Kane Williamson scored 103 to rescue an ailing New Zealand innings Tuesday and steer them to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international for a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series. Williamson returned to the line-up after a two-match absence with a shoulder injury to score his fifth one-day international century and propel New Zealand to their winning target of 277 with 11 balls to spare. New Zealand’s dependence on Brendon McCullum to ignite their innings was briefly exposed when he was out for 11 as they slumped to 63 for 3. Williamson took charge, showed composure when the run-rate seemed to lag, and left New Zealand’s last four batsmen to gather a relatively undemanding 44… Read More →

The third One-Day International between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Auckland on Saturday (January 17) was abandoned due to rain. New Zealand, put in to bat, was 145 for 3 in 28.5 overs when the players were forced off the field for the third and last time. The showers reduced after a while, but more than three hours later, the umpires decided that the conditions were not good enough for play to resume. Martin Guptill, the New Zealand opener, was unbeaten on 66, while Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, starred for his side, picking up all three wickets to fall. New Zealand got off to a quick start courtesy a typically aggressive approach by Brendon McCullum, the New… Read More →

A spectacular century from Tillakaratne Dilshan led Sri Lanka to a comfortable six-wicket victory in the second One-Day International against New Zealand on Thursday (January 15), allowing it to level the seven-match series 1-1. Dilshan, who scored 116, along with Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews, overhauled New Zealand’s target of 248. That New Zealand got that far was mainly courtesy Brendon McCullum’s 117, after he chose to bat. Sri Lanka struck early, dismissing Martin Guptill for 10. But McCullum took the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers to score his second consecutive fifty in 39 balls. Herath then got an outside edge off Rangana Herath to get the wicket of Tom Latham for 5. McCullum reached his century with a… Read More →

Brendon McCullum’s cracking half-century at the top of the order and Corey Anderson’s 81 later in the script helped New Zealand register a comfortable three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in its first One-Day International at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday (January 11). Chasing 219, Brendon McCullum’s 51 in 22 balls provided New Zealand a great start, and though there were more than a few jitters along the way, Anderson stepped up with his 96-ball effort to take New Zealand to the doorstep of victory. He fell ten runs short of the target, but Nathan McCullum and Adam Milne did the rest with seven overs left to bat. Sri Lanka, having opted to bat, posted 218 for 9 on the back of… Read More →

New Zealand completed a clean sweep in the two-Test series after beating Sri Lanka by 193 runs on the final day of the second Test in Wellington on Wednesday (January 7). Sri Lanka was set a target of 390, and was bowled out for 196. Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell, ran through Sri Lanka’s top order with four wickets in the morning, including that of Kumar Sangakkara after the visiting side began the day on 45 for 1. Offspinner Mark Craig then helped himself to four wickets, three coming after lunch. Dinesh Chandimal and Rangana Herath were dismissed in successive balls. Craig eventually finished with figures of 4 for 53. Boult made early inroads removing the nightwatchman Dhammika Prasad for… Read More →