New Zealand have been in stellar form going into the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. They beat Pakistan in alien conditions in UAE and now have taken a 3-1 lead against Sri Lanka at home. Brendon McCullum, the skipper, has time and again led from the front. Kane Williamson has played with calmness and composure to hold New Zealand's innings together in times of crisis. With Luke Ronchi and Grant Elliott, too, notching up hundreds in the last game, it shows that the hosts are a confident unit. The home team will look to win the sixth ODI and seal the series.
Ronchi was in superb form in the fifth ODI. © Cricbuzz
On the other hand, after putting up a fine show in the second ODI to level the series, Sri Lanka haven't been able to make their presence felt. Veteran batsmen, Mahela Jayawardene, Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, have shone brightly in the series, but their bowling has been below par. Most of their seamers have struggled to maintain lines and lengths to keep the opposition in check.
The absence of Angelo Mathews, their captain, due to a calf strain hasn't helped them either. Only when Rangana Herath has played and to some extent Nuwan Kulasekara have been able to make an impression for the visitors. Even their fielding, on occasions, hasn't been up to the mark. For the do-or-die encounter in Dunedin, the visitors certainly need to lift their game.
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New Zealand then won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a good wicket for batting. Nathan McCullum and Tim Southee were rested. Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills were picked in the playing XI. With 280 games to his credit, Vettori became the highest capped ODI player for New Zealand.
Dhammika Prasad gave Sri Lanka a fantastic start by dismissing the dangerman, McCullum. It has to said that was a wonderful catch taken by Perera. It was a back of a length delivery and outside the off-stump. McCullum looked to use his feet, but mistimed it. The ball went off the splice of the bat, towards long-off. Perera, on his part, ran back a long way from mid-off and took a spellbinding catch. The visitors certainly needed that dismissal to lift their sagging spirits.
Prasad continued to bowl with great control. He got one to angle back into Guptill and the right-hander looked to work it through he on side, but missed it completely. The batsman looked dead in front. However, the umpire didn't give it out and to make it worse, the DRS was down due to technical issues!! Now that was farcical. Guptill survives.
Guptill continued to live dangerously by not moving his feet. However, on occasions, he showed his ability to play some fine lofted shots by using his reach. In particular, he played a well-timed stroke over long off, while facing Prasad. He also gave a glimpse of his ability to play the pull shot by smashing Perera off the back-foot for an eye-catching boundary. It was Perera then, who finally snared the wicket of Guptill by bowling a back of a length delivery to produce the edge. Wicket-keeper, Sangakkara took an easy catch.
Kane Williamson has certainly been in the form of his life. He yet again proved his worth by helping New Zealand to recover after losing early wickets with a well-measured fifty. The way he picked up a delivery from Lakmal that was bowled on the pads to deposit it for a six and send 20 rows back into the crowd gave an indication about his poise and fluidity at the crease. On the other hand, Ross Taylor, after he was dropped early in the innings off Herath's bowling also looked in decent touch.
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Williamson was in fine touch for New Zealand. ©Reuters
It seemed like the only way New Zealand could lose Williamson was through a run out and unfortunately from the hosts' perspective, that is what exactly happened in the end. It was a clear case of Taylor selling Williamson down the river! Williamson pulled a delivery from Dilshan to deep backward square leg. The fielder so positioned threw it back to wicket-keeper, Sangakkara. Williamson, on his part, was looking the second run. However, Taylor was too late to say no to his call. Williamson then, tried to get back to his crease, but Sangakarra's rocket-like throw at the non-striker's end saw Williamson short of his crease. Taylor though, showed admirable concentration prowess to not get affected by the dismissal to amass a fifty.
After Williamson was run out, Corey Anderson and Ross Taylor continued to play power-packed shots as New Zealand looked set to amass a monstrous score on the board. Anderson gave a glimpse of his power by playing a slog sweep to thwack Dilshan for a six. He also smashed Prasad all over the park in the 43rd over of the game. On the other hand, New Zealand would be happy that Taylor has comeback to form.
Ross Taylor was finally dismissed for 96 by Dilshan. However, he and Williamson helped New Zealand to reach a monstrous score of 315 for 8 on the board. Corey Anderson's timely innings also gave the hosts, the much needed impetus. On the other hand, Sri Lanka yet again didn't help their cause by bowling some wayward stuff. Dhammika Prasad picked up two wickets and Herath was economical. But rest of the bowlers weren't up to the mark.
Earlier, Williamson resurrected New Zealand's innings with a majestic knock of 97. It was his efforts that helped the hosts to recover after they lost early wickets. He twinned caution with aggression to perfection. New Zealand were off to a shaky start after they lost the wicket of McCullum in the second over. Guptill, too, could have lost his wicket, but survived a LBW shout, where he looked dead in front. Sri Lanka wanted to take the review, but to the surprise of everyone, they couldn't as DRS was down due to technical issues!
Jayawardene was given out lbw by Gough, the umpire. However, Jayawardene took the review and it was clear that he had got an inside edge and the decision was oveturned. The veteran batsman though, didn't last long as he looked to play Anderson on the up and offered a simple chance to McCullum at mid-off. On expected lines, Jayawardene looked unhappy.
Sri Lanka got off to a steady start in their innings. Openers, Dilshan and Thirimanne looked to play themselves in. Only when the Kiwis bowled short and wide did Dilshan play an aggressive shot. Sri Lanka certainly need a good start here.
Corey Anderson and Mitchell McClenaghan took a wicket each to reduce Sri Lanka to 61 for 2. Ronchi, the wicket-keeper, took a fine catch to send Thirimanne on a long walk back to the pavilion. Dilshan looked to up the ante by using his feet to Anderson but wasn't offered the width he wanted to and could only offer Ronchi an easy catch.
Sangakkara, for the umpteenth time in his career, held Sri Lanka's innings together with a superb fifty. Unfortunately from the visitors' perspective, Karunaratne was dismissed by Corey Anderson, who also picked up his third wicket of the match with that wicket. Sangakkara seemed to be playing a lone hand for Sri Lanka.
New Zealand continued to chip away with wickets as Sri Lanka found themselves in dire straits at 171 for 6. To make it worse for the visitors, both Jeevan Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal were run out. Sangakkara has to script some miracle for Sri Lanka for them to have any chance of even coming close to chasing down the target. In short, the hosts look set to seal the series.
New Zealand took wickets at regular intervals. ©Reuters
With wickets falling at the other end, Sangakkara had no other choice but to go after the bowling at every given opportunity. To an extent he succeeded by backing away and occasionally using his feet, but was eventually dismissed after essaying a sparkling knock of 81 by Boult. He looked to whip it through the on side but could only get a leading edge and was caught by Vettori at mid on.
In the end, it turned out to be a damp squib as New Zealand cruised their way towards a facile win by 120 runs and seal the series 4-1. Taylor and Williamson were the ones who laid the platform with fluent knocks. However, both of them fell agonisingly short of notching up hundreds. With the ball in hand, Corey Anderson struck crucial blows and rest of the bowlers supported him as they blew away the visitors.
Only Sangakkara stood alone amidst the ruins with a courageous knock of 81 off a mere 66 balls. Sri Lanka have a task on their hands to get back to winning ways as they look short of class and quality on these true wickets. Remember, they have less than 20 days to get their act together for the ICC Cricket World, 2015.
Corey Anderson in action for New Zealand. ©Reuters