New Zealand’s preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy continued in fine style on Tuesday as they wrapped up the series against Sri Lanka with a win in the second ODI. That means the third and final game of the series is effectively a dead rubber.
The series moves to Eden Park in Auckland for the final match, a venue that slightly favours the side batting second. Six of the last 12 ODIs at the venue were won by the side that chased, while five were won by the side that batted first.
This is a venue that traditionally favours the quick bowlers which should play to the strengths of the home side.
While rain affected the second ODI in Hamilton, forecasts suggest Auckland will be perfect for cricket on Saturday. Mild wind, no rain and moderate temperatures are predicted.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka | Third ODI | Saturday 11 January 2025 | Eden Park, Auckland | 03:00
New Zealand
They may be missing a host of first-team stars, but this is still a very strong Kiwi eleven.
Asked to bat first in Hamilton they simply had too much for the Sri Lankan attack as Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman, all enjoyed themselves, scoring solid runs at faster than run-a-ball.
He may be inexperienced, but he is a man in form and Jacob Duffy once again looked good for the Black Caps as he bowled with pace and bounce and a great seam position to claim two for 30 in Hamilton.
Between them, Duffy, Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke ensured that the tourists could never get going in their run chase, doing the hard yards early to leave Sri Lanka 22 for four – a position from which it was always going to be hard to recover.
It’s hard to know what the Black Caps will bring now that the series is won, but it was body-on-the-line stuff in the field on Wednesday as they pulled off a series of excellent catches to back up the bowlers.
Nathan Smith’s diving effort at fine leg was particularly special. If they can replicate their fielding intensity again on Saturday Sri Lanka will find it hard to secure a result.
Remember that as much as this is a key part of their preparation for the Champions Trophy, this is very much a second-string Black Caps side, shorn of stars like Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert, all of whom are playing in either the SA20 or Big Bash tournaments.
To win match
36/100 New Zealand | Tie 25/1 | Sri Lanka 22/10
Sri Lanka
When it came to the dead rubber in the T20I series, Sri Lanka managed to pull off the win. They will be hoping to repeat this feat again in the ODI’s and avoid a 3-0 whitewash.
Sri Lanka will be hoping to see more from Kamindu Mendis. He appeared to find some form in Hamilton as he stroked a fluent 64 from 66 balls in a valiant fight-back effort.
But his overall white-ball efforts are nowhere near what he has done in the Test format, and he will be hoping to build on his score in the second ODI. Kamindu averages 74 in Tests and just 29.8 in ODIs.
Young spinner Maheesh Theekshana is a player on the rise. He claimed a hat-trick in Hamilton as he returned figures of four for 44.
He bowled a couple of overs at the top of the innings before coming back twice to claim wickets at key intervals. Keep an eye out for him.
If Sri Lanka are to have any hope of a win, they need their top order to deliver. In the first ODI, they found themselves at 23 for four, while in the second it was a similar situation, reduced to 22 for four.
From these early collapses they are always chasing the game, and it makes results very hard to come by.
Verdict: New Zealand
It is hard to see Sri Lanka changing the momentum here. New Zealand is playing good cricket in conditions that suit them. Expect another comfortable win.
