[ad_1]
New Zealand secured a dramatic two-wicket victory off the last ball of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.
Kane Williamson smashed a blistering 121 not out as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the series as their victory began with a farewell from the last ball as New Zealand chased down a target of 285.
New Zealand’s most successful fourth innings also came in Christchurch in 1994, when they scored 324-5 to beat Pakistan by five wickets at Lancaster Park.
Victory for New Zealand was scored with a dramatic final ball
Asitha Fernando (3-63) played well for Sri Lanka but a bumper from the last ball meant Williamson and Neil Wagner ran for the win, with Williamson securing victory by diving quickly to place the bat at the crease before a direct hit broke the stumps behind the non-striker. which.
Wagner, who will miss the second Test due to a bulging disc in his back and a torn right hamstring, came to the crease with New Zealand needing five runs from three balls.
Williamson hit the boundary with three balls remaining, before Fernando’s final two balls were short deliveries, with the penultimate delivery of the point ball.
The victory ended Sri Lanka’s hopes of making it to the final of the World Test Championship and India will face Australia in June at The Oval.
New Zealand went into the final day trailing at 28-1 in the second innings, needing 257 more runs to win, but rain meant more than four hours of play were lost.
The result ended Sri Lanka’s hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship finals in June
After the bad weather ended, 52 overs were allowed in one full session to get the result.
As play resumed, Tom Latham (25) was dropped by Prabath Jayasuriya and Henry Nicholls was caught in the deep for 20 to bring first man Daryl Mitchell to the crease.
Mitchell hit 81 runs in a 142-run partnership with Williamson for the fourth wicket to put New Zealand on the cusp of victory.
But Sri Lanka are not out yet as they chase a place in the final of the World Test Championship.
Fernando gave the new visitors hope with yorkers to remove Mitchell and Tom Blundell (3) before Michael Bracewell (10) was caught at mid-wicket.
That set up a dramatic finish with New Zealand needing 15 runs from the last two overs and a nervous finish when skipper Tim Southee was out in the deep and Matt Henry was run out.
Williamson remains upbeat and sees a home in New Zealand.
Sri Lanka will qualify for the WTC final if they beat New Zealand 2-0 in the two-match series, and Australia denied India victory in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.
India will now take on Australia, who have qualified, in the final at The Oval in London from Wednesday, June 7.
The second Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka begins at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on Friday.
[ad_2]
Source link