Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand (2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 1 T20I)

[Doss]

Highlights can be seen here: https://www.nzc.nz/video?videoid=P2961&filters=0&channel=0&series=0&pagenumber=1&countperpage=20

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Latham with a 5 to move into the 90's

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Sri Lanka haven't really had much impact with the new ball this morning and now the runs are starting to flow.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Great knock from Latham. 100 off 268 balls.

 

[red+black]

He’s approaching 400 for the series

 

[red+black]

NZ 3-down and have now doubled their 1st innings score

 

[red+black]

NZ's top 7 have decent averages, most more than 40 (Raval ~35, Watling (6) 37.63, CdG (7) 29.54).

 

[red+black]

Latham becomes just the 10th player to score 400 in a 2 Test series having batting 3 times or less.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...ngs;template=results;type=batting;view=series

 

[red+black]

100 up for Henry Nicholls

 

[red+black]

100 up for Danushka Gunathilaka (career bowling average that is)

 

[Doss]

New Zealand's lead is now 600. Incredibly, there is still the best part of seven sessions left in the game.

Colin De Grandhomme must be one of the better lower-middle order wallopers in world cricket. 45 off 23 here.

 

[Doss]

Nicholls and De Grandhomme have put on 107 in 70 balls...

The lead now the small matter of 642!

 

[the universal]

Why not try for 700, Kane?

 

[Doss]

New Zealand have finally declared.

Sri Lanka only have to chase 660 to win.

 

[Doss]

SL are now 1/1 after an over of the chase.

Genuine chance of one of the rarest results there is here; a 500+ run loss.

 

[red+black]

NZ's top 7 have decent averages, most more than 40 (Raval ~35, Watling (6) 37.63, CdG (7) 29.54).

CdG back up to 32.77 with his 71*

 

[Doss]

Sri Lanka now 9/2. Oh dear.

 

[The Speaker]

Gunathilaka is not a Test match opener.

 

[red+black]

New Zealand have finally declared. Sri Lanka only have to chase 660 to win.

8th highest target ever set
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...arget;template=results;type=team;view=innings

2nd most since the end of WWII
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...=span;template=results;type=team;view=innings

 

[the universal]

Better luck bringing back Kaushal Silva or even Thirimanne.

 

[Damon_3388]

I know it probably seems a bit much to ask, given they got bowled out for 178 in the first innings of this Test, but is this the best Test batting line-up New Zealand have ever had? (numbers include this Test):

1 - Jeet Raval - 34.69 average, 42.54 strike rate (0 hundreds, 7 fifties)
2 - Tom Latham - 41.59 average, 45.67 strike rate (8 hundreds, 15 fifties)
3 - Kane Williamson - 51.44 average, 50.92 strike rate (19 hundreds, 29 fifties)
4 - Ross Taylor - 45.93 average, 59.63 strike rate (17 hundreds, 30 fifties)
5 - Henry Nicholls - 43.54 average, 49.41 strike rate (4 hundreds, 8 fifties)
6/7 - BJ Watling - 37.74 average, 43.07 strike rate (6 hundreds, 16 fifties)
6/7 - Colin de Grandhomme - 32.77 average, 84.62 strike rate (1 hundred, 4 fifties)
8 - Tim Southee - 18.02 average, 88.31 strike rate (0 hundreds, 5 fifties)
9 - Neil Wagner - 11.60 average, 39.86 strike rate (0 hundreds, 0 fifties)
10 - Ajaz Patel - 7.00 average, 28.00 strike rate (0 hundreds, 0 fifties)
11 - Trent Boult - 14.41 average, 52.86 strike rate (0 hundreds, 1 fifty)

When you factor in the bowling, you could even argue that it's the best and most balanced NZ side we've ever seen, too.

Only "drawback" you could say is that 5 of the 11 weren't actually born in New Zealand (two Indians, two South Africans, and one Zimbabwean), but we won't hold that against them too much

 

[The Speaker]

Can't think of any better. Raval and de Grandhomme are weak links, but still overall a really solid line-up.

 

[the universal]

Henry Nicholls was a liability about a year ago but has noticeably stepped up on numerous important occasions. Raval and Latham are probably NZ's best opening combination (there's not very much in the way of great past examples however).

At the very least this batting lineup is on par with that of 2014-15, but even then the main differences are no McCullum and [insert generic NZ revolving door opener here].

 

[Doss]

New Zealand have never been better than this overall.

 

[PhatBoy]

Mendis has now batted through 448 second innings deliveries unbeaten this series, both times with his side 2/3 down for nothing