2nd Test, Wellington, March 17, 2023, 03:30 AM

New Zealand
580/4(123.0ov)
Sri Lanka
164/10(66.5ov) & 358/10(142.0ov)

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 58 runs

Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
215
296
23
2
72.63
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
15
22
1
1.46
Man of the Match
Henry Nicholls
Commentry
That is it from this game then! New Zealand have won the Test series 2-0 and now it is time to shift focus on the 50-over format. Both sides will battle it out in a three-match ODI series with the first one starting on the 25th of March 0630 IST (0100 GMT). Till then, goodbye and take care!
Kane Williamson has been awarded the PLAYER OF THE SERIES!
Henry Nicholls has been given the MAN OF THE MATCH for his brilliant knock!
The follow-on was enforced, the Lankans showed great fight, the likes of Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal really batted well. The three played their shots and made the Kiwis toil hard. Chandimal was unlucky not to get to a ton. Kasun Rajitha down the order also showed some fight. Just though as it seemed, it would head into Day 5, Tim Southee who was the hero with the ball for the Kiwis in the second innings, got the last wicket and gave his side a massive win.
Lanka just were not upto the mark in this game, we expected them to perform a lot better after how they played in the first game but they were quite under par. First, their bowlers were just not uto the mark. The Kiwis scored close to 600 in no time with Williamson and Nicholls scoring double tons. That batted in visitors out of the game and in reply, Sri Lanka were very poor with the bat. Except for Dimuth Karunaratne, no one showed any fight and they were bowled out for well below 200. Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell were the stars with the ball for the hosts.
It is Tim Southee who leads his side off the field! This is his first series win as New Zealand skipper and it is very well-deserved as the Kiwis were dominant throughout this game. Lanka on the other hand, can be happy with how they performed with the bat in this innings. They did not just surrender like they did in the first innings but made the Kiwis work hard for the wickets. They would have loved to take it into Day 5 but that was not the case.
In over# 142
0W
0
0
0
0
0
Tim Southee 51/3(27)
141.6
W
OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! There is the last wicket! That is the end of the game. It did take some time for the Kiwis to clean up the tail but they have ensured there will be no Day 5. This is on a length and outside off, Kasun Rajitha pushes at it, it goes off the outside edge to Daryl Mitchell at third slip. New Zealand WIN BY AN INNINGS AND 58 RUNS!
141.5
.
Outside off, left alone.
141.4
.
Around off, this is guided to point.
141.3
.
Outside off, left alone.
141.2
.
On middle, defended.
141.1
.
Outside off, left alone.
In over# 141
0
0
0
0
0
0
1wd
Blair Tickner 84/3(26)
140.6
.
Bowls it short and on the body, Asitha Fernando leaves it alone and cops a blow on the body.
140.5
.
Around off, this is guided to point.
140.4
.
Shorter and down the leg side. Left alone.
140.3
.
On middle, shorter, this is defended.
140.2
.
On a length and down leg, Fernando looks to flick it but misses. A loud appeal for caught behind but the finger stays down. Southee goes upstairs and decides to use his final review. The replay shows that the ball had brushed his hips and New are out of their reviews now!