Sri Lanka horror continues
Christchurch, New Zealand (AFP) Brendon McCullum launched his
farewell tour in rollicking form Saturday with a whirlwind 55 to set up
New Zealand's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their opening one-day
international in Christchurch. In a 25-ball stay at the crease, McCullum
smacked 11 fours and one six to have Sri Lanka on the ropes before he
departed with New Zealand only needing a further 81 runs in 40 overs.
New Zealand were set a modest 189 target after Matt Henry destroyed
the cream of the Sri Lankan top order in a brief spell of 16 balls when
he took four wickets for two runs. Sri Lanka were eventually all out for
188 in 47 overs on a wicket that promised runs galore. Sri Lanka skipper
Angelo Mathews regretted that his bowlers were not as threatening.
"It's not easy to bowl at Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill," he
said. "They are power hitters and they go after the bowling from the
very beginning. We just need to bowl in the right areas more often."
Mathews said when he won the toss he wanted to bat to get first use of a
pitch that "looks like a belter".
But the wickets started falling early with a 98-run stand by Milinda
Siriwardana and Nuwan Kulasekara for the seventh wicket their one
partnership of note. They fell from 13 without loss to 27-5 and then
65-6 before Siriwardana (66) and Kulasekara (58) stemmed the rot.
Siriwardana's dismissal started the final slide in which the last
four wickets fell for 25 runs.
Henry did the damage as he removed Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru
Thirimanne, Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
Dilshan (nine) top edged the ball to midwicket where Nicholls
celebrated his international debut with a catch above the head,
Thirimanne faced 19 deliveries for one run and Mathews went first ball.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka
D. Gunatilleke c Ronchi b Milne 08
T. Dilshan c Nicholls b Henry 09
L. Thirimanne lbw Henry 01
D. Chandimal c Taylor b Henry 05
A. Mathews c Latham b Henry 00
M. Siriwardana c McCullum b Bracewell 66
C. Kapugedera c Santner b Bracewell 08
N. Kulasekera c Ronchi b McClenaghan 58
A. Mendis c Ronchi b McClenaghan 04
D. Chameera not out 13
S. Lakmal c Latham b Bracewell 08
Extras (w 8) 08
Total (10 wickets; 47 overs) 188
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-20, 3-23, 4-23, 5-27, 6-65
7-163, 8-164 (Kulasekara), 9-167
Bowling: Milne 10-0-30-1 (w3)
Henry 10-1-49-4 (w2)
McClenaghan 10-2-40-2 (w3)
Bracewell 9-1-37-3
Santner 8-0-32-0
New Zealand
M. Guptill c Kulasekara b Siriwardana 79
B. McCullum c Lakmal b Siriwardana 55
T. Latham b Dilshan 18
R. Taylor not out 05
H. Nicholls not out 23
Extras (lb1, w10) 11
Total (3 wickets, 21 overs) 191
Fall of wickets: 1-108, 2-162, 3-164
Bowling: Kulasekara 3-0-27-0
Lakmal 3-0-24-0 (w1)
Mathews 1-0-17-0 (w1)
Mendis 5-0-49-0 (w2)
Siriwardana 5-0-45-2
Chameera 2-0-18-0 (w3)
Dilshan 2-0-10-1 (w1) |
