Cracking game today, promise of more tomorrow when Pakistan take on South Africa for a day-nighter.. Thanks for your comments and feedback, this is Devashish Fuloria signing off. Ciao ciao

Presentation

"We probably needed 30-40 more runs. This was not the 200-run wicket that we originally thought, but we need to toughen up a bit," Angelo Mathews says. "The wicket dried up a little during the game. I had confidence in my bowlers, we didn't need more spinners. Dilshan bowled very well and Malinga almost won it for us. We have two more games and we need to tighten up on the batting side, but the bowlers and fielders showed good character."

"I am happy, though incredibly nervous at one stage," Brendon McCullum says. "Sri Lanka are always a dangerous side and we panicked a bit in the middle. They have excellent bowlers in the ranks and the ball started stopping a bit in the second innings. It is very important to scrap through, we have enough experience to deal with situations like this, although it did get tough towards the end. But I thought we played well for the majority of the games. Our bowlers were the reason that we won the game today."

"I used to be a lot more nervous when I was younger, but not anymore now," says Nathan McCullum, the Man of the Match. "Brendon has been around for a lot longer and he is the senior partner and he was guiding us through with that partnership. It was about batting as long as we could. I think it is a massive boost as opposed to if we had lost out today.. The mental baggage of the loss would have been a lot. It was not a 140 wicket, but things get difficult when the pressure comes on."

What an absolute corker of a game! At the halfway stage, it looked like New Zealand had the match already in the bag, but those three wickets right after lunch orchestrated by some menacing bowling from the Sri Lankans brought the game back to life. The McCullum brothers calmed the nerves and were about to finish the game by themselves, but then came Malinga.. In the end, the tailenders held their nerves and took New Zealand to a vital win... Stay with us for the presentation.

Tim: "Who needs coffee, I'm more awake than 5 cups of coffee, and shaking more too"

BJ: "Well played extras, bringing the Black Caps home!"

36.4

Dilshan to McClenaghan, 2 wide

tossed up on leg stump, but this is down the leg side, and Sanga misses it.. They run back for the second, because there was a belated call for a wide.. it's over.. New Zealand have made it through...

Dilshan back to round the wicket for the left-hander.. Slip is in place.. Everyone comes in

36.3

Dilshan to Southee, 1 run

pushed through on the middle and leg line, the batsman dabs it to backward square leg with the turn for a single

It's Southee or never...

36.2

Dilshan to McClenaghan, 1 run

pushed through on the leg stump line, the batsman dabs it to square leg for a single

36.1

•

Dilshan to McClenaghan, no run

tossed up delivery wide outside off, the batsman lets it go

Six men in a conference in the middle..Who is it going to be? Looks like it's Dilshan.. The crowd has been treated to a super game here, and they are making themselves heard

Over36

1 run

NZ 135/9CRR: 3.75 RRR: 0.28

TG Southee 12 (20b 1x4)MJ McClenaghan 0 (1b)

SL Malinga4/34 (10)

Malinga's excellent spell is over, but this match isn't...

35.6

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

it's a faster yorker outside off, the batsman blocks it out towards cover.

Where is that slower yorker now? It may be coming in now..

35.5

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

length delivery outside off, the batsman pushes it to cover point

35.4

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

killer yorker! aimed at the middle stump, swinging towards leg.. the batsman somehow digs it out, gets his toe out of the way right at the last moment

35.3

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

goes for a length delivery outside off, the batsman tries to push it to off, gets another inside edge on to his pads

35.2

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

fuller delivery on off stump, swinging in, the batsman punches it back to the bowler via the inside edge and his front pad

Rohit: "If it's a tie, would they play a T20 to decide the game? :P"

35.1

•

Malinga to Southee, no run

a super yorker just outside off stump, the batsman digs it out, gets an inside edge to his pads

35.1

Malinga to Southee, 1 wide

a yorker aimed at leg stump? not quite, this goes down the leg side and NZ have a run

Five runs needed.. It is batting Powerplay as well.. From SL's perspective, this is the last over.. For NZ, Southee has to do it for them now..

Over35

2 runs, 1 wicket

NZ 134/9CRR: 3.82 RRR: 0.33

MJ McClenaghan 0 (1b)TG Southee 12 (14b 1x4)

RMS Eranga2/45 (8)

34.6

•

Eranga to McClenaghan, no run

he bowls it fast and on a length, the batsman defends it like an opener.. very solid

Mitchell McC is on strike..Can Eranga finish this off? Southee would want to keep the strike for Malinga's over.. Eranga comes round the wicket

Sri Lankan players are ecstatic.. That came from nowhere.. a badly aimed throw has resulted in a run out by direct hit.. Superb.. What else do we want from this game?

34.5

Eranga to Southee, OUT

another yorker! the batsman digs it out towards mid-on and sets off for a single, the fielder at mid-on - Thisara - aims at the non-striker's end, but misses. However, his throw goes on to hit the stumps at striker's end and guess what, Mills is short!

Kyle Mills run out (NLTC Perera) 3 (10b 0x4 0x6 21m) SR: 30

34.4

•

Eranga to Southee, no run

full and on off stump, the batsman drives it straight to short cover

34.3

Eranga to Mills, 1 run

high full toss on off stump, the batsman guides it straight to point and sets off for a single.. Dilshan fires it at the non-striker's end, but the batsman would have been safe even if he had hit. Close though

34.2

•

Eranga to Mills, no run

length delivery angling in from wide of the crease, the batsman comes forward and defends it solidly to the off side

One six from here and it's game over, though NZ wouldn't want the batsmen to try that out right now

34.1

Eranga to Southee, 1 run

fuller delivery on off stump, the batsman digs it out to deep cover for a single

Two decent hits and the game is New Zealand's now.. I held on to the statement as I wanted to wait for Malinga's over to finish. Southee survived two good shouts in that over..Eranga comes in now

Over34

5 runs

NZ 132/8CRR: 3.88 RRR: 0.43

KD Mills 2 (8b)TG Southee 11 (11b 1x4)

SL Malinga4/33 (9)

33.6

•

Malinga to Mills, no run

full and a touch wide outside off, the batsman digs it out to the man at short cover

33.5

•

Malinga to Mills, no run

another low full toss, it was heading for the base of the middle stump, the batsman gets his bat down in time and hits it straight to midwicket

33.4

Malinga to Southee, 1 run

goes for a yorker, but this is outside off and it's driven past the non-striker, the mid-on fielder dives and stops it, and pushes it towards the mid-off fielder.. Easy single though

Read full commentary

Best performances - batters

Spike GraphWagon Zone

KC Sangakkara

68 runs (87)

8 fours0 six

Productive shot

off side drive on front foot

27 runs

3 fours0 six

Control

91%