New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori said the 84-run opening wicket stand between Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptil ultimately proved to be the key in their four-wicket win over England in a low-scoring crucial Group B match.
New Zealand faced an uphill struggle to avert a 2-0 series defeat as they closed on 182 for six, having been set a 494-run victory target by Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the second Test in Colombo on Saturday. Herath was the chief wicket-taker for Sri Lanka, following his three-wicket haul in the first innings, with four for 73 from 21 overs.
A resurgent New Zealand beat England by 13 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method in a high-scoring second One-day international, marred by a late rain interruption, at The Oval on Friday to level the five-match series at 1-1.
An unassailable lead has opened up the window for experimentation but there will be no letup in India's intensity when they face a heartbroken New Zealand team in the fourth T20 International, in Wellington, on Friday. Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are waiting for opportunities, with the former expected to get a look-in. Pant's call-up would depend on which batsman is left out, and whether KL Rahul will continue to keep wickets.
List of players released by IPL teams ahead of next month's auction for 2020 season:
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson revealed he still finds it "difficult to make sense" of the heartbreaking World Cup final loss to England last year and hasn't yet figured if the epic match should count among the highs or lows of his career. New Zealand got a raw deal in last year's World Cup final when England were adjudged the winners on the basis of their superior boundary count after the epic game and the ensuing Super Over also ended in a tie.
Former India captain Rahul Dravid on Wednesday equalled Mark Waugh's world record of 181 Test catches when he caught Martin Guptill (14) at third slip off Zaheer Khan's bowling on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
As troubling as it was to see Boult leaking so many runs, New Zealand fans might be as much concerned by how little he and his compatriots have played in the marquee Twenty20 tournament this year.
Many have questioned ICC's 'ridiculous' rule on boundary count that decided the World Cup title.
'We have got quite a few days before our next home game. If he's not available I don't see any issues. Bhuvi will lead our side since he's is our vice-captain'
Factbox on the cricket World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland.
Alex Carey has yet to play a Test match. Indeed, he has played many fewer matches with a red ball than he has with white and made his name in the T20 Big Bash League. But the 27-year-old left-hander is proving to be mature, adaptable and dependable for side.
A frenetic first innings set up New Zealand's 122-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test on Monday, but captain Brendon McCullum was pleased with the way his bowlers stuck to their task without tangible reward.
A splendid six-wicket effort from premier strike bowler Ravichandran Ashwin saw India maintain their stranglehold on New Zealand and remain firmly on course for a 3-0 series whitewash at the end of third day's play in the final Test match in Indore.
Williamson's departure for 59 helped reduce New Zealand to 142 for three at the break -- 361 runs in arrears -- but a rain storm wiped out the final session and ensured the match would go into a fifth day.
India's left-arm spinner Axar Patel jumped 20 places to his career-best ranking of 13 in the International Cricket Council's Rankings for ODI bowlers while Jasprit Bumrah and Dhawal Kulkarni also made progress after conclusion of the three-match series against Zimbabwe.
New Zealand won the first Twenty20 international match against West Indies by 81 runs at EdenPark on Saturday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.
Joe Root's purposeful half-century lifted England to a 56-run victory over New Zealand in a one-off Twenty20.
Ben Stokes took two wickets in two balls to inspire England to victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's.
Pakistan opener Sarfraz Ahmed''s belligerent 76 not out secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Dubai on Thursday.
Speculations over Dhoni's future intensified ever since India lost their big-ticket World Cup semifinal against New Zealand earlier this month.
Neesham and Martin Guptill were in the thick of things at Lord's on Sunday when Gordon passed away due to a heart ailment.
Rohit Sharma enhanced his status as one of the finest limited overs batsman of his generation completing a hat-trick of double hundreds in One Day Internationals.
England won by virtue of hitting more boundaries after the match, and a Super Over, both ended in ties.
New Zealand and Bangladesh enter their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy, in Cardiff, on Friday, with the knowledge that even a win may not be enough to see either of them into the semi-finals.
A hobbling Kane Williamson guided New Zealand to 142 for five at the close of play on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Hamilton, with the hosts needing another 47 runs to seal a 2-0 series sweep.
An ill Tim Southee and superb debut from Kyle Jamieson helped New Zealand to a tense 22-run victory over India in their second one day international at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday and clinch the three-match series with a game to spare. India were dismissed for 251 in 48.3 overs with Ravindra Jadeja (55) producing a superb rearguard fightback after he came to the crease with his side in trouble at 96-5 and almost won the game in partnership with fast bowler Navdeep Saini (45). New Zealand had scored 273-8 in their innings with Ross Taylor following up his century in the first match in Hamilton with 73 not out.
Trent Boult took two quick wickets after lunch to help New Zealand complete a 122-run victory over Sri Lanka on the fifth day of the first Test at University Oval in Dunedin on Monday.
Marcus Stoinis scored his maiden one-day century but it was not enough to give an undermanned Australia an astonishing victory in the opening match of their one-day series against New Zealand at Eden Park on Monday.
Alex Marshall, ICC's general manager of its anti-corruption unit, met Interpol officials in Lyon last week to seek closer working relations, it added.
Ben Stokes hit his 11th ODI half century as he guided England to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second game of their five-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.
Australia cruised to a 19-run victory in a rain-affected Twenty20 tri-series final with New Zealand to claim the world number one ranking in the shortest form of the game for the first time.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com comes up with a pretty strong playing eleven from the long list of big names warming the benches this IPL season.
Australia beat New Zealand by 71 runs in the first one-day international in front of 48,000 empty seats at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday as precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus hit home Down Under. Cricket Australia (CA) said on Friday morning that no fans would be allowed into any of the three matches in the series, which continues at the SCG on Sunday before moving on to Hobart next Friday.
New Zealand are hoping to give a better account of themselves when they take on the Indian Board President's XI in the final warm-up game on Thursday before the first One-Day International, in Mumbai on October 22.
Captain Virat Kohli praised New Zealand for their impressive effort while admitting that his batsmen "were not good enough" on the day as India lost the second T20 International in Rajkot by 40 runs, on Saturday.
Known for his tongue-in-cheek take on life and cricket, New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham believes focussing on the funny side of things helps him cope with difficult situations like the coronavirus pandemic currently sweeping through the world. Asked about the role humour plays in handling difficulties, the Black Caps all-rounder, who keeps his fans entertained with witty one-liners on his social media accounts, said it is vital when the going gets tough.
Following that nerve-wracking final, the ICC faced the wrath of fans and former players over the controversial rule.
Jos Buttler and Joe Root thrashed brilliant centuries in England's highest One-Day International score on the way to a 210-run rout of New Zealand in the first game of the series at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Kohli said despite defeat, they have got some positives too from the lost series and they can make changes to the playing XI for the third match.
