Black Caps in Sri Lanka (again)
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Apparently, we're touring Sri Lanka again, this time for a T20 and maybe an ODI series too? I guess we split it so that we could fit in the India series too.
Anyway, we lost the first T20 a couple of days ago, with what looks like an okay bowling performance but a poor batting one. Looks like a bit of a b squad with a few guys missing (Mitchell, Conway, Finn Allen), but not a totally understrength unit.
Next game starts at 2.30am: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-vs-new-zealand-2024-25-1456440/sri-lanka-vs-new-zealand-2nd-t20i-1456442/live-cricket-score
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Despite following other cricket going on around the world, I completely missed that this was even happening. Looking at the schedule the last ODI is just one week before the first test against England so it has to be a very makeshift team all the way through.
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Good for Hay to have a good start to his career with the gloves.
Keeping is not something I look at or notice when viewing up-and-comers. And tbh, in televised Super Smash the balls is heading to the boundary not through to the keepers. I will say, he is very tall for a keeper. Keeping on a turner in Sri Lanka would have been a lot of fun compared to what he is normally used to.
He’s had a poor start to the season so far with the bat, yet I think it is because of his batting that he had leapfrogged over the other ‘next keeper’ contenders. He is seen as the best (orthodox) batting prospect of the domestic keepers.
But, it is in red ball that he has the career numbers on the board, not white ball (although his T20 strike rate is good, to be fair). But these white ball tours are development pathways as much as anything.
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Also Ferguson became the fifth NZ bowler to get a Hat-trick in T20 internationals -
5.6 to MDKJ Perera, Ferguson gets his first wicket! Nails a yorker on middle stump, looks like Perera got a bit of bat on it. Ferguson appeals for caught behind. Keeper Hay moves to his left to collect the ball. On-field umpire goes to third umpire. Did it come off the bat? If so, this is an excellent catch too. He looks so sure as he appeals. Yes, UltraEdge shows a clear spike. Perera has to depart. 24/2
7.1 to PHKD Mendis, Big shout for lbw and the umpire's finger goes up! He bowls another yorker-length on the off stump, angling in, Kamindu looks to flick this away but misses and gets hit on the front pad. UltraEdge shows there is no bat involved. Three reds light up and Sri Lanka are three down. 34/3
7.2 to KIC Asalanka, Ferguson gets the hat-trick! Crazy scenes in Dambulla. Huge shout for caught behind from the keeper and the bowler and the umpire confirms it is. Sri Lanka review this immediately. Good length ball pitched on middle, angling away from the batter; Asalanka tries to flick and gets a little tickle. UltraEdge shows there is a clear spike. Sri Lanka burn their review and the captain has to depart first ball. 34/4
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Black Caps in Sri Lanka (again):
Also Ferguson became the fifth NZ bowler to get a Hat-trick in T20 internationals -
5.6 to MDKJ Perera, Ferguson gets his first wicket! Nails a yorker on middle stump, looks like Perera got a bit of bat on it. Ferguson appeals for caught behind. Keeper Hay moves to his left to collect the ball. On-field umpire goes to third umpire. Did it come off the bat? If so, this is an excellent catch too. He looks so sure as he appeals. Yes, UltraEdge shows a clear spike. Perera has to depart. 24/2
7.1 to PHKD Mendis, Big shout for lbw and the umpire's finger goes up! He bowls another yorker-length on the off stump, angling in, Kamindu looks to flick this away but misses and gets hit on the front pad. UltraEdge shows there is no bat involved. Three reds light up and Sri Lanka are three down. 34/3
7.2 to KIC Asalanka, Ferguson gets the hat-trick! Crazy scenes in Dambulla. Huge shout for caught behind from the keeper and the bowler and the umpire confirms it is. Sri Lanka review this immediately. Good length ball pitched on middle, angling away from the batter; Asalanka tries to flick and gets a little tickle. UltraEdge shows there is a clear spike. Sri Lanka burn their review and the captain has to depart first ball. 34/4
And now he is injured again.Calf strain about his 3rd or 4th.
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1st ODI tonight. Weirdly, this is our first ODI this year. Sri Lanka have played 15 this year, so this is mostly an us thing. I'm a bit sad (I quite like ODI cricket), but also if dropping ODI in favour of more T20 cricket allows us to also run a full test program (by NZ standards) then I'm okay with that. The tour of India would not have been better if it had been three ODIs and two tests, for example.
