Grant Elliott breaks down the Black Caps dominant win over Sri Lanka, The Chiefs upset the Crusaders in Suva and The Football ferns get New Zealand's first ever win over an English football team - Match footage/SKY Sport
Day three of the Cricket World Cup is in the books and the Black Caps have made a cracking start. Here's everything you need to know from the overnight action.
A 10-wicket thumping of Sri Lanka has seen New Zealand start their World Cup campaign in superb style, rolling their rivals for 136 and requiring a mere 16.1 overs to ease to a statement opening victory.
New Zealand's Colin Munro, left, and Martin Guptill celebrate making a one hundred partnership against Sri Lanka, during their ICC Cricket World Cup. Photo / AP
A better way to begin their Cup quest would have been unrealistic to imagine, with the Black Caps benefitting from a toss victory, a green wicket, and frankly, poor opposition as they romped to their third 10-wicket win in World Cup history.
But while those factors were all beneficial, the Black Caps' bowlers hardly put a foot wrong, cashing in on their favourable circumstances with a dominant display of seam bowling. And then, to top it all off, the under-pressure opening partnership of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro combined for their biggest stand, in the process giving the Black Caps' Net Run Rate a potentially handy boost.
Bizarre issue
It looked as if Sri Lanka were going to get some luck early as opener Dimuth Karunaratne had a massive slice of luck.
He was going hard at the ball early but a shorter ball got too close and he bottom edged it onto his stumps, but didn't dislodge the bails.
It's not the first time it's happened this World Cup so far after South Africa's Quinton de Kock edged the ball onto his stumps with the bails failing to dislodge.
The commentators were stunned by the bizarre moment.
The ball hit the stumps but the bails didn't come off.
Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum reacted to what unfolded.
"That last ball from Trent Boult has actually hit the stumps, not just a little bit," he said. "Off stump has shimmied quite a long way and the bail didn't light up. A little bit of fortune."
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said it's happening a lot more often, blaming the zing bails for the issue.
"That's something that needs to be looked into Brendon to be honest," he said. "We saw it in the IPL on a number of occasions, we saw it in the England-South Africa game the other day. The lights flashed on that occasion, they didn't on this occasion. Just wondering whether it's with the flashing zinger lights whether the bails are heavier and it's not coming off for the bowlers."
Despite the issue, McCullum said despite potentially causing an issue, the zing bails were great for cricket.
"I think we all agree that the feature of those bails lighting up is outstanding," he said. "I think the crowd really enjoy it and it's been a real great addition to the international game and to the theatre of the game."
"Maybe our bowlers just need to bowl faster," Black Caps opener Martin Guptill joked when quizzed about the issue.
"No, I don't actually know. It's happened quite a lot. I've played in tournaments around the world where the balls hit the bails and they haven't come off. The bails have stayed on. It happens quite regularly. It's just one of those things, I guess. Part of cricket."
David Warner and Steve Smith returned from their international cricket exiles to help steer Australia to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening game of its World Cup title defence.
Warner posted an unbeaten 89 as the Aussies surpassed Afghanistan's 207 with 15 overs to spare.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell, left, Australia's David Warner, centre, and Afghanistan's captain Gulbadin Naib leave the field after the Cricket World Cup match. Photo / AP
Smith was out for 18 just three runs short of victory. Glenn Maxwell hit the next ball to the boundary to lift Australia to 209-3.
Warner and Aaron Finch (66) reunited at the top of the order and shared a 96-run opening stand to get the chase started in Bristol after Australia reduced Afghanistan to 207 from 38.2 overs.
Warner and ex-captain Smith were back following 12-month bans imposed in the wake of a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March last year that rocked Australian cricket.
They combined in a 49-run third-wicket partnership to guide Australia to victory, both withstanding booing, jeers, and chants from the crowd at the County Cricket Ground.
Earlier, Najibullah Zadran's 49-ball half-century and 83-run, sixth-wicket stand with skipper Gulbadin Naib helped Afghanistan recover to post 207 after losing both openers for ducks.
The Black Caps' surprise dilemma
If Gary Stead was having selection headaches before the Black Caps' opening game of the Cricket World Cup, then he might need to take a few extra panadol this week.
Initially not expected to be picked by the Black Caps coach for the opener in Cardiff, Matt Henry and Colin Munro have instead played starring roles in New Zealand's 10-wicket demolition of Sri Lanka, making the most of their opportunity to play after injuries to Tim Southee and Henry Nicholls.
After tight competition throughout the summer and in the World Cup warm-up matches, Southee and Nicholls were believed to have edged ahead in the battles to open the bowling and batting respectively in the United Kingdom.
However, a right calf injury for Southee and a left hamstring problem for Nicholls saw both players ruled out of the opener, and now they could have a fight on their hands to get their spots back, as Henry claimed three wickets while Munro bashed an unbeaten 58 from 47 balls.
Henry had a double dose of good fortune, but well and truly made the most of it. Getting the nod to start was one thing, but then being able to walk out to a green wicket - with the support of a healthy slips cordon and stellar fielding outfit - would have been a dream scenario for the seamer.
He took full advantage, claiming a wicket with the second ball of the match, and then in his fifth over snaring the scalps of Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis with back-to-back deliveries.
A famous hat-trick eluded him, but figures of 3-29 from seven overs was an excellent return, and one that will make him hard to drop for the clash against Bangladesh on Thursday morning.
