Agencies
Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 73 trumped Mark Chapman’s 76, as Sri Lanka secured a narrow three-wicket win in the second ODI in Pallekele, and with it seal the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead. It was their first ODI series win against New Zealand since 2012.
Having been set a subpar target of 210 in a rain-truncated 47-over game, Sri Lanka were made to work hard on a sluggish surface as New Zealand’s array of spin options kept chipping away.
But a string of mini-partnerships was enough to see the hosts through, culminating in an unbeaten eighth wicket stand of 47 off 59 - the best of the innings - between Kusal and Maheesh Theekshana.
Michael Bracewell was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors, picking up figures of 4 for 36 in 10 overs.
He was one of two bowlers allocated for 10 overs in the innings, alongside Mitchell Santner who ended with miserly figures of 1 for 33, but Sri Lanka smartly recognised their threat and targeted the rest of the attack to sneak home.
Earlier a brilliant exhibition of catching had seen New Zealand bowled out for 209, a total that was heavily supplemented by Chapman’s 76 off 81 and Mitchell Hay’s 49 off 62 - they were two of just four New Zealand batters to make it to double digits.
Before his heroics with the bat, Theekshana had done his part with the ball grabbing 3 for 31. Jeffrey Vandersay also picked up three, while the tireless Asitha Fernando finished with two scalps.
But on a surface where nearly every spinner proved threatening to some degree, it was always going to take a special batting effort to separate the two sides. And Kusal provided that in spades.
ScorescColor:> Sri Lanka 210 for 7 (Mendis 74*, Theekshana 27*, Bracewell 4-36) beat New Zealand 209 all out (Chapman 76, Hay 49, Theekshana 3-31) by three wickets (47 overs a side).