New Zealand and Sri Lanka played out a high scoring first ODI on Thursday and the two sides meet at the same Mount Maunganui venue on Saturday to play out what will hopefully be an equally as thrilling second match of the three game series.
New Zealand came out on top in the opening match and they know if they win here they will have the series wrapped up before they head to Nelson for the last game. Sri Lanka must be victorious here to make that final game a live event.
New Zealand
The Kiwis will be both pleased and disappointed with their efforts in the opening match of the series. They will be delighted with their exploits with the bat but probably a little less enamoured by their qualities with the ball, but for a first crack at white ball cricket this international summer it was a decent enough effort, all things considered.
It doesn’t really need to be said that New Zealand will need to be a whole lot better with the ball here but to be fair to their bowlers they were getting stuck in on a belter of a pitch. You get the feeling that the home side will continue their good work with the bat so if they can deliver with the ball then they are likely to take the series here and now.
Sri Lanka
There were certainly positives to be had for Sri Lanka during that opening match of the series. When New Zealand put 370 on the board I wouldn’t have thought many would have expected them to get close but to put up more than 320 in conditions not ideally suited to them and without their best batsman was a fine effort and should give the entire unit a huge boost in confidence.
Clearly Sri Lanka will not need telling that they have to find a way to get stuck into the New Zealand top order if they are going to level the series. If they allow them to score freely up top and keep wickets in hand then there is a good chance the power down the order will take the game away from them, as we saw in that opening match of the series.
Team News
New Zealand could decide to have a look at Doug Bracewell in this match. Matt Henry was extremely expensive on Thursday and could be the one to make way for him. The rest of the team is expected to remain unchanged while the series is still live.
Sri Lanka will probably decide to strengthen their bowling resources which could see Dushmantha Chameera coming into the side. Seekhuge Prasanna could make way if Dasun Shanaka is brought in to maintain the batting depth.
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Betting
I’ll go with a pair of bets on this second ODI. The first of them is for the New Zealand captain Kane Williamson to go past 50 for the second time in the series. Williamson looked supremely good in the opening match and while 5/4 is probably only a correct price it is still enough of one to get stuck into. Williamson is a class act. He made 91 in the first Test and looked so good here on Thursday. I don’t see much changing so I’m happy to take the over here.
Lasith Malinga looks to have lost none of his potency if the first game of this series and the one against England is anything to go by so I’m happy to take him to be the top Sri Lanka bowler. He tied in the first game but may well have needed that run out at this stage of his career. We saw him improve significantly against England after a match and if that happens here then the 5/2 on him being the leading Sri Lanka bowler will be attractive enough to get stuck into.
Tips
Back K.Williamson to score 50+ for a 3/10 stake at 2.25 with Coral
Back him here:
WON – Back L.Malinga Top Sri Lanka Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 3.50 with 888sport
Back him here:
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