More on New Zealand

Second innings collapse cost us the match – Mathews

REUTERS – There was no great surprise in Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews’ analysis of his side’s five-wicket loss to New Zealand before lunch on the fourth day of the second test in Hamilton on Monday. Any side that loses 10 wickets for 62 runs is odds on to go on and lose the match […]
Sri Lanka’s cricket captain Mathews wears his helmet during a practice session in Galle

New Zealand’s ‘world class’ bowlers still improving – McCullum

(Reuters) – While impressed by Kane Williamson’s match-winning century, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum praised his bowlers on Monday for their tenacity and ability to change plans to suit the conditions, which helped them seal a series win over Sri Lanka. Williamson’s 108 not out guided the hosts to a five-wicket victory before lunch on […]
New Zealand’s captain McCullum looks on during a training session in London

Williamson ton steers NZ to five-wicket win over Sri Lanka

(Reuters) – Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday. The victory gave Brendon McCullum’s side a 2-0 series sweep over the tourists after […]

New Zealand close in on win as Sri Lanka fight on

REUTERS – A hobbling Kane Williamson guided New Zealand to 142 for five at the close of play on the third day of the second test against Sri Lanka in Hamilton, with the hosts needing another 47 runs to seal a 2-0 series sweep. New Zealand won the first test in Dunedin by 122 runs, […]

Sri Lanka gave back as good as they got – Guptill

(Reuters) – After being peppered by New Zealand’s pace bowling quartet by a barrage of short-pitched bowling, Sri Lanka gave it back to the hosts in spades on Saturday to gain a slight advantage on the second day of the second test in Hamilton. The visitors’ chief destroyer was rookie fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, the […]

Chameera produces career-best return as NZ struggle

(Reuters) – Paceman Dushmantha Chameera took career-best figures with aggressive short-pitched bowling to give Sri Lanka a slight advantage at the close of play on the second day of the second test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday. Doug Bracewell was unbeaten on 30 with Neil Wagner dismissed for 17 with […]

Amir included in Pakistan training squad

Reuters) – Paceman Mohammad Amir has taken another step towards international re-integration following a ban for match-fixing after being included in a Pakistan training and fitness squad. Amir, former test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif served jail sentences in Britain after being found guilty in 2011 of various offences of corrupt behaviour. […]

New Zealand failed to make most of green pitch – Boult

(Reuters) – A Seddon Park pitch so green it was barely distinguishable from the outfield had dominated the buildup to the second test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka with many fearing the batsmen would suffer most on the volatile surface. The first day’s play on Friday, however, put paid to any theories that conditions […]

Boult strikes before rain ends first day early

(Reuters) – Trent Boult took two wickets in one over and broke a partnership that had threatened to take the game out of New Zealand’s reach as Sri Lanka reached 264 for seven by the end of a rain-shortened first day of the second test on Friday. Captain Angelo Mathews was 63 not out when […]

Williamson’s finger adds to New Zealand’s concerns

(Reuters) – As if a pitch that can barely be distinguished from the outfield was not enough for New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to worry about ahead of the second test against Sri Lanka, it turns out his top batsman may have a broken finger. Kane Williamson, who fronted the media on Thursday instead of […]
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson avoids a delivery from Australia’s Mitchell Johnson during the third day of the second cricket test match at the WACA ground in Perth, Western Australia

Uncapped batsman Nicholls called in New Zealand one-day squad

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Uncapped Canterbury batsman Henry Nicholls has been called into New Zealand's one-day squad for the first three games of their five-m

Inexperienced Sri Lanka paid price for poor start – Mathews

REUTERS – Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had cast a wistful eye over the green-tinged University Oval pitch when he won the toss in the first test against New Zealand and probably thought to himself, ‘what would Dhammika do on this’? Mathews, without his injured spearhead Dhammika Prasad, inserted Brendon McCullum’s side anyway and hoped […]
Sri Lanka’s cricket Mathews reacts during a practice session ahead of their second test cricket match against India in Colombo