Former Srilankan player Thilan Samaraweera is all set to work alongside the Kiwis during the tests against his home country. This would provide a huge boost to the visitors as they might get assistance on tackling spin-friendly conditions.
He will be joining ahead of the tests, which marks the beginning of the ICC Test Championship for both sides. Thilan Samaraweera has already worked with Srilanka, Australia and Bangladesh teams in the International arena. Alongside Peter Fulton, he will now work as a specialist consultant for the kiwis to make an impact in the series.
This series will also be the first International assignment for Peter Fulton. He took over the responsibilities from Craig McMillan who ended his tenure just after the World Cup. It will be interesting to see how the side performs under the guidance of the two former players.
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The tour commences with the two-match test series commencing August 14th. Prior to the game, the Kiwis will also play a three-day practice game against Board Presidents XI.
The rise of Kiwis
Ever since the fighting World Cup final, the brand of cricket has got a lot of positivity to the Kiwis. Currently, they are second in the ICC test rankings and can they make a statement in the series?
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On the other hand, the hosts have always been dominant in the home conditions sans the English series a few months ago. The away series whitewash has certainly boosted their confidence and an intense battle is expected on the cards.