The troubles plaguing the Australian Test team will have little bearing on their one-day side's performance in the three-match series against New Zealand starting on Sunday, according to Black Caps coach Mike Hesson. Steve Smith's Test side have been pilloried by fans and their own media after they lost their latest series 2-1 at home to South Africa. That defeat came on the back of a 5-0 one-day series loss in South Africa and a 3-0 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka, leading to plenty of questions being asked about administrators, management and the players.
After a dismal eighth place finish in Rio Games, much is expected from the Manpreet-led side.
The veteran Sri Lankan batsman, who will retire from One-Day Internationals at the end of the World Cup, is on a record-breaking spree.
South African-born batsman Devon Conway and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel also received their first central contracts, NZC said in a statement
Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha's battling half-century helped India reach 316 before the hosts were dismissed in their first innings against New Zealand on the second morning of the second test at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
The shocking 0-4 drubbing at the hands of Bangladesh on Sunday pushed New Zealand to the seventh spot behind Pakistan in the latest ICC one-day rankings issued in Dubai.
Nathan Astle produced a timely return to form with an unbeaten 90 to anchor New Zealand to 256 for five.
Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja hammered home the advantage their bowlers had established when they took Australia to 147-3, a deficit of just 36 runs, at the close of the opening day's play in the first Test against New Zealand on Friday.
England scored through Will Calnan's (25th minute) field strike and penalty corner conversion by Luke Taylor (44th) to register the comfortable win.
New Zealand's cricketers have come in for some startling criticism from their own coach Mark Greatbatch who feels some players "aren't as good as they think they are" and even a couple of draws in next month's three-Test series against India would be a "good result".
England's selectors kept faith with the players who beat New Zealand earlier this year by naming an unchanged team, plus fast bowler Matthew Hoggard, in a 12-man squad against the same opposition for this week's first Test. The selectors chose the team which came back from 1-0 down to win the series in New Zealand 2-1 in March.
Images from Day 5 of the 1st Test between England and New Zealand played at Lord's on Sunday.
New Zealand wrapped up a record innings and 134-run victory over West Indies before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test in Hamilton on Sunday after finally breaking a rearguard action from Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph.
High on confidence after their first win in the hockey World Cup, Argentina coach Pablo Lombi today said the victory would boost his team's morale ahead of the last pool A match against traditional rivals Canada, who has always been a thorn in the flesh for his side.
Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were found to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
After New Zealand thrashed India by ten wickets in the first Test in Wellington on Monday, former cricketer VVS Laxman said the visitors were outplayed in all departments. This was New Zealand's 100th Test match win, while on the other hand World No 1 India suffered their first defeat in the ICC World Test Championship.
The 24-year-old Patel has been rewarded for his consistency at domestic level in the last two seasons.
Boult, De Grandhomme cleared to travel to Perth for first Test against Australia
New Zealand on Tuesday included young pacer Tim Southee in their squad for the third and final cricket Test against India starting April 3 in Wellington.
Virat Kohli inflicted more Super Overs misery on New Zealand as he helped India to a second successive victory in sudden death to win the fourth Twenty20 international in Wellington on Friday. Images from the fourth T20 International between New Zealand and India in Wellington on Friday.
Sri Lanka clinched a resounding 202-run victory on the final day to take a 1-0 lead in their two-match Test series against New Zealand on Saturday.
Gautam Gambhir stamped his authority with a majestic century as India romped to a convincing eight-wicket win thereby taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Wednesday.
Yuvraj Singh made an emotional return to international cricket but India snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to allow New Zealand to win the Twenty20 series with a thrilling one-run victory in Chennai.
Dhawal Kulkarni might not have got an opportunity to make his Test debut in New Zealand, but the Mumbai pacer said being a part of the historic team in itself was a great boost for his young career.
Images from Day 4 of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's in London on Saturday.
Heavy overnight rain and persistent showers throughout Sunday washed out the final day's play of the first Test between South Africa and New Zealand at University Oval in Dunedin.
Check out the statistical highlights on Day 2 of the second Test between India and New Zealand.
Paraguay will look to a trio of sharpshooters to see them into the World Cup second round while New Zealand, surprise contenders for a place in the last 16, are hoping luck favours them at last, when the teams meet in their final group game on Thursday.
The third and final T20 International between New Zealand and West Indies was abandoned due to rain at the Bay Oval, in Mount Maunganui, on Monday.
Carlos Brathwaite struck a brilliant century but West Indies still lost to New Zealand by five runs in a thrilling finish, in the World Cup match, in Manchester, on Saturday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers from the Oval Test.
Batsman Michael Papps and fast bowler Michael Mason have been named to play against South Africa in the first ODI.
Having added 123 with Priyank Panchal (47) for the opening stand, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (21) in the second over of the third morning, when Rachin Ravindra (2/96) got him stumped by keeper Cam Fletcher.
Captain Graeme Smith, who did not play in the third Test against Australia due to a finger injury, is fit again.
Dean Elgar made the most of being dropped early in his innings to score his seventh Test century and anchor South Africa's 229 for four at the close of play on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin on Wednesday.
Electing to field, Indians restricted the visitors to 213 and then notched up 216 for the loss of six wickets to lead the five match series 4-0.
The 29-year-old Olympic bronze medallist and World No 9 went down 16-21, 23-21, 4-21 to her 19-year-old opponent in the women's singles match.
Down 0-1 in the three-match Test series against India, New Zealand are in for more trouble after it was revealed the track at McLean Park, Napier, venue for the second Test scheduled to start from March 26, has been infected by fungus.
New Zealand last toured Pakistan in 2003 for a white-ball series and since then have avoided touring the country because of security reasons.
They will need to bat the entire final day on a deteriorating Bay Oval pitch in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday to stop the hosts taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
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