NZ, SL Test series begins today

GALLE, Sri Lanka: New Zealand have a chance of securing the top spot in Test cricket when they take on Sri Lanka in a two-match series from Wednesday, exactly a month after their cruel World Cup defeat to England.

New Zealand, with 109 points in Test cricket, are ranked behind India on 113 points, but a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka will see the Kiwis leapfrog Asian heavyweights. Test rankings have added relevance with the new, two-year ICC World Test Championship now under way, culminating in a 2021 final at Lord’s between top two teams. Crisis-ridden Sri Lanka will be wary of providing a rank turning wicket in the first Test in Galle after being outsmarted by England in the most recent encounter at venue. England overcame the battle with a variety of off-, leg- and left-arm spin as the trio of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Jack Leach played a key role in a 3-0 series sweep.

Squads: New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Jeet Raval, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, William Somerville, Mitchell Santner, Tom Blundell, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, B.J. Watling, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, Neil Wagner. Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Akila Dananjaya, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando Umpire: Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth (England). Third umpire: Bruce Oxenford (Australia). Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe).