New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka 7th ODI: Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview

New Zealand hold an unassailable four-one lead heading into the final match of their seven-match ODI series against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The hosts will be looking to keep the momentum going ahead of the approaching World Cup.

Angelo Mathews' side will be hoping to salvage something from what has been a very disappointing couple of weeks.

Let's see how the sides shape up ahead of the series finale.

Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2015

Start time: 2 p.m. local time, 1 a.m. GMT

Live on: CSN (Sri Lanka), TVNZ (New Zealand), Sky Sports (UK).

Weather: Bad weather shouldn't have an impact on the game. According to AccuWeather.com it will be dry and sunny with temperatures reaching a very pleasant 23C.

Overview

It will be a case of more of the same for Brendon McCullum's men in Wellington on Thursday. One sign of a good side is that someone will always bail them out if they hit trouble. That was certainly the case in the fifth ODI in Dunedin.

Consider that Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson scored just 79 runs between them yet the Kiwis still managed to post a massive total of 360.

Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi scored centuries as New Zealand again showed that their batting line-up is one of the most dangerous in world cricket.

After a lean start to the series, Ross Taylor returned to form with a typically classy 96 as New Zealand cruised home by 120 runs in the sixth ODI.

The only slight criticism you could level at the Kiwi batsmen is a little inconsistency. If all the batsmen come off, the results could be truly spectacular.

The New Zealand bowling attack has been its usual efficient self. With 10 scalps, Mitchell McClenaghan is the leading wicket-taker. In the improving Adam Milne, the Black Caps have some serious pace to complement their steady seamers and canny spinners.

There's a lot to like about the Kiwis heading into the World Cup. New Zealand fans will just be hoping that their side haven't peaked too early.

"

"Overall, another step forward for us, we want to keep getting better" - Brendon McCullum ^RI

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 25, 2015"

Given how the hosts have dominated the six matches to date, it's a little surprising that the two leading run scorers in the series are Sri Lankan.

With 316 and 264 runs respectively, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene have prospered against New Zealand's efficient attack. The side's elder statesmen have received precious little support lower down the order, with only fellow veteran Kumar Sangakkara averaging over 30 during the series.

The visitors failed to fill the huge gap left by the injured Angelo Mathews in the fifth and sixth ODIs. The skipper has recovered from a calf injury but according to ESPNcricinfo.com he is now suffering from the flu. If Mathews does shake off the lurgy, it will provide a big boost to a side that has looked out-gunned for much of the series.

If the batting remains a work in progress, there are serious questions facing a Sri Lankan bowling attack that has had no answer to the New Zealand pyrotechnics.

The Sri Lankan cause won't be helped by the absence of Rangana Herath. ESPNcricinfo.com report that the spinner will return home to look after an ill relative and won't return until around 3 February.

Herath has been the pick of the bowling bunch in his three appearances, taking four wickets with his overs going at 4.13 runs per over. The only other bowler to have an economy rate of less than 5.56 is Angelo Mathews.

The rest of the attack have been on the receiving end of some fearful tap, even when conditions have suited.

To claim a morale-boosting win in Wellington, the Sri Lankans will need more from Nuwan Kulasekara and the recently returned Sachithra Senanayake.

Squads

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (c), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Luke Ronchi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (c), Dushmantha Chameera, Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shaminda Eranga, Mahela Jayawardene, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Seekkuge Prasanna, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lahiru Thirimanne

Key Players

New Zealand

With so much batting firepower on show, it's hard to know where to start with the New Zealanders. Kane Williamson seems as good a choice as any.

The 24-year-old has 241 runs to his name in his four appearances this series at an average of 60.25.

He looked in great touch in Dunedin on Sunday and has power to add in Wellington.

Sri Lanka

With the fitness of Angelo Mathews still in doubt, Sri Lanka's hopes will once again rest on the shoulders of Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sangakkara.

The latter has passed 50 twice this series without reaching three figures. If he does manage to convert a good start into a big score, Sri Lanka will have a chance of picking up a much needed victory.

Statistics courtesy of ESPNcricinfo.com.