WELLINGTON, Jan 7:
New Zealand wrapped up a 193-run victory over Sri Lanka today to complete a 2-0 win in the two-test series and continue its fine form in test cricket.
Mark Craig took 4-53 as New Zealand bowled out Sri Lanka for 196 with a session to spare at the Basin Reserve. The Black Caps have not lost a test series since defeat in England in March, 2013.
Since then New Zealand has record home series wins against India, the West Indies and Sri Lanka, defeated the West Indies away and has drawn series in Bangladesh and against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
The latest test win — having trailed by 135 runs on first innings — followed an eight-wicket victory in the first test and was its seventh in 10 tests since February.
Sri Lanka resumed at 45-1, chasing an improbable 390 to win and square the series. The highest fourth-innings total to win a test at Basin Reserve was 277 by Pakistan in 2003.
Nightwatchman Dhammika Prasana was out for 6 in only the second over of the day, brilliantly caught at second slip by Jimmy Neesham, who snatched the ball above his head to give Trent Boult the early breakthrough.
Kumar Sangakkara, who made 203 in the first innings, loomed as the man most likely to deny New Zealand’s victory push, but he fell for just five in contentious circumstances, cutting at a wide delivery from Boult which passed under the bat on its way to wicketkeeper B.J. Watling.
There was no appeal from Watling or other players behind the wicket, but Boult made a half-hearted appeal that was turned down by the field umpire.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum referred the decision to the television umpire.
The Hot Spot imaging technology did not register any contact between ball and the bottom edge of Sangakkara’s bat but the Snicko audio technology revealed the faintest of noises and that was enough to overturn the field umpire’s call and dismiss Sangakkara, who was clearly angry as he left the field.(PTI)
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