New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Tour Match

South Island v Sri Lankans
University Oval, Dunedin
3 Day Game
Umpires: DEA Copps & WT Martin
Toss: Sri Lankans

South Island: GT Dowling, *WA Hadlee, KR Rutherford, BF Hastings, NJ Astle, V Pollard, +WK Lees, TB Burtt, DR Hadlee, FJ Cameron, SB O'Connor.
Sri Lankans: RS Mahanama, UC Hathurusingha, RL Dias, PA de Silva, *A Ranatunga, HP Tillakaratne, +RS Kaluwitharana, JR Ratnayeke, HDPK Dharmasena, CPH Ramanayake, GP Wickramasinghe.

Sri Lanka's warm up game ahead of their two Test series against New Zealand was a turgid affair, played on a flat, unyielding surface in front of a sparse crowd at the University Oval. Roy Dias played the stand-out innings on the opening day, his 114 reviving the tourists' fortunes after they had slumped to 29-3, and his fourth wicket partnership of 179 with skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (84) underlined just what a toil it all was for the bowlers on this pitch. Tillakaratne and Kaluwitharana added a further 108 in enterprising fashion before stumps, and an overnight declaration closed the innings on 365-6, a total that the South Islanders would go on to match exactly over the course of the next four sessions.

A century from Roy Dias was one of few
highlights in a dull tour opener in Dunedin

Dowling dropped anchor to record a dour 84, and with Sri Lanka's attack looking every bit as toothless as their Kiwi counterparts, Rutherford, Astle and Lees all helped themselves to fifties, although it must be said that the visitors' bowlers did at least manage to keep the scoring rate down, with Wickramasinghe looking the pick of the bunch. Walter Hadlee declared at lunch on the final day with the scores level, and although the Sri Lankans wobbled somewhat in their second innings, stumbling to tea at 64-4, a robust 41 from Ranatunga allayed any fears of an embarrassing collapse and the game petered out into an inevitable draw, the tourists having crawled to 155-7 before rain ended proceedings mercifully early for the few spectators that had stayed on. The teams remain in Dunedin for the first Test, which is to be played at Carisbrook, and one can only hope that the Tests serve up more entertaining fare than the cricket that was on display here.

Score Summary
SL 1st Inns 365-6 dec. (Dias 114, Ranatunga 84, Tillakaratne 77*, Kaluwitharana 55)
SI 1st Inns 365-6 dec. (Dowling 84, Astle 83, Rutherford 63, Lees 57*)
SL 2nd Inns 155-7 (Ranatunga 41)

MATCH DRAWN

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of Play

Day 1 - Sri Lankans 1st innings 365-6 (Tillakaratne 77*, Ratnayeke 11*; 96 ov)
Day 2 - South Island 1st innings 257-5 (Astle 26*, Lees 6*; 92 ov)
Day 3 - Sri Lankans 2nd innings 155-7 (65.5 ov) - end of match

New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Series Preview

On face value a battle of the basement between ATG cricket's two lowest ranked teams is unlikely to whet many appetites, but in actual fact the two Tests that make up the series should provide plenty of competitive action for both the committed and the casual spectator alike. For New Zealand, this is their best chance yet of securing a first ever ATG series victory, whilst the Sri Lankans will be looking to avoid defeat for the first time after losing each of their first five Tests.

The New Zealand selectors are expected to retain faith with the majority of the squad that was engaged against West Indies, but John Reid's position is under review once again after a poor personal performance in that series and an overall record that now reads just three wins in thirty three Tests as captain, although it must be said that there are few, if any, obvious candidates to take over the reins should the axe fall.

John Reid and Arjuna Ranatunga will both be hoping to lead
their countries to what would be a first ever ATG series win

As for Sri Lanka, this will be the first time that they enter a series with expectation as well as hope, and if their bowlers can at last find some penetration on wickets that should suit them then we could be in for some interesting cricket over the course of the two Tests.

Current form (most recent result first)
New Zealand LDLDL
Sri Lanka LLLLL

Sri Lanka squad
A Ranatunga (c), HP Tillakaratne (v/c), ALF de Mel DS de Silva, PA de Silva, RL Dias, HDPK Dharmasena, AP Gurusinha, UC Hathurusingha, RS Kaluwitharana, RS Mahanama, CPH Ramanayake, RJ Ratnayake, JR Ratnayeke, GP Wickramasinghe.

Itinerary
- Tour Match v South Island (Dunedin)
- 1st TEST (Dunedin)
- 2nd TEST (Hamilton)

New Zealand v West Indies - Series Summary

WEST INDIES WON THE SERIES 2-0
West Indies made it a magnificent seven consecutive series wins with their expected victory over New Zealand, but had Garry Sobers' team been up against stronger opponents then it could well have been a different story. Time and again the West Indian top order failed - Fredericks, Haynes and Kanhai recorded just one fifty between them and averaged less than fifteen as a unit - and only the form of Sobers and Worrell coupled with a tail that defied expectations with the bat kept the tourists afloat. Worrell was truly magnificent on his recall to the side, and his partnerships with Sobers, which were worth an average of 97.67, really proved to be a major difference between the teams.

A depleted West Indian attack supported each other well as a unit - Walsh, Garner, Griffith and Sobers shared 46 wickets evenly between them - with Hall proving the only real disappointment, but the same cannot be said of New Zealand, for whom Richard Hadlee ploughed an increasingly lone furrow as the series went on. Cowie bowled well in Wellington but faded thereafter, and by the end of the series Hadlee had captured 25 wickets compared to a combined haul of 28 for the remainder of New Zealand's attack. John Reid endured an anonymous series with the ball, but with Chris Cairns making little impact on debut, Reid is expected to retain his place in the side for the Sri Lanka Tests.

Despite its failings in the final innings in both Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand's batting looks in reasonable shape ahead of those matches, with Turner, Donnelly and Dempster all putting in good performances over the course of this series. There remains a vacancy at number three though, and Bevan Congdon is expected to be recalled to fill the berth against Sri Lanka. West Indies now head home to prepare for the visit of India, and all things point to them retaining their number one ranking come the end of that series.

Series Averages
(click to enlarge)

Players of the Series: RJ Hadlee & FMM Worrell

New Zealand v West Indies - Third Test

Eden Park, Auckland

New Zealand: GM Turner, CS Dempster, GP Howarth, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, RJ Hadlee, +IDS Smith, JG Bracewell, J Cowie, HJ Howarth.
West Indies: RC Fredericks, DL Haynes, RB Kanhai, EdeC Weekes, FMM Worrell, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, WW Hall, CC Griffith, J Garner, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: CJ Egar (AUS) & LP Rowan (AUS)
Toss: West Indies

Sobers wins the toss, elects to bat and then rescues the innings in partnership with Frank Worrell after the top order all fail. That has been the recurring theme thus far in the series, and so it was again in Auckland as an inspired Richard Hadlee reduced West Indies to 32-3 on a damp first morning at Eden Park. Weekes was then forced to retire hurt having deflected a rising delivery from Hadlee into the side of his head, and with ball seaming around one wondered whether the decision to field two spinners was the right move on the part of the Kiwi selectors, John Bracewell having been chosen to replace hamstring victim Chris Cairns.

Frank Worrell has become New Zealand's
nemesis over the course of this series

As the sun broke through batting became easier, allowing Worrell to add 118 for the fourth wicket with Sobers and a further 109 for the fifth with Dujon as the tourists spent the rest of day one recovering and consolidating. Sobers and Dujon both made fifties but Worrell pressed on to reach his second century of the series before the close, although he was granted a reprieve on 75 when Hadlee ripped out his off stump only to see umpire Col Egar signalling no ball to the scorers. As it was, Worrell went on to reach 131 before Hadlee finally had him caught in the gully by Reid on the second morning, one of eight wickets for New Zealand's champion fast bowler in what was by far the best performance of his ATG career, but West Indies' final total of 362 gave them the upper hand on a pitch that did not look as though it would last the full five days.

That said, Turner and Crowe made batting look easy after coming together at 48-2 in New Zealand's reply, and by the close they had extended the score to 164-2 as the hosts enjoyed an excellent second day. Walsh finally broke the partnership on the third morning when he trapped Crowe plumb in front for 85, and with the ball moving about in hot and humid conditions the innings fell away thereafter; Turner went for 86, popping up a return catch to Sobers to end his five hour stay at the crease, and with Walsh going on to complete West Indies' first five wicket haul of the series, the innings eventually closed on 295 to hand the visitors a 67 run lead.

Glenn Turner has been by far New Zealand's
most consistent batsman of the series

New Zealand struck back immediately as Hadlee found Fredericks' edge to send him on his way for a third ball duck, but with Kanhai managing to bring up his first fifty of the series the score had moved on to 130-3 by stumps, giving West Indies a lead of 197 with power to add. Cowie removed Kanhai's leg stump with just the fourth ball of day four though, and despite yet another fifty from the metronomic Worrell, wickets fell regularly throughout the day as batting became progressively more difficult. Hadlee claimed four more scalps to finish with match figures of 12-139, the best in New Zealand's history, and a total of 231 presented New Zealand with a target of 299 to square the series.

Uneven bounce was now proving to be a problem for the batsmen though, and in a disastrous evening session the Blackcaps were quickly reduced to 60-5 as only Stewie Dempster provided any resistance to an unremitting West Indian pace barrage. He eventually went for 40, bowled by the increasingly unplayable Garner, and although Donnelly and Hadlee managed to survive until stumps, at 103-5 the outlook was bleak for New Zealand. Donnelly managed to raise a spirited fifty on the final morning, and with Smith looking in good touch after replacing Hadlee at 128-6, the more Panglossian Kiwi fans began to sense that victory was not out of the question. Sobers shattered the dream though by holding onto his second caught and bowled of the game to dismiss Smith for 26, and the last four wickets proceeded to tumble for just eight runs as West Indies completed a comfortable 117 run win in the first over after lunch. New Zealand had run out of steam once again, and one must feel sympathy toward Richard Hadlee, whose sterling work with the ball was ultimately trumped by Worrell's unwavering form with the bat.

Hadlee's efforts were in vain as West Indies proved too strong once again

Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 362 (Worrell 131, Sobers 67, Dujon 59; Hadlee 8-73)
NZL 1st Inns 295 (Turner 86, Crowe 85; Walsh 5-49)
WI 2nd Inns 231 (Kanhai 59, Worrell 57; Hadlee 4-66)
NZL 2nd Inns 181 (Donnelly 66, Dempster 40; Garner 4-37)

WEST INDIES WON BY 117 RUNS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of play
Day 1 - West Indies 1st innings 282-6 (Worrell 107*; 90.5 ov)
Day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 164-2 (Turner 60*, Crowe 77*; 49 ov)
Day 3 - West Indies 2nd innings 130-3 (Kanhai 59*, Worrell 16*; 45 ov)
Day 4 - New Zealand 2nd innings 103-5 (Donnelly 25*, Hadlee 16*; 35 ov)
Day 5 - New Zealand 2nd innings 181 (61 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Hadlee's innings analysis of 8-73 is the second best for New Zealand and the sixth best overall, and his match return of 12-139 is the best ever for New Zealand
▪ Dujon became the first wicket keeper to pass 3000 career runs
▪ Turner made his 50th appearance for New Zealand

Man of the Match: FMM Worrell

New Zealand v West Indies - Second Test

Lancaster Park, Christchurch

New Zealand: GM Turner, CS Dempster, GP Howarth, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, CL Cairns, RJ Hadlee, +IDS Smith, J Cowie, HJ Howarth.
West Indies: RC Fredericks, DL Haynes, RB Kanhai, EdeC Weekes, FMM Worrell, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, WW Hall, CC Griffith, J Garner, CA Walsh.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: DL Orchard (SAF) & CJ Egar (AUS)
Toss: West Indies

Whilst West Indies fielded an unchanged XI in Christchurch following their victory in the first Test, New Zealand handed recalls to the brothers Howarth, Geoff coming in to replace the injured Jones and Hedley taking over the spinner's berth in place of the under-performing Boock. The pitch looked a beauty and Sobers duly batted upon winning his second toss in a row, but just as in Wellington the top of the batting card was reduced to rubble by Hadlee and Cowie, and by lunch the scoreboard read a parlous 64-4.

Worrell and Sobers came to the
rescue once again in the first innings

The visitors counter-attacked to devastating effect in the afternoon though as Worrell and Sobers picked up from where they had left off at the Basin Reserve. Sobers raised a wonderful hundred off just 128 balls, his fourth in six Tests this season, and Worrell reached three figures for the first time since his 216 against India in Ahmedabad way back in season III as the pair added 217 for the fifth wicket. Worrell did not have much time to celebrate his century though; after he completed the two runs to take him from 98 to one hundred he turned for a third only to be run out by Dempster's throw to Crowe at the bowler's end, and New Zealand had been handed a lifeline.

Crowe then trapped Sobers lbw without any further addition to the score, and when Hall went for 10 West Indies had slipped from 273-4 to 283-7, and the Kiwis would have been fancying their chances of finishing off the visitors for less than 300. However, the tourists' innings held a devastating sting in the tail; Dujon made a serene 70 and put on a national record 94 for the ninth wicket with Garner, who then continued to swing the bat to great effect in a last wicket stand of 75 with Walsh that exactly matched their effort against South Africa earlier this season.

Big Bird was on song with the bat as
West Indies' tail rallied on day two

Garner swung his way to an incredible 81, and the New Zealanders looked utterly deflated as they left the field, having allowed West Indies to add an unbelievable 214 runs for their last three wickets as the total swelled to 497. New Zealand's reply got off to a solid start as Turner - who was dropped on 39 by Hall off the bowling of Walsh - and Dempster posted 72 for the first wicket, but that was to be the highest partnership of the innings as wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter. Turner ground his way to a six hour century but on the whole the Kiwis found it difficult to score against a disciplined West Indies attack, and although both Reid and Smith finally perked up the crowd with some clean hitting later on, the hosts eventually fell an agonizing five runs short of saving the follow-on.

After a brief period of uncertainty Sobers asked New Zealand to bat again, but with the pitch still holding up well the Blackcaps made a much better fist of it on the fourth day. Turner (37) and Dempster added 92 for the first wicket this time round, and Dempster then hooked up with Crowe to the tune of 190 runs for the third wicket as New Zealand batted their way into the lead. Roy Fredericks popped up to bowl Crowe just two short of his century, but Dempster made no mistake and converted his first hundred into a big one, finally departing for 152 shortly before stumps on a day that had been dominated by New Zealand.

Dempster's maiden ATG century was a chanceless affair

A total of 336-4 gave New Zealand a lead of 132 going into the final day, and runs and wickets came rapidly as both sides tried to force the issue with some positive cricket. Reid's fighting fifty helped take the total total to a commendable 414, but West Indies were still in the box seat, and a target of 211 off 60 overs looked eminently gettable. A slow start hampered the chase though, and with two separate rain delays in the afternoon only serving to put West Indies further behind the clock, what had been another rollercoaster ride of a game was eventually consigned to a draw with West Indies still 72 runs short of their target. New Zealand will take more away from the result than their guests, and the series now remains alive going into the third and final Test in Auckland.

Score Summary
WI 1st Inns 497 (Sobers 113, Worrell 100, Garner 81, Dujon 70)
NZL 1st Inns 293 (Turner 102, Reid 46, Smith 41*)
NZL 2nd Inns 414 (Dempster 152, Crowe 98, Reid 52; Hall 4-102)
WI 2nd Inns 139-5

MATCH DRAWN

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of play
Day 1 - West Indies 1st innings 304-7 (Dujon 4*, Griffith 13*; 90 ov)
Day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 34-0 (Turner 20*, Dempster 14*; 14 ov)
Day 3 - New Zealand 2nd innings 13-0 (Turner 5*, Dempster 7*; 4 ov)
Day 4 - New Zealand 2nd innings 336-4 (Donnelly 25*, Reid 7*; 94 ov)
Day 5 - West Indies 2nd innings 139-5 (49 0v) - end of match

Notes
▪ Hadlee passed 200 career wickets
▪ Garner's 81 is the highest ever score by a number ten batsman
▪ Dujon and Garner's ninth wicket partnership of 94 is a West Indian record
▪ Garner and Walsh's tenth wicket partnership of 75 equals the national record

Man of the Match: CS Dempster