New Zealand clinched the short two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a clinical performance at Wellington. It was a near perfect show by the Kiwis, in which everything went right for them, from winning the toss, to the very end. Sri Lanka, who raised hopes of an upset victory after impressing at Napier, were found wanting in many departments.

The Kiwis had a new hero on every day of the Test. After Fleming won the toss and put the visitors into bat, medium-pacer Chris Martin stole the show. He rocked the top-order with his swinging beauties, to which the Lankan batsmen had no answer. Only Samaraveera, who also played well in the first Test, and Chandana put up any resistance with the bat. Sri Lanka could have been dismissed for well under 150, but for their partnership that gave a sense of respectability to the score. The Lankans managed to cross 200 with Samaraveera scoring an intelligent half-century while Chandana contributed 41, an innings mixed with caution and aggression.

But it wasn't good for the Lankan bowlers to put up a fight as the Kiwi batting delivered this time. Craig Cumming and James Marshall gave New Zealand the required start with a good half-century partnership. But Sri Lanka struck back in the form of the experienced Chaminda Vaas, who gave Sri Lanka a foot in the door by getting rid of first the well-set openers and then the dangerous Hamish Marshall and Nathan Astle, both centurions from the last Test.

It was then up to the Kiwi skipper to stop the rut. In the company of the effervescent Lou Vincent, Fleming took his side to a strong position by the end of the second day's play. Come day three and it was all Lou Vincent. The New Zealanders did have hiccups when Fleming, approaching his century, hooked a short one from Vaas straight into a fielder's hand for 88 while McCullum followed him back to the hut off the very next delivery, leaving Vaas on a hat-trick for the second time in the game.

But Vincent got great support from the tail-enders as he carried on from where he had left off the previous day. He shared record partnerships for the seventh, eighth and ninth wickets with the lower order. First it was Franklin who made full use of his limited batting abilities and helped Vincent and his team with a fighting innings of 15. Mills came and played a few aggressive strokes he is so eminently capable of. He played a crucial cameo of 31 that frustrated the Lankan bowlers no end. But things did not change after his dismissal too as Paul Wiseman dished out similar treatment to the opposition bowlers.

All this while, Vincent went about his task in the most uncomplicated manner. He gave respect to the good deliveries and punished the poor ones. His cheeky sweeps and strong drives on the off-side were the main features of his knock. Once he reached a well-deserved double-century after being dropped in the 190s by Jayasurya, he opened his shoulders and put the bowling to the sword. He was eventually dismissed in the only way he looked like getting out - run out. Fleming declared soon after at 522-9, a huge lead of 311. Sri Lanka suffered a lot because strike bowler Lasith Malinga, who had the Kiwis on the back foot in Napier, struggled to make too much of an impression. He did get rid of a couple of tail-enders, but was nowhere near as effective as the first Test.
 

With two more days to go, the visitors found themselves in a deep hole. Things only got worse when attacking opener Jayasuriya was dismissed late on day three. The next day, which turned out to be the last day of the Test, it was once again all New Zealand. Attapatu, who had to play one of his trademark marathon knocks if Lanka had to come out of this situation unscathed, fell early to the left-armer Franklin. Nightwatchman Farveez Maharoof fared better than his more experienced mates. But his long vigil at the crease for 36 was never going to be good enough. Sangakkara hung on for quite a while, but with no support from the other end. Eventually he too perished for 45, playing all over a Franklin delivery.

 

At 7/177, victory seemed a mere formality for the New Zealanders. But Dilshan and Chaminda Vaas counter-attacked and delayed the inevitable. It was up to the part-timer Nathan Astle to deliver the breakthrough once again. Astle, who ended the Test with three scalps in each innings, clean bowled Dilshan for 73 and followed it up by dismissing Chandana soon after. Franklin finished off the proceedings when Vaas chopped one on to the stumps after making an aggressive 38.

The victory signalled an end to a tough Kiwi season where they had to face the Australians both at home and away and ended up on the losing side. But the series win over the Lankans meant that the Kiwis atleast ended the season on a high note.