Kane Williamson leads Black Caps to remarkable last-ball win over Sri Lanka

Day five at Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Sri Lanka 355 and 302 (Angelo Mathews 115, Dhananjaya de Silva 47no, Dinesh Chandimal 42; Blair Tickner 4-100, Matt Henry 3-71) lost to New Zealand 373 and 285-8 (Kane Williamson 121 not out, Daryl Mitchell 81; Asitha Fernando 3-63) by two wickets.

Not even a foul weather system could deny the Black Caps from winning a second straight thriller at the death.

Led by a superb Kane Williamson century (121 not out), New Zealand pulled off their third highest successful run chase (285) in history in remarkable fashion, after running a bye off the final delivery of the match in Christchurch on Monday night.

Indeed, just when you thought the drama of New Zealand’s one-run win over England less than a fortnight ago couldn’t be matched, the Black Caps and Sri Lanka turned in a doozy final day at Hagley Oval.

As the sun settled on the Garden City, there was an anxious wait for both teams, too, as umpires checked to see if Williamson had got home at the non-strikers end, after failing to connect with an Asitha Fernando delivery and running for his life.

Much to the delight of the locals, the former skipper grounded his bat safely and ensured the match didn’t end in what would have been a scarcely believable draw.

To think Neil Wagner, nursing a torn hamstring and a bulging disc in his back, was right there with him – scampering home at the death.

Talk about an astonishing final day, especially given persistent rain kept players off the field and punters away until 3.30pm, leaving New Zealand 53 overs to score the remaining 257 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Resuming on 28-1, and having mustered just 37-1 from 14 overs during the first hour, a successful run chase didn’t look on.

But that was before Williamson and Daryl Mitchell put on a fine 142-run stand from 157 balls, a partnership which forced Sri Lanka to spread the field and go into a defensive frame of mind.

New Zealand’s two form batters got it down to 55 from 54 required. Comfortable, as long as they stayed put.

However, Fernando bowled Mitchell and Tom Blundell, the latter with a beaut of an in-swinging yorker, to add a twist.

Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee and Matt Henry all came and went. But as long as Williamson, dropped by keeper Niroshan Dickwella when he was on 33, was there, the Kiwis believed as they got the equation down to eight needed from the final over.

Earlier, Henry Nicholls’ increasingly worrying lean trot continued, when he was caught for 20 after top-edging spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

He’s now scored just 250 runs at 16.6 in his last 15 innings since scoring a century against South Africa in Christchurch last February.

But his dismissal didn’t prompt New Zealand to lose interest in chasing down the total – not with the big-hitting Mitchell replacing him in the middle.

The big moment

A no-brainer – Dickwella’s crucial drop of Williamson. He was on 33 when he edged a Lahiru Kumara delivery, only for the keeper to fail to hold on to the diving chance.

Best with the bat

Williamson looked anything but comfortable the opening half hour, when he struggled for timing and was beaten on numerous occasions. However, he soon found his groove on his way to century No 27. Needing five runs to win from three balls, he carved Fernando behind square for a crunch boundary.

Best with the ball

Fernando. New Zealand were almost cruising before he cleaned up Mitchell and Blundell. He finished with 3-63 in a losing cause, but was perhaps fortunate the bouncer he fired down with the penultimate delivery wasn’t called wide.

The big picture

To Wellington they go for the final test of the home summer, one the Black Caps must at least draw to secure their first series win of what’s been a dismal World Test Championship cycle.

They’ll have to do so without workhorse bowler Neil Wagner, who was on Sunday scratched from the series with a torn hamstring and a bulging disc in his back. Doug Bracewell has replaced him in the squad.