Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews has expressed that he was shocked to see rival New Zealand team turning around the Basin Reserve Test to win by 193 runs and claim a whitewash in the two match Test series.
Mathews said that they were able to put New Zealand under pressure by the third day, but they missed a couple of sitters and good players make it count, adding that it was a shocking turnaround, Stuff.co.nz reported.
According to Mathews, the pair of Williamson and Watling put on a record partnership and were brilliant.
However, he further said that they had their chances as the hosts were 150-5 and leading by only about 23 or 24 runs at that time and if they had held onto their catches, it would have been a different story, the report added.
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings on an overnight score of 45 runs for the loss of one wicket on the fifth day. However, Sri Lanka were bowled out for a mere 196 runs against New Zealand's gigantic second innings total of 524, thanks to Kane Williamson's unbeaten knock of 242.
With the series win over Sri Lanka, New Zealand have moved up to the fifth position in the ICC's Test ranking as they swept past both India and Sri Lanka.
New Zealand will now take on Sri Lanka in a seven match ODI series at home before the World Cup campaign kick-off from February 14.
