![A walrus bombs into Laura McGoldrick's live cross at Hagley Oval. Commendable effort.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/H4TZEVJZUUPHCZ3B6JXQFN2FZI.jpg?auth=b82b8455e28f3e1ebf6960957f8ec638eab42fff073be7b2e4f44fed82947028&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)
If you had "Give Sri Lanka an absolute pants-down hiding" on your Christmas list, Santa has well and truly delivered despite having David Warner on his knee earlier in the week. New Zealand has been outstanding in all facets of the game - although we could do with a tad less of the suicidal fielding. Only 105 overs out of a potential 200 overs have been bowled, and New Zealand has wielded the willow for just 30 of them.
The men from the Pearl of the Indian Ocean - or more appropriately "India's teardrop" - have been insipid and appalling in their last three innings in New Zealand. Angelo Mathews will be shedding tears and having nightmares about the permanently grimacing Matt Henry, Martin Guptill's Kookaburra bat and the panther-like fielding from the inner ring of Black Cap fielders.
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I was hacked off to see Pakistani tweaker Yasir Shah provisionally suspended after testing positive for chlorthalidone, a banned diuretic used to treat hypertension and known masking agent. He's a fascinating bowler to watch, hitting the crease at pace and operating a vigorous wrist swivel. He took 14/503 in the 3-test series against NZ in the UAE last year, and was the fastest ever Pakistani bowler to reach 50 wickets so his absence would put a major divot in their attack. (Shane Bond is the fastest Kiwi - and he took 12 to get there.)
Will this defence work, as outlined in the Daily Mail? "It is understood Shah will claim that the substance was part of medication for blood pressure that the Pakistan medical staff were supposed to clear with the International Cricket Council but failed to do so." Shambles!
Ironically Shah is a massive Shane Warnophile - Warne was banned for using diuretics back on the eve of the 2003 World Cup. Wicket dancer Warnie famously said the pills containing hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride were to diminish his double chin, and were supplied by his mum.
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The good folks over at the NZ Cricket Museum have published their 15 greatest Kiwi cricketing moments of the year, in a slightly pre-emptive strike before the final ODI of 2015 this morning. For me, it's impossible to go past the absolute scenes of Grant 'The Hairy Javelin' Elliott's six at Eden Park to catapult NZ into the World Cup final. It was an extraordinary, emotional moment - and eclipsed the not-quite-heart-stopping All Whites vs Bahrain football win at the Cake Tin in 2009.