Agencies
Dambulla
Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando made centuries, and put on 206 together to send Sri Lanka to a commanding total of 324-5 in 49.2 overs before rain intervened and reduced New Zealand’s chase to 27 overs on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka’s spinners reaped five wickets for 22 runs to derail the visitors.
In the end, New Zealand didn’t get close to the 221 they required off 27 overs. They puttered to 175 for 9, with too little firepower in their lower order to get them up with the required rate, and too much know-how in Sri Lanka’s attack to let them prosper after the collapse.
The primary architects of Sri Lanka’s victory, however, were Kusal and Avishka. Their partnership was the highest ever for the second wicket in men’s ODI’s between these sides. Kusal’s 143 off 128 was also his highest individual score.
And their propelling Sri Lanka to their eventual 324 for 5, before rain brought a halt to their innings after 49.2 overs, was a huge step towards victory, because although this surface was not especially spin-friendly, no chasing team had made so much as 290 in Dambulla.
In the end, a long rain delay meant New Zealand had a curtailed chase. But even their openers, who put 88 off 80 balls, weren’t quite keeping up with the required rate. Will Young made 48 off 46 and Tim Robinson 35 off 36. But they needed big fireworks from the likes of Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman which never came. Of New Zealand’s players, Jacob Duffy came out of this match with perhaps the best performance, having taken 3 for 41 in his 8.2 overs.
Scores: Sri Lanka 324 for 5 in 49.2 overs (Kusal 143, Avishka 100, Asalanka 40, Duffy 3-41) beat New Zealand 175 for 9 in 27 overs (Young 48, Robinson 35, Bracewell 34*, Madushanka 3-39) by 45 runs (DLS method).