Watling hails record-breakers
At a glance
A host of milestones achieved, the world No 2 test ranking still theirs, New Zealand’s cricketers defied ‘‘moments of anxiety’’ to bask happily in another Sri Lankan victory.
The Black Caps test side finished with a flourish as clouds darkened Colombo’s skies, skittling Sri Lanka for 122 to level the two-test series with an innings and 65 run victory on Monday.
A draw would have slid them to fourth on the rankings; instead the 1-1 series scoreline kept them second behind India for their next test series at home to England in November. They also joined India and Sri Lanka atop the new World Test Championship ladder for the 60 points they earned.
It was a weary, quietly satisfied dressing room at P Saravanamuttu Stadium, DD Smash’s 80s hit Whaling wafting in the background as the cameras rolled.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling knows how tough it is for New Zealand teams to win a subcontinent test, but said there was a quiet confidence. They’ve now won three in nine months, after the series-clinchers against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi last year.
‘‘It comes from past performances. We’ve managed to ■ Trent Boult (254 wickets at 27.35 from 63 tests) and Tim Southee (251 wickets at 29.90 from 67 tests) became the third and fourth New Zealanders to the 250 mark in test cricket, after Sir Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori.
■ Southee’s 53 wickets at 18 against Sri Lanka are the most by a NZ bowler, having passed Daniel Vettori’s tally of 51.
■ With his innings of 105 not out, BJ Watling passed Brendon Mccullum’s NZ record of 2803 runs as test wicketkeeper, and five centuries. Watling now has six tons (2887 runs at 40.66) and seven centuries in all.
■ Tom Latham became the seventh NZ batsman to score 10 test centuries with his innings of 154. Five of those centuries were 150-plus, one short of the NZ record jointly held by Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Mccullum.
do it and that instils some belief in the guys knowing that in these conditions you can go bang, bang [quickfire wickets] and get yourself back in the game quickly,’’ he said.
‘‘The heat definitely takes it out of you. It is pretty humid out there, there’s a lot of sweating going on and a lot of hard work. The dirties [non-players] are running around like madmen trying to get us gloves and water and Powerade just to keep us going.
‘‘That’s always the challenge in these conditions but the boys are starting to learn to deal with it.’’
Watling epitomised that struggle in the 30degc heat and near 90 per cent humidity, his shirt drenched as he batted a tick over five hours for an unbeaten 105 then crouched behind the stumps for 70.2 overs before the bowlers finished the job.
After reducing Sri Lanka to 32-5 it took longer than expected, especially with Niroshan Dickwella’s defiant knock of 51 in 211 minutes threatening to foil them.
‘‘It is fantastic, especially after that little partnership they got going and the weather around, there were moments of anxiety,’’ Watling said, as Trent Boult took the final wicket with time fast running out in the gloom.
Watling, already New Zealand’s record-holder for test dismissals, went past Brendon Mccullum’s tally of 2803 runs and five centuries with the gloves.
Latham, who anticipated brilliantly to catch Dickwella at short leg off Ajaz Patel, was man of the match for his knock of 154, his 10th test century.
Colin de Grandhomme’s 83 off
Significant milestones from the Black Caps’ second test win over Sri Lanka:
Result:
77 balls helped set up the declaration while new ball mates Boult and Tim Southee both topped 250 career wickets. Southee snared six for the match and Boult five, the pair having shared 15 in the Black Caps’ win at P Sara in 2012.
Said Watling of the new ball pair: ‘‘It’s always good fun. They’ve got good banter and they keep you honest and they’re bowling fantastically. In these conditions it’s very trying and they’ve found out ways to take wickets and to put other teams under pressure.’’
He hailed Latham and de Grandhomme’s batting but was less keen to discuss his own achievements. In 55 tests with the gloves Watling still averages 40 with the bat and has 214 dismissals to his name, placing him 15th on the all-time world list. ‘‘You’re always proud of achieving certain things. It’s something I certainly didn’t target.’’