Cricket: Black Caps' home dominance continues

Reporter·NZ Herald·

26 Dec, 2015 10:27 PM2 mins to read

Brendon McCullum hits out against Sri Lanka. Photo / Getty

New Zealand hadn't discussed keeping the foot on Sri Lanka's throat going into yesterday's opening ODI at Hagley Oval - it just worked out that way.

Having won the two tests at Dunedin and Hamilton, New Zealand maintained a firm grip on the Sri Lankans with a seven-wicket win, achieved with a whopping 29 overs to spare as they chased down 188 in a gallop.

Opener Martin Guptill top scored with 79 off just 56 balls, putting on a rollicking 108 for the first wicket with captain Brendon McCullum to make the chase more of a doddle.

However Guptill said there hadn't been much talk of maintaining a hold on the tourists before yesterday's game.

''Not so much. One day is a different format, different skills and they have different players in their side," Guptill said today.

''We knew they've got world class players in their side so we had to scout well and come out and play well and we showed the one-day form we're in."

Just as New Zealand's unbeaten home record in tests now stands at 13 - seven wins, six draws - dating back to early 2012 and a defeat in Hamilton by South Africa, so too the ODI record is not to be sneezed at.

New Zealand have won their last 11 home ODIs, a record, their last loss coming in Wellington, as it happens against Sri Lanka last January.

Sri Lanka get another chance to show they are far better than the rabble of yesterday when the teams meet in the second of the five-game series, also at Hagley Oval tomorrow.

''We have to come out tomorrow and be on top of our game, like we were yesterday," Guptill said.

''(Tillekaratne) Dilshan is probably due a few runs and Angelo (captain Mathews) didn't have a great game, but they have very good players in their side."

The 39-year-old Dilshan is fourth on the list of ODI runscorers in this calendar year, a table topped by Guptill, while Mathews made his third first-ball duck as Sri Lankan captain, all against New Zealand.