TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015 SPORTS Guptill smashes NZ to big win over S Lanka CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will have a nagging back injury re- assessed today after he left the field during his side’s comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their second one-day international yester- day. McCullum left the field midway through Sri Lanka’s innings at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and with regular vice-captain Kane Williamson nursing a sore knee, turned the captaincy over to Ross Taylor. Test opener Tom Latham, who was brought into the side as cover for Williamson, played an anchor role in McCullum’s place as Martin Guptill flirted with a world record to smash his side to their 118- run victory target in 8.2 overs. The 34-year-old McCullum has been battling the back injury for years with it partially responsible for his decision to retire after the Australia series in February. “It’s not too bad. It’s a bit stiff so we will re-assess it tomor- row,” McCullum said in a televised interview. The aggressive right hander had combined with Guptill in an 108-run opening partnership in a seven-wick- et victory on the same pitch two days ago, but said he had been happy to put his feet up to watch Guptill destroy Sri Lanka yesterday. “It was a superb innings. You can’t describe it,” McCullum said. “It’s something you witness only once or twice in your life. CHRISTCHURCH: Martin Guptill of New Zealand plays a shot during the second one day inter- AUSTRALIA NEXT national (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Park in “There are very few guys in the world who can Christchurch yesterday. — AFP play like that. Martin is one of those guys. “I knew he struck the ball cleanly the other day and jeez he struck it better today. He did it with such compo- SCOREBOARD sure and genuine stroke making as well.” Guptill had flirted with AB de Villiers’ world record of 16 balls for a half century, instead getting bogged CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Completed scoreboard in the second one-day international down from 46 to 50, which he managed to pass on between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Christchurch yesterday. his 17th delivery. It still broke McCullum’s New Sri Lanka 3-31 (Gunathilaka), 4-54 (Chandimal), 5-56 Zealand record of 18 balls, achieved earlier this D. Gunathilaka c Santner b Henry 17 (Mathews), 6-81 (Siriwardana), 7-81 year against England in the World Cup. Guptill, T. Dilshan c Taylor b Henry 7 (Kapugedera), 8-81 (Senanayake), 9-94 who scored 93 not out from 30 balls on Monday, is L. Thirimanne c Henry b McClenaghan 1 (Chameera), 10-117 (Kulasekara) DURBAN: England’s batsman James Taylor, plays off South Africa’s bowler Kyle the world’s leading run scorer in one-day interna- D. Chandimal lbw Bracewell 9 Bowling: Bracewell 6-2-31-1, Henry 9.4-2-33-4, Abbott’s delivery on the third day of the first test cricket match between South Africa tionals in 2015, moving to 1,459 with one match to A. Mathews c Ronchi b McClenaghan 17 McClenaghan 8-0-32-3 (w1, nb1), Santner 1-0-5- and England, at Kingsmead in Durban, South Africa, yesterday. — AP play in Nelson on Dec. 31. M. Siriwardana c Nicholls b McClenaghan 12 0, Sodhi 3-0-12-1 (w1) McCullum, who praised Guptill’s career-best C. Kapugedera run out (Guptill/ Nicholls/ sub New Zealand year, said he had asked his side to step up their (Worker)) 12 M. Guptill not out 93 England grind performances throughout the series as they eye N. Kulasekera c Latham b Henry 19 T. Latham not out 17 Australia in February and would do so again as S. Senanayake b Henry 0 Extras (lb2, w6) 8 they seek to seal the five-match series in the third D. Chameera c Ronchi b Sodhi 9 Total: (0 wickets, 8.2 overs) 118 towards big lead game. “I asked the guys to go up another gear and J. Vandersay not out 7 Bowling: Chameera 2-0-41-0 (w4), Kulasekara 2- they certainly did that so... we get to the third Extras (lb4, w2, nb1) 7 0-19-0 (w2), Senanayake 2.2-0-22-0, Vandersay 2- game with an opportunity to close out a series. “We Total (10 wickets, 27.4 overs) 117 0-34-0. DURBAN: England tightened their grip on INJURY know we have to keep turning up and putting up Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Dilshan), 2-29 (Thirimanne), Result: New Zealand win by 10 wickets. the third day of the first Test at Kingsmead Steyn, who missed most of a recent series our best performance.” — Reuters yesterday against a South African team weak- in India with a groin injury, took four for 70 in ened by an injury to fast bowler Dale Steyn. the first innings in his first match appearance England built on a first innings lead of 89, since November 5. Off-spinner Dane Piedt reaching 172 for three in their second innings took the first two wickets in the second at the close of play, an overall lead of 261 innings, trapping England captain Alastair runs. With plenty of time remaining in the Cook leg before wicket for seven before having match, England were prepared to grind out Alex Hales caught at long-on for 26. their runs with risk-free batting in the second The left-handed Elgar batted resolutely for innings, scoring at just over two-and-a-half more than six hours while his teammates runs an over on a slow, dry pitch which made struggled, reaching his fourth Test century off fluent stroke play difficult. 211 balls, with eight fours and a six. He did not Joe Root made 60 not out off 109 balls, add to his boundary count before running out while first innings top-scorer Nick Compton of partners after facing 246 deliveries. Elgar survived two dropped catches before being was the sixth South African to bat unbeaten caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper AB through a Test innings. Fellow left-hander de Villiers off Morne Morkel for 49. Both Gary Kirsten was the most recent to perform Compton’s chances were off Morkel, who also the feat before Elgar, making 100 not out in a had Root dropped by a leaping De Villiers on total of 239 against Pakistan in Faisalabad in six. Dean Elgar carried his bat for South Africa, 1997/98. Broad followed up his three wickets making a fighting 118 not out, but he had on the second day with an early breakthrough minimal support from his teammates as the on Monday, bowling Temba Bavuma off an hosts were bowled out for 214. Stuart Broad inside edge with the second ball of the morn- and Moeen Ali took four wickets each for ing, without addition to the overnight total of England. South Africa suffered a blow early in 137 for four. Broad had figures of four for 25. the second innings when Steyn left the field Ali took two wickets in successive overs, with a right shoulder strain after bowling two dismissing JP Duminy and Kyle Abbott, as balls of his fourth over. South Africa crashed to 156 for seven before He returned soon afterwards and bowled Steyn helped Elgar add 54 for the eighth wick- three balls of the 21st over, almost forcing et. Ali ended the partnership shortly before Nick Compton to play on to his stumps, the second new ball was due when Steyn loft- before crying off again. He went for a scan ed a catch to mid-off. He took four for 69. and was off the field for a lengthy period Steven Finn wrapped up the innings, taking before returning to the field at the late after- the last two wickets in the space of four balls in noon drinks break. He did not bowl again. the second over with the new ball. — AFP MELBOURNE: West Indies batsman Kemar Roach (L) slams the ball to the boundary as Australian wicketkeeper Peter Nevill (R) looks on, on the SCOREBOARD third day of the second cricket Test in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP DURBAN, South Africa: Scores at close on the third day of the first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead yesterday: Australia swell lead England, first innings, 303 Bowling: Broad 15-6-25-4, Woakes 14-1- 28-0, Ali 25-3-69-4, Finn 15.4-1-49-2, South Africa, first innings Stokes 9-1-25-0 (1w), Root 3-1-11-0 (overnight 137-4) England, second innings to 459 in Windies Test S. van Zyl b Broad 0 England, second innings D. Elgar not out 118 A. Cook lbw b Piedt 7 H. Amla c Bairstow b Broad 7 A. Hales c Abbott b Piedt 26 MELBOURNE: Australia amassed a formidable 459- IMPROVISED SHOTMAKING “I know I desperately want to represent the West run lead over the West Indies and were heading for a First-innings centurion Usman Khawaja played some Indies. Something I will hold dear to my heart every A. de Villiers c Bairstow b Broad 49 N. Compton c De Villiers b Morkel 49 series victory with two days left in the second Test in improvised shotmaking for his breezy 56 off 61 balls second I’m out there with that maroon cap on.” F. du Plessis b Ali 2 J.