New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor smashes a ball for four runs on day one of the second cricket test against the West Indies played at the Basin Reserve, Wellington. 11 December 2013. New Zealand Her
New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor smashes a ball for four runs on day one of the second cricket test against the West Indies played at the Basin Reserve, Wellington. 11 December 2013. New Zealand Her
Since their first meeting in 1983, New Zealand and Sri Lanka have contested 28 test matches with 10 wins for New Zealand, eight for Sri Lanka and 10 draws.
They will meet again in two test matches this summer, the first of which gets underway on Boxing Day in Christchurchthis week.
With that in mind, DANIEL RICHARDSON takes a look back on five outstanding individual performances by Kiwi players against Sri Lanka.
1. Martin Crowe's 299 v Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, 1991. The figure of 299 would haunt New Zealand cricket fans for many summers until Brendon McCullum finally cracked that elusive triple ton earlier this year. This was a master class from Crowe as he and Andrew Jones (186) put on 467 for the third wicket to help New Zealand earn a draw. Crowe's stay at the crease lasted 523 balls and included 29 fours and three sixes.
2. Daniel Vettori's 7-130 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, 2006. Vettori wheeled down 42.3 overs in Sri Lanka's second innings and was rewarded with the only seven-wicket haul in a test between these two sides. New Zealand went on to lose this match by 217 runs after they were set a whopping 504 runs for victory but Vettori's efforts shouldn't be discounted. This was when the left-arm spinner was in some of his best form as he had the ability to sharply turn the ball, alongside his regular flight and guile.
3. Ross Taylor's double of 142 and 74 at the P Sara Oval in Colombo, 2012. When these sides last met, New Zealand registered a 167-run victory that came on the back of some special work from Ross Taylor. The Central Districts batsman followed up his first-innings ton with a valuable 74 that proved vital given New Zealand only made 194-9 declared in their second dig. Sri Lanka needed 363 for victory but didn't get close. Seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee took three wickets each as the home side were rolled over for 195 as the Black Caps locked the two-match series up at 1-1.
4. Bryan Young's 267 not out at Carisbrook in Dunedin, 1997. Bryan Young made only two test centuries but one of them was a doozy. The opener was an immovable object in some questionable summer whether in Dunedin as he racked up an unbeaten 267 to propel New Zealand towards an innings victory over the cold Sri Lankans. Young didn't strike a single six in his knock but chipped away at a steady clip. He was also a handy slip fieldsman who had a penchant for putting the ball in his pocket after he gobbled up a catch. Young made 2034 test runs at an average of 31.78 during a six-year test career that ended in 1999.
5. Chris Martin's 6-54 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, 2005. The common theme of this list appears to be that when New Zealand and Sri Lanka meet at the Basin Reserve, extraordinary things happen. This test in 2005 was no different as Martin steamed in on the first morning of play and proceeded to tear the Sri Lankan top order apart. This bowling analysis was the second best of Martin's career after his 6-26 against Zimbabwe in Napier in 2012 and it set up another innings victory for New Zealand.
