New Zealand opened the batting and were in real trouble at five down with just 65 runs on the board. The revival was delivered by Daryll Mitchell and Michael Bracewell who put together a 105 run sixth wicket stand.
 
Mitchell finished with his teams top score of 62 with Bracewell hitting 59 runs before being dismissed. The lower-order partnership greatly assisted the hosts in reaching 172 for the loss of eight wickets.
 
Sri Lanka again seemed to have a vice-like grip on the match with 121 runs and nine wickets in hand. Led by three vital wickets from Jacob Duffy, the Black Cap bowlers ripped through the Sri Lankan lower and tail order batsmen to restrict them to 164/8.
 
Pathum Nissanka looked extremely dangerous before he was removed just ten runs away from a century. New Zealand had played their get out of jail card, twice, in the eight run win.
 
Two days later the two sides met again at the Mount Maunganui international venue. New Zealand never looked defeat in the eye with a very solid 45 run victory. 
 
Mark Chapman, Tim Robinson and Mitchell Hay all reached the forties, as the hosts posted 186 at a cost of five wickets. Jacob Duffy again led the charge for the series victory in taking four wickets, as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 141.
 
Earlier in December, a Plunket Shield encounter between Northern Districts and the Central Stags, produced two big New Zealand Cricket Major Association milestones.
 
Northern Districts were bowled out for a modest 204 runs with Will Clarke grabbing five wickets for 62 runs. The CD team posted a substantial first innings advantage of 187 runs.
 
Clarke, batting at six, became just the fourth New Zealand first-class batsman to post a maiden century and five wickets in the same match, when he belted 109 runs of 130 balls. Brad Schmulian also finished on 109 before being dismissed.
 
Northern Districts knuckled down in their second innings to grab back the match momentum. Jeet Raval, was patience personified, as he worked his way to 107 runs in a marathon 589 minutes at the crease. His knock entered the games record books as the third slowest first-class century of all time. Neil Wagner, showed he was also an accomplished striker of the ball in belting an unbeaten 59 runs, as his team posted 362 for the loss of seven wickets. The match then petered out in a draw.
 
Blake Parks’s three cricket grass cricket wickets hosted the annual ND T20 Smash for the first time in the middle of the month. With the middle days play washed out, the ND title was awarded to Waikato Valley, on the better run rate, from Bay of Plenty with both sides finishing with three-game unbeaten records.
 
Three bowlers will be rewarded with their names on the Bay Oval Honors Board after five wicket hauls (or better). 
 
First up, Waikato Valleys, Campbell McKeag, took 5/26 against Counties Manukau on the opening days play. Day Three, resulted in Flynn Morey being almost unplayable as he grabbed six wickets at a cost of only 16 runs for Waikato Valley, in their matchup with the ND XI.
 
Counties Manukau, Reid Somali, rounded out the five wicket (or better) bags when he returned 5/26 against Hamilton. 
 
ICC International Matches

 

Black Caps v Sri lanka
28th December (T20I)
New Zealand 172/8 (DJ Mitchell 62, MG Bracewell 59) defeated Sri Lanka 164/8 (PS Nissanka 90, BKG Mendis 46; JA Duffy 3/21)
 

Black Caps v Sri lanka
30th December (T20I)
New Zealand 186/5 (MS Chapman 42, TB Robinson 41, MJ Hay 41) defeated Sri Lanka 141 (MDKJ Perera 48, PS Nissanka 37; JA Duffy 4/15)
 
NZC Major Association Matches

 

ND Men v Central Stags

7 – 10 December (Plunket Shield)
Northern Districts Men 204 (B Popli 61, SK Patel 45; WJ Clarke 5/62) & 362/7 (JA Ravel 107, N Wagner 59no, BR Hampton 45, RR O’Donnell 44)
Central Stags 391 (BD Schmulian 109, WJ Clarke 109, CJ Heaphy 63; MJ Fisher 4/46)
Result: Match Drawn
 
NZC Minor Association Matches

 

Bay of Plenty v Hamilton

1 December (Brian Dunning Trophy) - wet weather reduced match to 29.0 over per side
Hamilton 144/9 (X Bell 40; B Syme 4/30) lost to Bay of Plenty 149/9 (C Rowell 3/22)
 
15-17 December (ND T20 Super Smash)

Round One:
Northland 104/8 (B Hampton 4/18) lost to Bay of Plenty 105/1
Waikato Valley 183/8 (H Crowe 66) defeated Counties Manukau 135 (C McKeag 5/26)
ND XI 134/4 (N Dovey 53) lost to Hamilton 138/4
Round Two:

All games abandoned due to wet weather
Round Three:

All games abandoned due to wet weather
Round Four:
Northland 130/8 tied with Counties Manukau 130/7 – Super Over Northland 0/6 lost to Counties Manukau 0/7
Bay of Plenty 172/7 defeated Hamilton 128/7
ND XI 104 (F Morey 6/16) lost to Waikato Valley 106/1


Round Five:
Hamilton 145 (R Somani 5/26) defeated Counties Manukau 76
Waikato Valley 159/6 (R McCullum 59) defeated Northland 113/8
ND XI 129/6 (A Henry 52no) lost to Bay of Plenty 130/3