It's a draw: Rain ruins Black Caps' hopes

Covers lie on the wicket during a rain delay on day five of the first test match in the series...
Covers lie on the wicket during a rain delay on day five of the first test match in the series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve. Photo: Getty Images
The Black Caps' hopes of reaching unprecedented heights have been washed away.

Only 12 overs of play were possible on the final day of the first test against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, with persistent rain seeing the match called a draw at 3.52pm.

A 2-0 series victory would have seen the Black Caps leap to second on the test world rankings - it's understood that would be an all-time high - but Sri Lanka's fightback scuppered that opportunity, and means the two-test series will go a decider in Christchurch on Boxing Day.

In the end, the draw was probably a fair result, despite the Black Caps having built a 296-run first innings lead. The pitch proved so docile on the final two days that they probably could have played until 2019 without getting a result, with Kusal Mendis (141 not out) and Angelo Mathews (120 not out) having remarkably few problems in their unbeaten stand of 274, and Sri Lanka finishing at 287-3.

While frustrating for the Black Caps, they can take positives from the fact they were never a chance of losing the test, and their strong run at home continues - now six games unbeaten, and having lost just one of their last 12.

The 54 minutes of play mustered on day five proved remarkably pointless, with both teams meandering along in the knowledge that rain was about to strike. So it did, just before lunch, and with the forecast - and hopes of any result bar a draw - becoming increasingly bleak, the two sides shook hands and went home.

The Black Caps knew they had already missed their big chance, having Sri Lanka in dire straits at 20-3 at the start of day four, but, the visitors responded by recording the first instance of a side batting through a completed day of test cricket in New Zealand without losing a wicket.

After that, the test was always likely to end in a draw, and the weather merely sped up the process.

 

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