Tour of Sri Lanka 1998                Captain : Stephen Fleming

37th official tour by NZ

Fourth Test-playing tour of Sri Lanka by New Zealand

 (May- July 1998)

After the Pettah bus station bomb in April 1987 and the assassination of naval staff by Tamil separatists in front of the team hotel in 1993, New Zealand Cricket expressed its apprehensions about touring Sri Lanka again.  However, the administrators agreed security arrangements with their Sri Lankan counterparts to undertake a full tour of seven weeks, by far the longest tour undertaken by New Zealand to Sri Lanka. 

New Zealand won the first in the series of three Tests but lost the next two matches on pitches which were far below the usual standard.  The New Zealanders had fair opporunities for preparation and practice with two three-day and two one-day side games but lacked the resolve to counter spinners Muralitharan and Bandaratilleke who were able to take full advantage. of the pitches  At the conclusion of the Test series, the touring party remained to participate in the Nidahas Trophy, sponsored by Akai Singer to celebrate Sri Lankan independence, with India as the third team. Monsoon rains affected the tournament badly but New Zealand lost twice to the World Cup champions.

All New Zealand tours

Previous tour

Australia 1997-98

Next tour

England 1999

Next tour of Sri Lanka 

2002-03

Members of the Test tour party (15  + 1)

Opening batsmen  Matthew Horne, Chris Spearman, Bryan Young.

Middle-order batsmen  Nathan Astle, Stephen Fleming, Craig MacMillan

Wicket-keeper: Adam Parore

All-rounders: Chris Cairns, Chris Harris

Spin bowlers   Mark Priest, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman

Fast bowlers  Dion Nash, Simon Doull, Shane O'Connor [+ Alex Tait reinforcement)]

Provincial representation

A - Auckland (0)

C - Canterbury (6)

CD - Central Districts (1)

ND - Northern Districts (5)

O - Otago (3)

W - Wellington (0)

Average age of  team at time of first Test match

(27 May 1998) :  27 yrs  10 months.

ODI played in the Independence Cup (Singer-Akai NidahasTrophy)

Test Appearances made before the tour

Parore  41, Fleming 34, Cairns 30, Young 30, Doull 23, Astle 18, Nash 16, Harris 12, Vettori 11,  Horne 8, Spearman 7, McMillan 5, O'Connor 5, Priest 2, Wiseman 0.

Team Officials

Selectors

Ross Dykes (convenor),  Rick Pickard and  Mike Shrimpton, with Steve Rixon (coach) contributing.

Selection

Unavailable  : None

Tour Party Announced  : 29 April 1998 in Wellington.

Not selected: 

Time between selection and departure from New Zealand

  15 days

(29 April to 14 May)

Travel

  QColombo

After an intensive training clinic under Rixon in Christchurch, the team flew out of New Zealand on 14 May. They were due to arrive on Friday 15 May 1998 but were delayed for security considerations and landed in Sri Lanka in the early hours of  Saturday morning 16 May.

Fleming also flew out of Christchuch on 14 May but was attending a Test captains’ meeting in London arrived in Sri Lanka later.

Time spent in Sri Lanka

   x days

(16 May - depart Host)

On-tour selection panel

Reinforcements

Simon Doull had to return to New Zealand early due to a recurring groin injury. He left after the second Test.

Alex Tait  was summoned as a replacement for Shaun O'Connor who returned home on 23 June with a left knee cartilage injury. 

Fixtures/Results

† not first-class

§  one-day international (Singer Akai Nidhas Trophy)

Time spent in Sri Lanka before First Test: 

11 days

(16 May - 27 May)

Test appearances on tour

3  -   Astle, Cairns, Fleming, Horne, McMillan, Parore. Vettori, Wiseman, Young.

2  -   Harris

1  -   Doull, O'Connor, Priest, Spearman.

0  -   Nash, Tait.

Highlights

•   Stephen Fleming's 174 not out at Premadasa Stadium was his highest Test score

•   21 year-old Craig McMillan (142) shared a stand of 240 for the 4th wicket with Fleming.

•   Paul Wiseman took 5 for 82 on his Test debut

•   Chris Cairns had 5-62 at Colombo's SSC, and became the third New Zealander to 100 runs and 100 wickets

•   Vettori claimed his Test-best figures of 6-64.

Tour Summary

Return to New Zealand

Colombo Q ?

approx 8 July 1998.

Time away from New Zealand    x days  

(14 May to  ? July)

Finances