Cricket: Smashing debut for How sees Sri Lanka dismissed

Jamie How has become the fourth New Zealander to score a half century on debut. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Debutant Jamie How secured himself a happy New Year and a spot at the top of the order for the remainder of the Sri Lanka series after guiding the Black Caps to a comfortable seven-wicket victory yesterday in Queenstown.

He became the fourth New Zealander to score a half century on debut, joining in a partnership of 95 with Peter Fulton who impressed mightily with a confident 70 not out. Both brought up their half centuries with sixes struck over square leg.

"You hope and expect that your two new guys can come in and do a job but you never expect that they'll go out there and win a game for you," captain Daniel Vettori said. "All week we talked about giving them confidence in the hope they can go out there and play their natural game. It's very pleasing and very rewarding."

After taking a few brickbats over selections recently, coach John Bracewell, Glenn Turner, Sir Richard Hadlee and Dion Nash can rest comfortably tonight in the knowledge that, for the time being at least, they got it right.

How became the second-highest scorer on debut for New Zealand, behind Stephen Fleming who scored 90 against India in 1993. The understated How worked on the principle of keeping it simple and playing straight. He was keen to play down his achievement but nothing could hide the class of his knock.

"I was pretty nervous coming into the game. I wanted to do well but I'm just happy to get it under my belt and now I'm looking forward to Christchurch. Obviously I'm pretty happy to contribute in my first game," the Palmerston North right-hander said. "But it was disappointing not to be there at the end."

New Zealand will be thinking of a clean sweep after going 2-0 up in the five-match series, spread over a year. Played in the shadows of The Remarkables in one of the most glorious setting for international sport anywhere in the world, the two sides played out a largely unremarkable affair.

How looked to the manor born, once he survived a Lasith Malinga yorker that came perilously close to removing his poles.

"I didn't actually want to look up at the screen," How admitted. "It was pretty close. That's part of the game, you take every bit of luck you can get."

He took heart from that and flicked a couple of boundaries off his legs and produced a sumptuous on-drive off the luckless bowler. A vicious hook in Malinga's next over was the type of shot Bracewell was referring to when he said How had the technique to play at international level despite his modest domestic record. He has a simple style and a high grip on the bat handle, not unlike Adam Gilchrist. When he hits the ball, it stays hit.

While How's star is in the ascendant, Nathan Astle's continues to wane. Bought back into the team as a super sub yesterday, Astle was completely flummoxed by Muttiah Muralitharan.

Picking a doosra, Astle rocked back to cut, only to find a conventional offspinner cannoning into his front pad.

He might have been a touch unlucky to be given out, with umpire Tony Hill no doubt swayed by Astle's state of confusion rather than the flight of the ball.

Bracewell wanted murderous intent from the 205-match veteran, instead he got 2 from 15 balls. If Fleming returns for game three on Tuesday, and it's not certain yet, Astle might find himself back in Canterbury colours again.

Astle was not the only one to perish weakly.

Lou Vincent boofed a couple of boundaries over the top off Chaminda Vaas but the same bowler found a fine edge as Vincent prodded forward without conviction.

At 41-2, New Zealand were in a delicate position with two-match novice Fulton and How at the crease facing Muralitharan and the wily Vaas.

It was How's first look at the worlds best finger spinner. "I managed to pick one or two but he's a world-class bowler and pretty difficult to play."

However, he and Fulton looked assured, steering New Zealand back into a position of absolute comfort.

Earlier, Sri Lanka suffered from a naive attempt at manipulating the super sub rule in their favour. At 139-7 they swapped opening bowler Dilhara Fernando for allrounder Farveez Maharoof.

Maharoof, with a one-day international average of 18.5 was hardly likely to prosper. Sri Lanka's only hope for victory, however slim, was to bowl New Zealand out cheaply. Sacrificing one of your new-ball bowlers was not the way to do it.

The Sri Lankan top order, in particular the left-handers, failed to deal with the tennis ball-type bounce in the Queenstown wicket. Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara all perished to balls moving across them that they pushed at.

A beauty from Jacob Oram that straightened off the seam undid classy Mahela Jayawardene. It was an important spell from Oram.

Since his return from injury he has gradually rediscovered his bludgeoning batting form but his bowling has been insipid, at best. He tapped into the conditions quickly yesterday, using his height to extract awkward bounce at a decent pace. New Zealand looks a significantly better team with Oram as an effective third seamer.

It was not until two right-handers, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Marvan Atapattu, combined that some semblance of order was restored by Sri Lanka.

They posted a 64-run partnership before Jamie How clutched one inches off the turf to account for Atapattu.

That was as good as it got for the Sri Lankans. Dilshan (42), Atapattu (35) and Russel Arnold (26) made useful contributions but nobody else coped.

With tails tucked firmly between legs they will head to Jade Stadium where they should find conditions much more to their liking.

Unfortunately for them, so too will New Zealand.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY