NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Cricket / Black Caps

Cricket: Black Caps' dominance continues

By David Leggat in Mt Maunganui
NZ Herald·
7 Jan, 2016 05:26 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Colin Munro hurried things along after a slow start. Photo / Alan Gibson

Colin Munro hurried things along after a slow start. Photo / Alan Gibson

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

First blood to New Zealand as they successfully switched format and took their initial steps towards the world T20 tournament in India in March.

There's a while to go yet, and another four 40-over contests coming up, followed by another couple of preparatory matches once they get to India, but this was an encouraging start.

Sri Lanka are not No 1 in this form for nothing and although they appeared second best for much of the match, still finished up only a boundary away from what would have been their highest successful second innings pursuit.

The game had a cracking conclusion for the full house of 7845 - 182 for four beating 179 for nine - and offered intriguing glimpses of what New Zealand might be capable of.

Sri Lanka looked dead at 42 for four in the fourth over, but they plugged away and -- as New Zealand had earlier -- got through a boundary drought of over five overs to give New Zealand a scare.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

''Even though they lost wickets they kept up momentum and went with the run rate all the way to the end," New Zealand batsman Colin Munro said, conceding Sri Lanka probably got a touch closer than the hosts may have anticipated.

Munro, in strong form for Auckland, relished a chance at No 3 and, overcoming a sluggish start, kept his head to finish with 36 in 26 balls.

That came after Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson shared New Zealand's fifth century stand for the first wicket, Guptill in particular responsible for a flying start.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He's in rare form, while Williamson, with his distinctly different methods, has a better strike rate than the tall Aucklander - 127.91 to 124.74. Book this in as New Zealand's opening pair for India.

But Sri Lanka's slow men, plus canny medium pacer Nuwan Kulasekara, put a strangle on the batsmen.

There was food for thought, on a slowish pitch -- possibly not dissimilar to some the teams might encounter in India -- in the work of the spinners, Jeffrey Vandersay and Sethan Jayasuriya, who combined for eight overs, taking two for 54.

New Zealand got 19 singles in successive deliveries. Boundaries were beyond them but the batsmen didn't throw the bat needlessly.

Discover more

Sport|cricket

Cricket: Gayle still in demand despite controversy

06 Jan 07:20 PM
Sport|cricket

Anderson knows days as bowler limited

06 Jan 07:44 PM
Cricket

Paul Ford: Middle & Leg - The Beige Brigade newsletter: Tapeball, Foot in mouth & the Cornwall quad-ton

06 Jan 10:54 PM
Black Caps

As it happened: Black Caps v Sri Lanka

07 Jan 01:50 AM

Munro and Ross Taylor - 22 not out off nine balls at the end - put some oomph into things and New Zealand rattled up 51 off the last five overs.

Danushka Gunathilaka and Milinda Sirawardana dug in after the early casualties before Ish Sodhi put in his application for a trip to India with a lovely googly to deceive the dangerous Gunathilaka.

At halfway Sri Lanka were on 86, just 11 runs behind New Zealand's comparative score, but five wickets worse off. It seemed to large a hill to climb, but they gave it some real cheek.

Milinda Sirawardana, a candidate for the success story of this tour, and Thisara Perera put on 49 in 31 balls; 35 were needed off the last four overs and suddenly it was tight.

Thirteen were needed from the last bowled by Grant Elliott, and he was up to the job.

''It was always close. We almost got there. One big shot away but they bowled pretty well in the last four overs. Credit should go to them," Chamara Kapugedera said of New Zealand's bowlers.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Man of the match Trent Boult had the best figures, Sodhi the most interesting display and Mitch McClenaghan and Elliott the crunchy job at the death.

Now for Eden Park on Sunday. Sri Lanka need to win it to remain No 1. A series win will give New Zealand a boost from No 8.

SCOREBOARD

WAGONWHEEL

MANHATTAN

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Black Caps

Black Caps

Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe broadcaster confirmed

07 Jul 12:20 AM
Black Caps

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

28 Jun 12:00 AM
Black Caps

T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

26 Jun 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Black Caps

Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe broadcaster confirmed

Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe broadcaster confirmed

07 Jul 12:20 AM

The tour will feature a T20 tri-series, followed by a two-test series

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

'Best place I've been': Jamieson puts injury woes behind him

28 Jun 12:00 AM
T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

T20 freelancers commit to Walter's first Black Caps squad for T20 tri-series

26 Jun 06:00 PM
NZ Cricket understands fan frustration over lack of home tests

NZ Cricket understands fan frustration over lack of home tests

26 Jun 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP