Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 2012-13

Test matches (2): Sri Lanka 1, New Zealand 1
One-day internationals (5): Sri Lanka 3, New Zealand 0
Twenty20 international (1): Sri Lanka 0, New Zealand 0

	Under pressure to retain his captaincy, Ross Taylor powered New Zealand to a win in the second Test © Associated Press Enlarge
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The start of New Zealand's tour was blighted by terrible weather, as rain ruined the solitary Twenty20 international, before Sri Lanka took charge of the one-day matches. When the sun finally came out and Sri Lanka claimed the First Test too, it seemed certain New Zealand would go home without a win - only for Ross Taylor to lead from the front to set up a memorable victory in Colombo and square the series.

But the drama wasn't over. It later emerged that Taylor's heroics had come after the new coach, Mike Hesson, had told him early in the tour he wanted a change of leadership: after Taylor scored 142 and 74 in New Zealand's 167- run win, Hesson said he was actually looking for someone to share the load by skippering in the shorter formats. But Taylor quit anyway. It seemed a clumsy way to treat the country's best batsman, and the New Zealand board eventually apologised, which didn't stop Taylor sitting out the tour of South Africa that followed. "After my first meeting with the coach, my dad asked me what I thought," he revealed. "I said 'I don't think I'll be in the job longer than 12 months.' I was wrong, it was six."

The monsoon rains which descended soon after New Zealand's arrival washed out the first two games and interrupted the next two as well, even though they had been shifted to Pallekele when the river next to Colombo's Premadasa Stadium overflowed, causing extensive flooding. Hambantota, usually in a dry zone, was not spared either, and Sri Lanka emerged with a slightly flattering 3-0 victory in the 50-over series. The bad weather had an adverse effect on the tour finances; although admission was cheap for the Tests, only a few thousand took advantage.

There was some good news, though: by the time the Tests began, the sun had appeared. Galle produced a low-scoring match, with Sri Lanka completing a ten-wicket win inside three days, but New Zealand found the Sara Oval more to their liking. Sparked by centuries from Taylor and Kane Williamson, they ran up a big first-innings total, before the seamers - led by Tim Southee - exposed flaws in the Sri Lankans' technique.

The New Zealand management had stolen a march on their counterparts by hiring Chaminda Vaas, Sri Lanka's most successful seamer, with 355 Test wickets, as an adviser. His local knowledge proved useful: New Zealand's pacemen did well in both Tests, with Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell accounting for 23 of the 29 wickets to fall to bowlers. At Galle, they swept through the top order, and Sri Lanka were tottering at 50 for five before Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews put on 156; in Colombo, they were 12 for three and 63 for five.

Sri Lanka were caught napping at the Sara Oval and, for the first time since 1999-2000, when they hosted Australia, they failed to register an individual century in a home series. Their only real positive was with the ball, as slow left-armer Rangana Herath continued his good form, taking 11 wickets in the victory at Galle, and nine in Colombo.

The series was meant to help Sri Lanka prepare for their tour of Australia, but they were jolted by the manner of their defeat in the Second Test, which left worrying doubts about the top order's ability against the moving ball. "New Zealand's bowlers kept asking questions and kept the pressure up," admitted Jayawardene.

Match reports for

Only T20I: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Pallekele, Oct 30, 2012
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1st ODI: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Pallekele, Nov 1, 2012
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2nd ODI: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Pallekele, Nov 4, 2012
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3rd ODI: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Pallekele, Nov 6, 2012
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4th ODI: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Hambantota, Nov 10, 2012
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5th ODI: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Hambantota, Nov 12, 2012
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1st Test: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Galle, Nov 17-19, 2012
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2nd Test: Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Colombo (PSS), Nov 25-29, 2012
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