Tri-series in Dambulla …
UPUL Tharanga’s 70 off 109 balls helped Sri Lanka overhaul New Zealand’s modest total of 192 runs to secure a three-wicket win in the Tri-series in Dambulla yesterday. Tharanga’s patient innings and captain Kumar Sangakkara’s 48 off 62 balls set up the chase for the hosts after Lasith Malinga (three for 35) and Angelo Mathews (three for 36) broke the back of New Zealand’s batting.
New Zealand’s bowlers failed to apply the brakes on the home-team batsmen, but Kyle Mills finished with figures of four for 41 after opener BJ Watling (55) helped the tourists notch up a modest total.
Chasing 193 for victory, Sangakkara and Tharanga gave Sri Lanka a solid start after the early loss of dashing opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (five), adding 85 runs for the second wicket.
Sangakkara, who was playing fluently, fell to Scott Styris when he was two runs short of his half-century, with Martin Guptill snaring a spectacular catch at short extra-cover.
Jayawardene fell cheaply to Nathan McCullum but Tharanga, who was dropped on 44 by Styris at first slip off McCullum, took Sri Lanka past the 150-run mark in the company of Thilan Samaraweera.
The left-hander, however, departed soon after, hitting Mills straight down deep cover’s throat, and Mathews’ demise three balls later reduced Sri Lanka to 164 for five.
The home team sent in Nuwan Kulasekara (seven) and Rangana Herath (two) ahead of accomplished batsman Chamara Kapugedera to step up the run rate, with an eye on the bonus point awarded for finishing the match inside 40 overs.
But the strategy backfired as the duo perished without making any substantial contribution, forcing the team to focus on halting the clatter of wickets.
Samaraweera (36 not out off 38 balls) and Kapugedera (9no) took the team past the finishing line without any further drama, but Sri Lanka missed out on the bonus point. (Eurosport)
NEW ZEALAND innings
BJ Watling c Sangakkara b Mathews    55
M. Guptill c Kapugedera b Malinga    0
R. Taylor lbw b Mathews    16
K. Williamson c Samaraweera b Mathews    0
S. Styris c Jayawardene b Herath    24
G. Hopkins c Kapugedera b Malinga    11
N. McCullum c Herath b Mendis    36
D. Tuffey b Malinga    0
K. Mills c Mathews b Herath    11
T. Southee c Dilshan b Kulasekara    13
A. McKay not out    4
Extras: (b-5, lb-4, nb-3, w-10)    22
Total: (all out, 48.1 overs)    192
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-47, 3-47, 4-99, 5-101, 6-123, 7-123, 8-143, 9-178.
Bowling: Malinga 10-1-35-3, Kulasekara 8.1-1-35-1, Mathews 10-1-36-3, Mendis 10-0-42-1, Herath 10-0-35-2.
SRI LANKA innings
U. Tharanga c Watling b Mills    70
T. Dilshan c & b Mills    5
K. Sangakkara c Guptill b Styris    48
M. Jayawardene c Taylor b McCullum    5
T. Samaraweera not out    36
A. Mathews c Taylor b Mills    0
N. Kulasekara c Hopkins b Southee    7
R. Herath c Taylor b Mills    2
C. Kapugedera not out    9
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, w-8)    13
Total: (seven wickets, 40.5 overs)    195
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-96, 3-119, 4-162, 5-164, 6-177, 7-180.
Bowling: Mills 9.5-1-41-4 (w-2), Tuffey 5-0-31-0 (w-1), Southee 6-0-41-1 (w-3), McKay 4-0-26-0, McCullum 7-0-23-1, Williamson 1-0-6-0 (w-2), Styris 8-0-22-1.