As far as come from behind victories go, this could easily top the list. For once, New Zealand’s Black Caps battled back from certain defeat to register an improbable comeback win over Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve after falling dangerously behind on the first innings, and further behind half way through their second innings.
Instead of collapsing to a limp second innings total and surrendering a series lead, the little pair of Kane Williamson and BJ Watling added 365 runs, in 111.3 overs, over an entire day’s play (in terms of balls faced) to completely transform a match that was in Sri Lanka’s favour for almost every period prior.
There may have been an argument that the Black Caps had some control at 141/2 in the first innings with Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease, however, they both fell, for 69 and 32 respectively, and both to inside edges as Sri Lanka rampaged their way through the tail to limit NZ to just 221. The Sri Lankan seamers, led by Nuwan Pradeep, bounced back from the criticism they received in Christchurch with a nice display on surface that did not help as much as predicted.
Just as quickly though Sri Lanka returned the momentum to NZ by collapsing themselves to 78/5 at stumps on day one. This was the second of many shifts in dominance in the test and it wasn’t the last. Day two brought with it another surprise and am absolute gem of an effort from Kumar Sangakkara. He started the day as the key wicket, and handled the responsibility admirably as he expertly shepherded the tail to ensure his side achieved a healthy lead. In the process he scored 203, including his 12,000th test run.
While the lead was only 135, it was looking exceedingly better than that when the Black Caps suffered from a classic case of the middle order collapse disease they have so often been affected by. At 159/5 they were effectively just 24 runs in credit and five wickets down; they shouldn’t have won.
The epic unbroken partnership beat the record – only recently set by Brendon McCullum and Watling at the same ground against India last year (McCullum’s 300) – for the highest sixth wicket partnership in all of cricket. Williamson (242*) made his first double hundred despite gifting upwards of five chances to the fielding team, and Watling (142*) inched his way to a fourth test century.
The partnership also deflated the Sri Lankans. They spent 172 overs in the field (almost two full days) and were understandably tired as they began a hefty fourth innings chase of 390. It was inevitably too much for them; bowled out in the second session for 196. Lahiru Thirimanne got most of those, his 62* a welcome return to form for a key member of the ODI squad and World Cup plans. Mark Craig continue his rapid ascent in the cricketing stocks by taking 4-53; performing a spinners key fourth innings role diligently.
Kane Williamson was man of the match. If you need reasons – the first innings, second innings, and a screamer to dismiss Angelo Matthews in SL’s second dig.
ODI’s next. Starting in Christchurch on 11 January.
New Zealand 221 (Williamson 69, Pradeep 4-63) and 524 for 5 dec (Williamson 242*, Watling 142*) beat Sri Lanka 356 (Sangakkara 203, Chandimal 67) and 196 (Thirimanne 62*, Craig 4-63) by 193 runs
