New Zealand team bus breaks down in Sri Lankan hills; ambulance and army jeep come to their rescue

The New Zealand team ended the two-match Test series against the Sri Lankans on a high, as they won the second Test by an innings’ margin and squared the series 1-1, earning both teams 60 points each in the ICC World Test Championship. The focus is now on the upcoming 3-match T20I series which will be played in Pallekele.

Recently, the team had to endure some hardships while on a road trip in Kandy, as their team bus broke down on way to their hotel and this made the players and staff make use of some interesting alternate vehicles to get to their destination. Being involved in sports makes one ready for any kind of situation and this is something that the Black Caps will not forget in the near future.

New Zealand team uses an Ambulance, Army Jeep and other vehicles to reach their hotel

The Kiwis were traveling in the hilly regions of Kandy, when the bus they were aboard on broke down owing to a broken clutch. This left the team, along with the support staff in a lurch and in the desperation of searching for alternate vehicles to reach their hotel. A video was posted by the New Zealand cricket board on its official Twitter handle, in which team manager Mike Sandle explained how they were traveling to their destination.

“We’ve utilized and adapted. We had another bus behind us which we’ve got a lot of guys in, some in a minivan and the stayers of us, we jumped in the ambulance. We’re spread – we’re in a bus, a minivan, an ambulance, and an army jeep – all with a police escort,” Sandle is quoted as saying in the video, while he is seen sitting in the back of an ambulance, while the remaining team and staff follow in another bus and an army jeep.

Here is the video:

What to do when your team bus breaks down in the Sri Lankan hills on a travel day ????
Utilise an ambulance, a jeep, a back-up bus & push on according to manager Mike Sandle! #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/wbwx87Q7II

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) August 29, 2019

Incidentally, the team was traveling to their hotel after defeating the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI in a warm-up tie. The Kiwi team will be led by Tim Southee in absence of regular skipper Kane Williamson, who has been rested for the three T20I matches starting next month with all the encounters to be played in Kandy’s Pallekele stadium.