Fifth Test win caps Kiwis’ most successful year
The hosts defeat Sri Lanka by eight wickets on the fourth day
CHRISTCHURCH:
New Zealand wrapped up a win against Sri Lanka by eight wickets to cap their most successful year in Test cricket.
Set a meagre 105-run target on the fourth day of the first Test in Christchurch, the hosts took just 30.4 overs to complete the victory with Ross Taylor not out 39 and Kane Williamson on 31.
It was New Zealand’s fifth Test triumph in a calendar year for the first time after enjoying series wins against India at home (1-0) and away in the West Indies (2-1). They also drew a series with Pakistan (1-1) in the UAE earlier this month.
New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum said the platform for victory had been set by scoring 441 in the first innings after losing the toss and being put into bat on a green, bowler-friendly wicket
"We desperately wanted to bowl but we found a way with the bat to make a score that was going to be competitive," he said. “Then, when you've got the seamers that we do, who are swinging the ball in the air and getting bounce off the wicket, you're always going to be in with a chance.”
The victory was built on McCullum's 195 off 134 balls in the first innings and the bowling partnership of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who claimed 13 wickets between them.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said the game was as good as over on the first day when McCullum cut loose. "You can't do much when a guy walks in and gets almost a double hundred in a couple of sessions," he said. "It was an unbelievable innings by Brendon. It was one of the best I've seen. He was playing like a Twenty20. It was just going all over the park. He was just smashing it, and whoever came his way went for a lot of runs."
After Sri Lanka were forced to follow on, 303 runs in arrears of New Zealand's 441, they ground out a gritty 407 but the size of the first innings deficit meant New Zealand were never under any serious threat.
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings at 293-5 and cautiously picked off the 10 runs they needed to make New Zealand bat again, before Southee struck in an old-ball spell that produced 3-19.
Sri Lanka slumped to 325-8 and when off-spinner Mark Craig dismissed Prasanna Jayawardene on 23, it became 348-9.
Some lusty hitting by Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal, who added 59 for the last wicket, took New Zealand's target past 100 but it was all a formality.
New Zealand lost both openers in their brief run chase with Tom Latham out for 17 and Hamish Rutherford for 10 but the result never looked in doubt.
They are now in an unbeatable position in the series with the second and final Test starting in Wellington on Saturday.
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New Zealand wrapped up a win against Sri Lanka by eight wickets to cap their most successful year in Test cricket.
Set a meagre 105-run target on the fourth day of the first Test in Christchurch, the hosts took just 30.4 overs to complete the victory with Ross Taylor not out 39 and Kane Williamson on 31.
It was New Zealand’s fifth Test triumph in a calendar year for the first time after enjoying series wins against India at home (1-0) and away in the West Indies (2-1). They also drew a series with Pakistan (1-1) in the UAE earlier this month.
New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum said the platform for victory had been set by scoring 441 in the first innings after losing the toss and being put into bat on a green, bowler-friendly wicket
"We desperately wanted to bowl but we found a way with the bat to make a score that was going to be competitive," he said. “Then, when you've got the seamers that we do, who are swinging the ball in the air and getting bounce off the wicket, you're always going to be in with a chance.”
The victory was built on McCullum's 195 off 134 balls in the first innings and the bowling partnership of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who claimed 13 wickets between them.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said the game was as good as over on the first day when McCullum cut loose. "You can't do much when a guy walks in and gets almost a double hundred in a couple of sessions," he said. "It was an unbelievable innings by Brendon. It was one of the best I've seen. He was playing like a Twenty20. It was just going all over the park. He was just smashing it, and whoever came his way went for a lot of runs."
After Sri Lanka were forced to follow on, 303 runs in arrears of New Zealand's 441, they ground out a gritty 407 but the size of the first innings deficit meant New Zealand were never under any serious threat.
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings at 293-5 and cautiously picked off the 10 runs they needed to make New Zealand bat again, before Southee struck in an old-ball spell that produced 3-19.
Sri Lanka slumped to 325-8 and when off-spinner Mark Craig dismissed Prasanna Jayawardene on 23, it became 348-9.
Some lusty hitting by Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal, who added 59 for the last wicket, took New Zealand's target past 100 but it was all a formality.
New Zealand lost both openers in their brief run chase with Tom Latham out for 17 and Hamish Rutherford for 10 but the result never looked in doubt.
They are now in an unbeatable position in the series with the second and final Test starting in Wellington on Saturday.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.