After humiliating Sri Lanka twice in the first two ODIs, New Zealand have the chance to wrap up the series with two matches to spare when the two sides meet again in Nelson on New Year’s Eve.
New Zealand have skittled Sri Lanka in the opening two matches and have had a couple of walk in the park run chases. I’m not sure what they get out of that but I’m sure they won’t be complaining at it.
Sri Lanka’s coach described their performance in the second ODI as humiliating although it didn’t need him to come out and say that really as it was there for all to see. They’ve been shot out twice with the bat and offered precious little with the ball albeit with nothing to defend.
It looks like being all change for New Zealand in this match. Brendon McCullum is expected to miss out with a back niggle not helped by charging into the sponsor boards on Monday. Kane Williamson is expected to be fit to return. Tim Southee is also expected to come back into the mix but Matt Henry has been released to play for his state side.
Sri Lanka have to make changes and I think they’ve been that bad that changes will be made with both bat and ball. They suffered bad news on the eve of the game with the confirmation that injury will rule Lasith Malinga out of the series. Ajantha Mendis could come back into the side while Lahiru Thirimanne could go up to open.
The series has left Christchurch and moved to Nelson where the next two matches will be played at the Saxton Oval. There have been five previous matches here and they’ve all been high scoring.
276 is the lowest first innings in those matches on this ground and that was chased down. Scores of 304/7 and 318/8 have also been chased down here so this is something of a batsman’s paradise but can Sri Lanka score the runs needed?
Sri Lanka will hope a change in scenery equates to a change in fortune but it remains to be seen whether that is the case. With Henry left out and McCullum missing through injury the Sri Lankans might be able to ease their way into this match but they will need to put up a big total.
You would think Sri Lanka will bat better in this match but I would need to see it before I get involved in any markets involving them needing to score runs so I’ll go for the performance markets again for a bet here.
Amazingly after his three wicket burst in the last game Mitchell McClenaghan’s performance line has remained the same at 34 and as I highlighted prior to that match only once against Sri Lanka has he never covered that.
When these two sides met here last year the left arm pace man took two wickets and if he repeats that here that will be enough. With Matt Henry out and Southee maybe easing his way back there might be more wickets for McClenaghan to take so I’m firmly on that line once again.
I’ll also have a little dabble on Nuwan Kulasekara in the top Sri Lanka batsman market. He almost top scored in the first match and even though he made just 19 in the second game that was enough to land the spoils. If Sri Lanka bat as abjectly again here he could well deliver at a perfectly acceptable 33/1.
Back M.McClenaghan’s Performance Pts – 34&Over for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
Back N.Kulasekara Top Sri Lanka Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Coral
