ICC).

Sri Lanka had the opportunity to pip India and join already-qualified Australia in the WTC final but a narrow two-wicket defeat in the first away Test against New Zealand marked the end of Dimuths Karunaratne’s side’s push for the final spot.

After losing the first, Sri Lanka left with the best possible winning percentage of 56%, compared to India’s lowest percentage which is now 57%.

“India’s destructive start to their Test series at home against Australia means their worst possible WTC points percentage is now 57%, assuming there are no penalty points against them for a poor over rate in the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad,” stated ICC in a release.

“Sri Lanka were initially hampered by rain and then unable to bowl out New Zealand on day five of the first Test in Christchurch, meaning Dimuth Karunaratne’s side can now finish with a best possible WTC points percentage of 56% even if they win the second Test,” the statement added.

India’s domination in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy sets up their World Test Championship Final with Australia at The Oval beginning on June 7, with the winner claiming the World Test Championship mace.

India lost the inaugural World Test Championship final against New Zealand in 2021, as Kane Williamson’s men chased down a modest target of 139 in Southampton.

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CHRISTCHURCH: A classy century from Angelo Mathews and the early wicket of Devon Conway kept Sri Lanka’s World Championship hopes alive in the first Test against New Zealand on Sunday. 

“We’ve given ourselves a great chance to win the Test match,” Mathews said after his masterful 115, made from nearly six hours in the middle in Christchurch.

His innings rescued Sri Lanka from a tight spot and led the tourists to a second innings total of 302.

That set New Zealand a target of 285, and the home side were 28 for one by stumps after 17 overs, with Conway out for five.

Tom Latham was not out 11 with Kane Williamson on seven, with New Zealand requiring 257 on the final day. The highest fourth-innings score at Hagley Oval is 256 for eight in a drawn Test.

“We had to work extremely hard to get those runs and we’ve got the fast bowlers to exploit the conditions,” Mathews said.

“We had the belief that if the batters get the runs on the board the fast bowlers will come into play.

“We need to strike early (Monday) to get into the game and if we can open one end we can put a lot of pressure on the Kiwis.”

Sri Lanka need another nine wickets on the final day but their chances could be dashed by rain that is forecast for the morning.

New Zealand have only pride at stake but Sri Lanka, playing their first Test in seven months, are chasing their ticket to the World Test Championship final against Australia.

They must win in Christchurch as well as the second Test in Wellington to make the final.

Sri Lanka also need Australia to win or draw their current fourth Test against India.

There was jubilation in the Sri Lankan camp when Kasun Rajitha had Conway caught and bowled for five, and similar scenes when he thought he had Williamson lbw without scoring.

Sri Lanka reviewed the not out call but Williamson, who only made one in the first innings, was safe.

Mathews went to the middle late Saturday with Sri Lanka in trouble at 81 for three, which became 95 for four early Sunday with the dismissal of nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya.

But New Zealand’s confidence was dented as the 35-year-old Mathews put on 105 for the fifth wicket with Dinesh Chandimal and added a further 60 with Dhananjaya de Silva before he was dismissed by Matt Henry.

His 235-ball innings, filled with chanceless ones and twos and 11 boundaries, took Sri Lanka to a position of strength.

De Silva continued the momentum with his late cameo, finishing unbeaten on 47 while Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara chimed in with scores of 14 and eight as Henry mopped up the tail.

Blair Tickner, who accounted for the Sri Lanka top order, took four for 100 while Henry finished with three for 71.

New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner, who left the field injured on Saturday, did not bowl after scans revealed a bulging disc in his back and a torn right hamstring.

Wagner has been ruled out of the second Test starting on Friday.

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CHRISTCHURCH: A stubborn century from Daryl Mitchell, a blazing 72 from Matt Henry and three wickets to Blair Tickner swung the momentum New Zealand’s way in the first Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Sri Lanka had claimed the initiative on the first two days of the Christchurch Test but were 83 for three in their second innings at stumps on day three, a lead of 65 runs.

Angelo Mathews was not out 20, with Prabath Jayasuriya also at the crease on two.

New Zealand had recovered from 151 for five to be all out for 373, an 18-run lead, after a dogged 102 from Mitchell. Henry’s swashbuckling performance included 58 runs from boundaries.

Tickner claimed the wickets of captain Dimuth Karunaratne for 17, Oshada Fernando for 28 and Kusal Mendis for 14 in the 38 overs before stumps to finish with three wickets for 28 runs off 10 overs.

Sri Lanka, who need to sweep the two-Test series to keep their hopes of making the World Test Championship final alive, had ripped through the New Zealand top order.

But Mitchell, who has so often been New Zealand’s saviour in his 17-Test career, refused to give in as he toiled through 193 deliveries for his eighth century.

The 31-year-old right-hander, son of former All Blacks player and coach John Mitchell, lifted his average to a remarkable 58 from 25 innings.

He put on 54 for the sixth wicket with Michael Bracewell, a further 47 with Tim Southee and 55 with Henry.

Mitchell leapt in the air when he reached his century, waved his bat and received a hug from Henry to celebrate. He added only two more runs before was caught behind off Lahiru Kumara and New Zealand were 291-8.

Henry then exploded with his personal-best 72, which included 10 fours and three sixes.

He belted spinner Dhananjaya de Silva out of the attack by taking 17 runs in just one over.

Worse was to come for Sri Lanka when de Silva’s replacement Kasun Rajitha conceded 24 to Henry in his first over.

This was on a third-day wicket that continued to offer assistance to the bowlers, with Rajitha and Asitha Fernando both getting movement early in the day.

Leading up to the drinks break, Bracewell, who had seemed the more settled of the New Zealand overnight pair, was undone by the introduction of left-arm spinner Jayasuriya.

Bracewell had a life when an appeal for lbw was turned down, with reviews showing height was an issue, but with the next delivery Jayasuriya found an edge and Bracewell was caught behind for 25.

Southee brought up New Zealand’s 200, belting Jayasuriya over the mid-wicket fence, and continued to swing until the third over with the new ball when he was out to a diving catch by Kumara at square leg.

The New Zealand captain had smashed back-to-back fours off Rajitha but his attempt at a third fell short and he was out for 25 off 20 deliveries.

For Sri Lanka, Fernando returned the best figures of four for 85 while Kumara took three for 76.

Of concern for New Zealand was the fitness of Neil Wagner, who left the field in the final session for treatment to a leg injury.

CHRISTCHURCH: Sri Lanka’s bowlers ripped through the New Zealand top order, including snaring the key wicket of Kane Williamson, to leave the hosts in trouble at 162-5 after the second day of the first Test on Friday.

After posting a competitive 355 on the green Hagley Oval wicket in Christchurch, Sri Lanka gave New Zealand a soft start before gaining momentum.

A productive burst either side of the tea break from Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara claimed Devon Conway, Williamson and Henry Nicholls as New Zealand slumped from 67 without loss to 76-3.

A pin-point Fernando yorker then dismissed opener Tom Latham for 67 before Kasun Rajitha accounted for Tom Blundell for seven.

“We’re doing pretty good,” an elated Rajitha said at stumps.

“This can happen tomorrow as well. This wicket is helpful for the fast bowlers, that’s why we were trying to get wickets before tea.

“It’s a good wicket for the batsmen but they can’t trust the bounce.”

Daryl Mitchell was on 40 at stumps with Michael Bracewell on nine, and although New Zealand were still 193 in arrears, Latham denied they were out of the contest.

“If we can get as close to their score as possible then hopefully we’ll be able to put a bit of pressure on them with the ball because as we’ve seen there’s plenty in it for the bowlers,” he said

Sri Lanka need to sweep the series to keep their World Test Championship hopes alive.

Their ambition was evident as they celebrated each wicket and every saved single.

Fernando, guilty of straying too often down the legside in his opening spell, came back to trap Conway lbw for 30.

Three overs later, Kumara captured the plum wicket of Williamson for one on the last ball before tea and then accounted for Nicholls for two soon after the resumption.

The Sri Lankans were jubilant with the wicket of Williamson, New Zealand’s most prolific run-scorer and the hero of the recent dramatic one-run victory over England.

With the tea break beckoning, he was seduced into attempting an uncharacteristic big cover drive but could not get the ball over Dimuth Karunaratne.

Nicholls, with a question mark over his Test future, had only faced six balls when a rash attempt to pull Kumara to the boundary saw him caught at mid-wicket.

Latham persevered to bring up his 27th half-century and looked well set until he was bowled by Fernando.

– New Zealand frustrated –

Sri Lanka had frustrated New Zealand from the start of the day when they resumed at 305-6 and added another 50 as they stretched the innings for a further 17 overs.

Overnight pair Dhananjaya de Silva and Rajitha clipped 11 off the opening over of the morning before skipper Tim Southee entered the attack and had De Silva caught behind for 46.

When the new ball became due, Matt Henry had Rajitha caught at mid-off for 22 and New Zealand sensed the end was near.

But Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara, while only adding five runs, lasted 38 deliveries for the ninth wicket.

Henry eventually had Jayasuriya caught behind for 13, leaving Kumara (13 not out) and Fernando (10) to add a further 19 runs off 26 deliveries for the final wicket.

For New Zealand, Southee finished with 5-64 and Henry 4-80.

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CHRISTCHURCH: Kusal Mendis made a lively 87 off 83 balls to put tourists Sri Lanka in the driving seat at 305-6 after the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand on Thursday.

At the close, Dhananjaya de Silva was unbeaten on 39 with Kasun Rajitha contributing 16 to an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 35.

New Zealand captain Tim Southee won the toss in Christchurch, where conditions were ripe for his seam attack to strike, but instead it was Sri Lanka’s band of classy batsmen who dominated.

It is a must-win Test for Sri Lanka to keep their World Test Championship hopes alive but veteran batsman Angelo Mathews said Mendis attacked as if he was playing an explosive game of Twenty20.

“He just walked straight into it and it was like a Twenty20 game,” Mathews said.

“In those conditions the way that he batted, it was more than a run a ball and it was quiet fantastic to watch.”

New Zealand captain Tim Southee believed the momentum swung when Mendis was in full flight before lunch, taking Sri Lanka to a healthy 120-1 at the interval after being 14-1 in the seventh over when Oshada Fernando (13) was dismissed.

“We were a little bit off in that second hour and credit to Sri Lanka,” he said.

“The put loose deliveries away and scored at a good clip and got themselves out in front of the game at lunchtime.”

– Southee record –

It was heavily overcast and the floodlights were on, but Sri Lanka’s second-wicket pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Mendis racked a rollicking 137 off 27 overs, with Mendis belting 16 fours while Karunaratne contributed 50 off 87.

Mendis rode his luck, with some inside and top edges helping him reach a 16th Test fifty off just 40 balls.

He was looking for his eighth Test century but, with the score on 151, he was trapped in front by Southee to end a sparkling innings.

When Karunaratne followed without any addition to the total, caught at second slip for 50 by Tom Latham off Matt Henry, Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal put on 82 for the fourth wicket to lift Sri Lanka to 233-4.

Chandimal had negotiated some interruptions for rain to reach 39 when he became Southee’s 362nd Test wicket, moving the New Zealand captain past Daniel Vettori to second on the all-time list of New Zealand’s Test wicket-takers behind Richard Hadlee, who has 431.

It was a New Zealand record 706th international wicket for Southee across all three formats, one more than the previous mark he shared with Vettori.

Mathews drove Matt Henry to mid-on for two to reach the milestone of 7,000 Test runs, but he barely had time to acknowledge the achievement before he was dismissed next ball for 47.

Niroshan Dickwella went cheaply for seven before de Silva and Rajitha regained momentum for Sri Lanka.

Southee was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 3-44 while Henry chipped in with 2-65.

New Zealand will take momentum from their dramatic one-run win over England into this week’s first Test against Sri Lanka, who could reach the ICC World Test Championship final with a 2-0 series sweep.

Tim Southee’s hosts became just the fourth team to win a Test after following on as they secured a draw in the two-match series against England.

Kane Williamson, who became New Zealand’s record run-scorer in the thrilling Wellington win, said it was vital to kick on after the Black Caps ended a seven-Test winless run.

“It’s been a long time for us to get over the line,” former skipper Williamson said ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on Thursday in Christchurch.

“We haven’t had the results we would’ve liked, despite putting the work in, so it’s nice to get those rewards.

“It’s an important series for us now as we are looking to improve and we’re focused in trying to put out better performances.”

Sri Lanka have only won two Tests of the 19 they have played in New Zealand.

But skipper Dimuth Karunaratne’s side have extra incentive this time.

They can reach the WTC final against Australia with a 2-0 series triumph, providing India fail to beat Australia in the final Test in Ahmedabad, which also begins Thursday.

Sri Lanka are an improving and more consistent side under Chris Silverwood, who took over as head coach in April last year.

They beat Bangladesh 1-0 away and drew 1-1 at home with both Australia and Pakistan, all in two-Test series, since the former England fast bowler’s appointment.

Their hopes of qualifying for the showpiece at The Oval in June were boosted when Australia clinched their place by winning the third Test against India in Indore inside three days last week.

“To get to the WTC final would be unbelievable,” Silverwood said.

“But at the same time we know we’ve got a very good New Zealand team in front of us as well and we have to respect that, work hard, and try and earn that right.”

New Zealand retained the squad that beat England in Wellington while Sri Lanka brought in two uncapped players, the 23-year-old batsman Nishan Madushka and seam bowler Milan Rathnayake, 26.

Madushka forced his way into the Test squad after scoring two centuries and a double hundred in three appearances against the touring England Lions a few weeks ago.

Sri Lanka’s preparations have been disrupted by rain, with the second day of their only warm-up match against a New Zealand Board XI washed out on Sunday in Lincoln, just outside Christchurch.

Sri Lanka will also play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against New Zealand after the Tests.

New Zealand: Tim Southee (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson, Will Young

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Nishan Madushka, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Milan Rathnayake

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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Friday named a 17-member squad, including two rookie players, for a two-match Test tour of New Zealand after more than four years.

Dimuth Karunaratne’s team will feature Nishan Madushka, 23, and Milan Rathnayake, 26, making their national Test squad debuts, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

The team will leave for New Zealand on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s last Test tour of New Zealand was in December 2018, when the hosts won the second game by 423 runs and the first match was a draw.

New Zealand visited Sri Lanka for two Tests in August 2019 with both teams winning one each.

Sri Lanka Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt),  Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Nishan Madushka, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando and Milan Rathnayake.

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PAARL: Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates hit astounding fifties before bowlers wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka and bundled them out for a party 60 to give New Zealand a commanding 102-run win in the Group 1 fixture of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. 

Sri Lanka, despite a positive start to the tournament, crashed out of the tournament while New Zealand’s chances to qualify for the semifinals hinge on the outcome of the final group match between Bangladesh and South Africa.

Electing to bat first, New Zealand reached a respectable total of 162/3, thanks to a phenomenal 110-run partnership between Amelia and Bates for the second wicket.

Amelia played a valiant knock of 48-ball 66 laced with six boundaries while Bates scored 56 from 49 balls.

Sri Lanka, in reply, struggled greatly in the chase as none of their batters went past the 20s besides nine of them getting unsettled inside single digits.

White Ferns sent Sri Lanka packing inside 16 overs in a combined bowling effort which saw at least a wicket each to the six bowlers they used.

All-rounder Kerr shifted the momentum into the ball as well, grabbing two wickets for seven runs in her three overs.

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