164/10 (66.5)
CR : 2.45
580/4 (123.0)
CR : 4.72
New Zealand won by an innings and 58 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Henry Nicholls
200(240)
141.4
0
T Southee to K Rajitha
Back of a length again outside off at 124.5 kph. Rajitha opens his bat face and guides that to backward point for a dot.
141.5
0
T Southee to K Rajitha
123 kph. Touch fuller and outside off, Rajitha knows where his off-stump is and leaves that to the keeper, no run.
141.6
W
T Southee to K Rajitha
EDGED AND TAKEN! It's all over here in Basin Reserve. Back of a length delivery and in the corridor of uncertainty with a hint of away movement, Rajitha off the backfoot looks to punch that in order to rotate the strike but the right-hander gets a thickish outside edge that flies straight to Kane Williamson at the second slip and a fielder of his caliber was never going to drop those. Sri Lanka were resilient throughout the day but a wicket at the stroke of Day 4 helped New Zealand win the series in a clean sweep. What a gripping day of Test cricket this was.
K Rajitha 20(110)
c K Williamson b T Southee
4s/6s
1/0
SR
18.18
Over 142
Sri Lanka 358/10
Asitha Fernando0(15)
Tim Southee3-51(27.0)
NZ won by an innings and 58 runs
11 AM IST: What a day we have had and New Zealand have done enough to win the Test match at the fag end of the day to win by an innings and 58 runs. They win the series 2-0. The resistance from Sri Lanka comes to an end and under tiring circumstances did we have this day today at Basin Reserve in Wellington. New Zealand dominated the Test and deserves this win.
It was a resilient effort from the Sri Lankans in their second innings although they threw their wickets away in the second innings as well. They made 358 in 142 overs. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne scored 51 while Kusal Mendis scored 50. Dinesh Chandimal scored 62 while Dhananjaya de Silva was magnificent with his 98. But they all gave their wickets away. Nishan Madushka on debut scored 39. The tail enders fought like warriors out there. Kasun Rajitha was the last man out for 20 off 110 balls. Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara occupied the crease for 45 balls each. Asitha was unbeaten on 0 as he occupied for 15 balls. Shoutout to the Lankans for the fight they showed, but it's New Zealand who holds their nerve to win this one.
It was a hard toil for the New Zealand bowlers under blustery conditions. Tim Southee picked up 3 wickets as he cleaned up the tail in the end. Three wickets for Blair Tickner who provided the initial breakthrough. A couple of wickets in 42 overs for Michael Bracewell as he bowled a marathon spell under windy conditions as he bowled into the wind throughout the day. A wicket for Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell as well.
It was a resilient effort from the Sri Lankans in their second innings although they threw their wickets away in the second innings as well. They made 358 in 142 overs. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne scored 51 while Kusal Mendis scored 50. Dinesh Chandimal scored 62 while Dhananjaya de Silva was magnificent with his 98. But they all gave their wickets away. Nishan Madushka on debut scored 39. The tail enders fought like warriors out there. Kasun Rajitha was the last man out for 20 off 110 balls. Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara occupied the crease for 45 balls each. Asitha was unbeaten on 0 as he occupied for 15 balls. Shoutout to the Lankans for the fight they showed, but it's New Zealand who holds their nerve to win this one.
It was a hard toil for the New Zealand bowlers under blustery conditions. Tim Southee picked up 3 wickets as he cleaned up the tail in the end. Three wickets for Blair Tickner who provided the initial breakthrough. A couple of wickets in 42 overs for Michael Bracewell as he bowled a marathon spell under windy conditions as he bowled into the wind throughout the day. A wicket for Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell as well.
But the Test match was set up in the first couple of days by New Zealand. They lost the toss on a greenish surface, but dominated the Lankans. They posted 580/4 declared and batted the Lankans out of the game. Devon Conway missed out on a well-deserved hundred as he fell for 78. But double hundreds from Kane Williamson his 6th in his career and Henry Nicholls who roared back into form powered the team. Williamson scored 215 off 296 balls while Nicholls was unbeaten on 200 off 240 balls. 32 extras also contributed to the total. Kasun Rajitha picked up a couple of wickets while Jayasuriya and Dhananjaya de Silva got a wicket each. But they were massacred by the Williamson-Nicholls duo.
Then the Kiwis bowled the Sri Lankans out for 164 which was the game changing moment of the Test match as Sri Lanka were 416 runs behind after the first innings. Only skipper Dimuth Karunaratne stood tall with his 89. Dinesh Chandimal got 37 while debutant Nishan Madushka got 19. The rest fell away in just 66.5 overs. For New Zealand, Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell picked up 3 wickets each while Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, and Doug Bracewell picked up one wicket each. It was a superb bowling performance and an abject batting performance that set up this Test match.
After following on, the Lankans showed great character and fight to hang in there to almost take the Test to Day 5. But it was a bridge too far as the Kiwis wins the Test by an innings and 58 runs to win the series 2-0.
Then the Kiwis bowled the Sri Lankans out for 164 which was the game changing moment of the Test match as Sri Lanka were 416 runs behind after the first innings. Only skipper Dimuth Karunaratne stood tall with his 89. Dinesh Chandimal got 37 while debutant Nishan Madushka got 19. The rest fell away in just 66.5 overs. For New Zealand, Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell picked up 3 wickets each while Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, and Doug Bracewell picked up one wicket each. It was a superb bowling performance and an abject batting performance that set up this Test match.
After following on, the Lankans showed great character and fight to hang in there to almost take the Test to Day 5. But it was a bridge too far as the Kiwis wins the Test by an innings and 58 runs to win the series 2-0.
Henry Nicholls has been awarded the Player of the Match while Kane Williamson has been awarded the Player of the Series. Both players had an excellent Test match while Kane had a magnificent 2-Test series. The coverage has ended and so we do not have the quotes and reactions of players to show for.
So, that's it from this Test match and the series which New Zealand wins 2-0 to bring curtains to this WTC cycle. Both teams will be back in action on the 25th of March for an ODI series. The first of Three ODIS takes place then. Do join us then for this encounter and stick around to our network for all other cricketing actions across the globe.
For now, this is Ayan Chatterjee signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Megh Mandaliya alongside scorer/analyst Raju Khariya. Stay safe, happy, and cool. Goodbye and CHEERS!
For now, this is Ayan Chatterjee signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Megh Mandaliya alongside scorer/analyst Raju Khariya. Stay safe, happy, and cool. Goodbye and CHEERS!