New Zealand's worst peacetime mass killing rippled through the country's top-class sports on Saturday with two high profile events cancelled and the first class cricket title being decided without a ball being bowled in the final round of matches.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by the shocking situation in Christchurch. A joint decision between NZC and the @BCBtigers has been made to cancel the Hagley Oval Test. Again both teams and support staff groups are safe," the New Zealand cricket board tweeted on their Twitter handle.
Kane Williamson was looming as the difference between a comfortable Australian win in the second Test against New Zealand and a match situation that could tip the scales either way, according to both sides.
Joe Burns and Steve Smith capitalised on perfect batting conditions to score centuries as Australia reduced New Zealand's lead to just seven runs at the end of day two of the second test on Sunday. Neil Wagner dismissed both batsmen in identical fashion in the final half-hour to give his side some late reward for a day of toil under a cloudless Christchurch sky. Burns, who had been dismissed early in his innings only to have the decision overturned on review, was well caught low down by Martin Guptill at square leg for 170, his highest test score and third century. Smith also fell to a short ball in Wagner's next over for 138, his 14th test century, caught by the same fielder. Adam Voges was on two with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon on four as the visitors ended the day 363 for four, having all but mowed down New Zealand's first innings 370.
New Zealand completed their World Cup preparations with a 134-run victory over South Africa on Wednesday.
Brendon McCullum's singular contribution to New Zealand cricket extends far beyond the pyrotechnics with the bat which attracted a new generation to the game and helped make the 2015 World Cup such a spectacular success.
Uncapped batsman Henry Nicholls has been called into New Zealand's one-day squad for the start of the five-match series against Sri Lanka, while pace duo Trent Boult and Tim Southee have been rested.
Bairstow, who scored 138 in the fourth game in Dunedin, smashed a 58-ball century with eight boundaries and six sixes as he combined with Alex Hales (61) in a 155-run opening stand in perfect batting conditions.
New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor's health would not be risked for the series-deciding one day international on Saturday as the team looks ahead to two Tests against England, coach Mike Hesson has said.
James Vince's knock of 59 runs enabled England to defeat New Zealand by seven wickets
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between New Zealand and India in Christchurch on Saturday.
Australia sauntered into the ICC Under-19 World Cup final by dashing Afghanistan's dream run with a six-wicket victory, built around Jack Edward's half-century after some splendid bowling, in Christchurch, on Monday.
Both Gill and Shaw are 20 and considered the stars of the future after a splendid runs in age-group cricket.
Pakistan's seam attack dragged their side back into the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday by capturing seven wickets before lunch, bowling the hosts out for 200 on the third day. Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Amir shared the wickets as the hosts were bundled out with a lead of 67 runs. New Zealand had bowled Pakistan out for 133 before tea on Friday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme took six for 41 in the best haul for a New Zealand cricketer on debut as the hosts dismissed Pakistan for 133 before tea on the second day of the first test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday. The 30-year-old seamer, a surprise selection in the squad, also became the eighth New Zealander to take a five-wicket haul on debut. New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Jeet Raval, who is also on debut, will begin New Zealand's reply after tea was taken early.
New Zealand's preparations for the ICC World Cup are the best they had been in Daniel Vettori's four previous campaigns and they can enter the tournament they co-host with Australia with confidence, the former captain said.
Taylor, who missed the third game in Wellington with a quadriceps injury, was limping badly after he appeared to suffer a similar strain but still combined with Tom Latham (71) for 187 runs as New Zealand scored 339 for five in 49.3 overs to chase down England's 335 for nine.
Before they take the field for the World Test Championship final on Friday, June 18, Rajneesh Gupta takes a look at India-New Zealand Test encounters in the new century.
Trent Boult took the prized wicket of AB de Villiers then bowled Dwaine Pretorious in the penultimate over as New Zealand secured a series-levelling six-run victory in the second One-day international against South Africa on Wednesday.
Shubman Gill scored a magnificent, unbeaten hundred as India amassed 272 for 9 against Pakistan in the second semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Christchurch on Tuesday.
India and Australia are clubbed together in Group B along with Zimbabwe and East Asia Pacific qualifier Papua New Guinea, an ICC release read on Wednesday.
India opener Prithvi Shaw is likely to retain his place in the playing eleven for the second Test against New Zealand, starting Saturday, while Ravindra Jadeja may replace Ravichandran Ashwin.
Trent Boult and Neil Wagner quickly wrapped up Sri Lanka's second innings on Sunday as New Zealand clinched the series 1-0 with a dominant 423-run victory in the second Test.
Virat Kohli has, in the past, been dismissed a number of times by leg-spinners but New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi doesn't find any distinct weakness in the Indian captain's game. Although he is only 27, Sodhi will be seen in a new role of spin consultant for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League starting next month, apart from learning about the financial and operational side of franchise management.
Kane Williamson, leading New Zealand in a Test for the first time at home, scored his 24th half century to guide the hosts to an eight-wicket victory in the first test against Pakistan in Christchurch on Sunday. Chasing a target of 105 for the win, Williamson was dismissed on 61 with the hosts just a run shy of victory. Jeet Raval (36 not out) hit a four to push New Zealand over the line on 108 for two shortly after lunch on the fourth day. New Zealand had bowled the visitors out in their second innings for 171 about an hour into the day's play at Hagley Oval.
England's bid to win the second Test against New Zealand and level up the series was hindered by bad light on Monday when play was abandoned early with the hosts 42 without loss chasing an unlikely 382 for victory.
Australia have achieved what Steve Smith set out to do when he assumed the captaincy last year by climbing to the top of the test rankings after beating New Zealand on Wednesday with the batsman admitting the trick now "was to stay there". The seven-wicket victory coming just after lunch on the final day at Hagley Oval sealed a 2-0 series win against Brendon McCullum's side and confirmed Australia's ascendancy to the pinnacle of test cricket for the first time since July 2014. "It's a good start for us. We want to win every series we play and winning away from home is a big goal of mine and the team's," Smith told reporters. "We came here at the start of the series wanting to win 2-0 and we knew if we did that we would be number one in the world. "I guess the challenge for this group now is to extend that gap and try and play some very good cricket home and away." Smith, who first captained the side for three tests against India in Michael Clarke's absence at the end of 2014, assumed the role in a full time capacity after his predecessor retired following the Ashes series loss to England last year.
New Zealand quick bowler Neil Wagner defended his use of the bouncer but admitted to feeling "shaky" when he felled Steve Smith with a blow to the head in the second Test in Christchurch on Sunday.
Both Australia and New Zealand played down any significance of the umpires warning the visitors for throwing the ball to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill on the bounce in order to aid its deterioration during the third day of the second Test on Monday.
James Pattinson has the full support of the Australian team in his battle against over-stepping and they expect him to come out and "blow the game apart" in New Zealand's second innings, according to off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
England's batsmen must try and emulate Moeen Ali's carefree approach if the team are to have any chance of lifting the World Cup, according to former captain Nasser Hussain.
Brendon McCullum hoped his winning the Sportsman of the Year award would give his team mates a massive boost.
England trail New Zealand's first innings by 69 runs but need to survive the remaining 31 overs in the final session to stop the hosts from taking a 1-0 lead in the two match series.
Rajneesh Gupta offers insights about the World Test Championship Final.
After bagging lucrative deals at the Indian Premier League Players' Auction, the Indian team will be eager to deliver when they face arch-rivals Pakistan in the second semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Christchurch, on Tuesday.
Factbox on New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who on Tuesday announced his decision to retire from all forms of international cricket in February.
Brendon McCullum, who led New Zealand through an exhilarating two years of success, will retire from international cricket in February after the two-Test series against Australia, the 34-year-old batsman said on Tuesday.
All-rounder Andre Russell hit a whirlwind 13-ball 42 not out, including three sixes from a Sohail Khan over, before taking three wickets with the ball to help West Indies demolish Pakistan by a huge margin of 150 runs.
Lasith Malinga is fit for Sri Lanka's opening World Cup clash against New Zealand.
Corey Anderson scored a composed 81 as New Zealand lurched to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday in the first of seven One-day Internationals between the two sides before next month's World Cup.
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