QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand, 31 December 2005 — A depleted New Zealand and out-of-form Sri Lanka are playing for more than a simple win in the one-day cricket series starting here today, knowing defeat could deny them direct entry into the ICC Champions Trophy in India.
England also have a keen interest in the four-match series as their standing will also be affected by the outcome.
Only the top six ranked teams as of April 1 gain automatic entry into the Champions Trophy next October, with the remainder consigned to a further preliminary round of matches. What gives the New Zealand-Sri Lanka series added spice is that the two sides are wedged into the tightly-packed middle section of the table.
New Zealand are currently ranked fourth and Sri Lanka sixth but both sides are on 109 points, along with fifth-ranked India, while England are one point behind and just outside the all-important top six. A series clean sweep by either side will take the winner to 115 points, just behind third-placed Pakistan, but it will drop the losers to seventh, with England moving up.
New Zealand have a one-day series against the West Indies in February to further help their cause, but coach John Bracewell acknowledged they could make it easier on themselves by securing the points over the coming days.
New Zealand won the Champions Trophy, cricket’s second largest one-day tournament behind the World Cup, in 2000, but cannot be said to be in prime form going into the series with Sri Lanka. The team is still smarting from the recent 2-1 series loss to Australia, with their only win coming in the final dead rubber when Australia played without any recognized frontline bowlers. Sri Lanka are also in a trough, arriving in New Zealand from a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of India, and struggling to settle from their whirlwind travel schedule.
On paper Sri Lanka have the stronger line-up with a top-10 world ranked batsman in Kumar Sangakkara, and Marvan Attapatu and Jayasuriya in the top 20. Their bowling attack includes spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan and speedster Lasith Malinga, who caused trouble for New Zealand in the April Test series with his unique low-slung action.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will be without skipper Stephen Fleming, who has taken paternity leave, and pace bowler Andre Adams, who injured a hand in training this week. Without Fleming, New Zealand’s two top-ranked batsmen are all-rounders Scott Styris (36th) and Chris Cairns (37th) with the specialist top-order players languishing further down the ladder.
