Guptill and Williamson star in final warm-up win
New Zealand enjoyed a reassuring final warm-up for cricket's Champions Trophy with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Edgbaston early yesterday (New Zealand time).
The Black Caps reached 359 for four in response to Sri Lanka's 356 for eight. The highlight was Martin Guptill (116 off 76 balls) and Kane Williamson (88 off 60) combining for a 157-run second-wicket stand from 94 balls. Both batsmen were retired to give others an opportunity.
New Zealand eclipsed the target with 23 balls to spare at the venue which will host their opening match on Friday night (New Zealand time) against Australia.
An unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 84 between Neil Broom (37 off 38 balls) and Corey Anderson (50 off 36) offered acceleration and relative calm at the death.
If this curtain raiser was an indication, a tournament theme could be securing big totals on flat wickets.
The match was not an official oneday international, with the teams granted the opportunity to test the breadth and depth of their squads.
New Zealand used 14 players; Luke Ronchi was the only one rested. In his absence, Tom Latham made 44 off 49 balls as the wicketkeeper-batsman.
The duel between the two for the second opening spot alongside Guptill remains a selection conundrum. Ronchi looks to have the edge, having opened and kept in the five previous tour matches and topscoring with 66 off 63 balls in the loss to India at The Oval.
The Black Caps used nine bowlers, with Trent Boult and Adam Milne opening. Boult took two wickets from five overs but conceded 9.40 runs per over. In the contest for the second (or third) specialist pace bowler berths, Milne finished with one for 48 from eight overs, Tim Southee took two for 48 from eight, and Mitchell McClenaghan secured one for 54 from seven — he claimed Sri Lankan top-scorer Upul Tharanga for 110 off 104 balls.
Mitchell Santner (none for 34 from six overs) and Jeetan Patel (none for 48 from six overs) also had outings as New Zealand weigh up whether to play two spinners.