Pitch and weather: The surface is likely to start off green, as they often do at this venue. Towards the end of the match, however, it is likely to flatten out. There is some rain forecast for the first two days.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Highlights today, Thursday 9-3-2023. 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand, Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Tim Southee: It’s a good wicket. Was a great game vs England, should be a good contest vs Sri Lanka. They’re sitting second on the points table, it’s a side we look forward to facing. It’s a good surface for batters and bowlers alike. Tickner comes in for Young
Dimuth Karunaratne: If you pass the first session, it should be good. We have a chance to make the final, but the boys are doing well, we need to go one Test at a time. The past doesn’t matter, if we play well we will have a good chance. We’ll have three pacers but will play a spinner.
Toss: New Zealand chose to bowl.
New Zealand team: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell †, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (c), Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, Blair Tickner.
Sri Lanka team: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella †, Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara.
Head to Head In Test’s: 36
New Zealand Won: 16
Sri Lanka Won: 9
New Zealand Test Rankings: 5th
Sri Lanka Test Rankings: 7th
Form guide
(Last five matches; most recent first)
New Zealand WLWLW
Sri Lanka WLDDL
Match Timings: 10:00 PM GMT | 11:00 AM Local
Umpires – Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough
TV Umpire – Richard Illingworth
Match Referee – Richie Richardson
Reserve Umpire – Chris Brown
Match number – Test no. 2498
