Rain prevents decider

The Test series ended 1-1, the two teams won one Twenty20 apiece, and after rain washed out the fifth one-day international in Hamilton without a ball being bowled the series of 50-over games ended at 2-2.

On top of depriving the audience of a decider, the rain provided a disappointing match for two individuals celebrating milestones – Sanath Jayasuriya, who with the coin toss won by New Zealand received his world-record 375th ODI cap, and umpire Billy Bowden who was to stand in his 100th ODI.

The washout is especially disappointing for New Zealand, who will now head to Australia having not batted since their disastrous 73 all out in Auckland on Saturday, their second-lowest ever score, while Sri Lanka now have a 4-ODI tour of India to finish off their World Cup preparations with their bowlers high on confidence and Jayasuriya looking in dangerous form with the bat.

New Zealand leave for Hobart tomorrow ahead of their participation in the Commonwealth Bank Series against Australia and England, with the first match being Australia versus England on Friday in Melbourne, while New Zealand’s first match is against Australia at Bellerive Oval on Sunday.