New Zealand wins toss, bowls in 1st test vs. Sri Lanka

Wed, Mar 8, 2023
Other News (AP)

New Zealand wins toss, bowls in 1st test vs. Sri Lanka

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl Thursday in the first cricket test against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval.

Captain Tim Southee said the "green tinge" of the Hagley wicket encouraged him to give first use of the pitch to a bowling attack bolstered by the addition of a fourth seamer.

The match and series are being played in the immediate aftermath of New Zealand's thrilling one-wicket win over England at the Basin Reserve and may take on a sense of anti-climax, though that match has stirred interest in test cricket.

"It was a great game and great to be a part of it," Southee said. "The guys really enjoyed the celebrations of that and a few days at home but now we're here and looking forward to a test against a very good Sri Lanka side."

New Zealand made one change to the lineup which played in that match, naming seamer Blair Tickner to play his second test in place of batsman Will Young.

Sri Lanka currently is stting in third place in the World Test Championship and could reach the final with a clean sweep of this two-match series, depending on the result of the concurrent test between Australia and India.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne expected the pitch to be testing for batting in the first session, then easier as the match goes on. Sri Lanka named three seamers and a spinner.

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New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (captain), Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, Blair Tickner.

Sri Lanka: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahirhu Kumara.

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