New Zealand's Matt Henry, 2025. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Black Caps are aiming continue their dominance over Sri Lanka in home conditions in the second one-dayer in Hamilton on Wednesday.
New Zealand won the first game in Wellington by nine wickets, bowling the tourists out for 178 before romping to the victory target with more than 23 overs to spare.
Opener Will Young top scored with an unbeaten 90 off just 86 balls for the Black Caps, before seamer Matt Henry starred with the ball taking four wickets for 19 runs from his ten overs.
Will Young. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Black Caps, who beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the preceding T20 series in New Zealand, can take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match one-day series with victory today at Seddon Park.
Young said the hosts are focused on winning the one-day series but are also looking ahead to next month's Champions Trophy, a major international 50-over tournament in Pakistan.
"The Champions Trophy is an ICC (International Cricket Council) event. It's the top eight teams in the world and it's a really exciting prospect. The guys are certainly looking to continue their form and get into the groove for that because it's right around the corner."
Henry's performance in the opening ODI continued the 33-year-old's impressive run of form and the Black Caps bowling coach Jacob Oram said the fast bowler's influence on the team has been massive.
"He's just bowling the ball where it needs to go more often than not, and that sounds easy, but it's not," Oram said.
"To be able to hit consistently around the right length and to be able to ask the questions based on line as well, and we know he gets a little bit of sideways movement, good bounce...it's just a continuation of what he did in the test series.
"He's just in good rhythm at the moment, but he's also very experienced now, and I think that provides a bit of calmness and confidence within what he's doing, but I'm seeing that start to filter through the other bowlers as well.
"So he's in a great space for himself as a bowler, but also for the group and passing on his information, his knowledge to others."
Matt Henry. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Henry has now played 86 ODIs since debuting in 2014 taking 145 wickets and Oram believes the seamer's experience was shining through.
He's really stepping up into that leader position," Oram said.
"Nothing's really changed in terms of how he's going about his work, but I think it's just organically happened that he is now the guy at the top and other bowlers like Will O'Rourke and Nathan Smith are looking at him for that direction.
"He's been able to provide that through his actions and his performances, which I think is really powerful."
The Seddon Park pitch for the second one-dayer between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka could favour the fast bowlers.
Sri Lanka need to win to level the series.
Young saw the wicket for the first time on Tuesday and he reckons pitch placement could impact the game, which starts at 2pm (NZT).
"There is a slight green tinge to it. Whether or not that plays a part with the sun out today and in the morning tomorrow before things get underway, we'll see," Young said.
"The pitch seems to be further along on one side (of the ground), so shorter boundaries and bigger boundaries on each side and the wind might be a factor too."
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