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Toss New Zealand chose to bat v Sri Lanka
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in Galle in conditions that promised a good day's cricket on a tour that has been wrecked by rain so far. The forecast is for some showers a little later in the day but at the time of the toss, the skies were largely clear with the sun out.
The line-ups for both teams changed significantly from the limited-overs series. Kruger van Wyk took over the wicketkeeping duties for New Zealand, who also included left-hand batsman Daniel Flynn. Jeetan Patel was the lone specialist spinner in the side, backing up a pace attack comprising Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell. The visitors didn't pick their most experienced bowler in the squad, Chris Martin, in the XI.
Sri Lanka are without Tillakaratne Dilshan for the first Test, out with a back injury, and they picked Dimuth Karunaratne, on Test debut, to open in his place with Tharanga Paranavitana. Thilan Samaraweera took his place in the middle order and Prasanna Jayawardene returned as wicketkeeper. Sri Lanka went in with two specialist spinners, Suraj Randiv and Rangana Herath, and left out left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedera who was replaced by Shaminda Eranga, who plays his second Test, having made his Test debut more than a year ago.
New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Daniel Flynn, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Ross Taylor (capt), 6 James Franklin, 7 Kruger van Wyk (wk), 8 Jeetan Patel, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Doug Bracewell.
Sri Lanka: 1 Tharanga Paranavitana, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Shaminda Eranga.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in Galle in conditions that promised a good day's cricket on a tour that has been wrecked by rain so far. The forecast is for some showers a little later in the day but at the time of the toss, the skies were largely clear with the sun out.
The line-ups for both teams changed significantly from the limited-overs series. Kruger van Wyk took over the wicketkeeping duties for New Zealand, who also included left-hand batsman Daniel Flynn. Jeetan Patel was the lone specialist spinner in the side, backing up a pace attack comprising Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell. The visitors didn't pick their most experienced bowler in the squad, Chris Martin, in the XI.
Sri Lanka are without Tillakaratne Dilshan for the first Test, out with a back injury, and they picked Dimuth Karunaratne, on Test debut, to open in his place with Tharanga Paranavitana. Thilan Samaraweera took his place in the middle order and Prasanna Jayawardene returned as wicketkeeper. Sri Lanka went in with two specialist spinners, Suraj Randiv and Rangana Herath, and left out left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedera who was replaced by Shaminda Eranga, who plays his second Test, having made his Test debut more than a year ago.
New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Daniel Flynn, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Ross Taylor (capt), 6 James Franklin, 7 Kruger van Wyk (wk), 8 Jeetan Patel, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Doug Bracewell.
Sri Lanka: 1 Tharanga Paranavitana, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Shaminda Eranga.