Following a two-game Test series which saw New Zealand whitewash Sri Lanka, the two cricketing nations face off once again in a three-game One Day International series.
The series opens with a day/night contest in Auckland on Saturday, March 25, followed by further day/night contests in Christchurch and Hamilton on Tuesday March 28 and Friday March 31.
2/1 underdogs Sri Lanka come into the series on the back of a 3-0 series defeat at the hands of India in January, but prior to that they enjoyed series victories over Afghanistan and Australia.
4/11 favourites New Zealand, meanwhile, also suffered a 3-0 defeat in India in January, with series wins over Pakistan away and India at home.
New Zealand are missing a number of their big-hitting batsmen for the first ODI, so look at Glenn Phillips who stands out from the selection; he has taken two Top New Zealand batter berths in recent limited over games, with a 36 in the second ODI against India in Raipur and a 63* in the third ODI against Pakistan in Karachi. At 15/2 he offers exceptional value.
Tom Latham is another option - the left-handed batsmen did not do well in India and Pakistan but the last time he played in an ODI series on home soil he hit India for 145*. He's set at 5/1.
With the ball in hand, Blair Tickner could offer value at 4/1 - he took the Top New Zealand Wicket Taker market in the third ODI against India with 3-76, however his numbers prior to that are not too impressive.
Ish Sodi at 10/3 could be a better shout - he went 2-38 and 1-50 in the second and third ODIs against Pakistan which stands out among the bowlers who will be facing Sri Lanka. However, have a look at Daryll Mitchell; he was top bowler in the first ODI against India with 2-30, and took 3-25 in the third ODI of the home series against the same opponent. He could be a steal at 8/1.
Turning to the visitors, Pathum Nissanka could be their best batter. In his last 12 international ODI games he has five Sri Lankan Top Batsman berths and is 10/3 to be so in the first ODI in New Zealand.
Dasun Shanaka offers more value at 6/1, in the first ODI against India he hit 108* off the back of a 43 against Afghanistan on the third ODI in Kandy, but Nuwanidu Fernando is probably the sensible punt. He took the market in the second and third ODIs against India with a 50 and 19. While not stunning scores, he was the best of a bad bunch and at 4/1 it's worth seeing if it will be the same story in New Zealand.
For Sri Lankan top bowlers it's hard to look past the 9/2 Kasun Rajitha who has taken the market in four of Sri Lanka's past five ODI's.
