SRI LANKA GOES ONE UP WITH 14 RUN WIN ON D/L
It was another disappointing end to a match that was heading for a close tussel as Sri Lanka took a one nil lead in the five match series against New Zealand with a 14 run win on Duckworth Lewis method in the second ODI encounter played at the Pallekele Stadium yesterday. Sri Lanka chasing 251 runs for victory made 118 for 3 in 22.5 overs when the match was called off due to bad weather. The required target at stoppage was 104.
The stoppage was the second of the match. The first being when the home side had faced seven overs with the score on 37 for 1. Sri Lanka having lost two early wickets that of Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara was guided by a 59 run stand for the third wicket between T.M. Dilshan and skipper Mahela Jayawardena which helped the side to keep up the required scoring rate. Dilshan made 37 while Jayawardena remained unbeaten on 43.
Earlier New Zealand chalked up their highest ODI score against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka after skipper Ross Taylor won the toss and elected to take first lease of the wicket. Their previous best against Sri Lanka was 236 for 8 made way back in 2001 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in a triangular series that also featured India. The Kiwis began their innings at a slow pace with openers Rob Nicol and Tom Latham being bogged down by pacies Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekera.
Latham struggled for his runs as he took 14 deliveries to make his first run and later became the first victim failing to read a sharp delivery of Lasith Malinga. Nicol joined by John Watling set the pace for New Zealand as the pair denied the Sri Lankan bowlers any success for a considerable period of time.
They brought up the 50 run stand in even time and later posted the sides 100 runs on the board before being separated with the dismissal of Nicol having put on a valuable 83 runs for the second wicket.
Nicol was unfortunate to miss out a half ton.
Watling went on to reach his fifty which came in 79 balls and he along with skipper Ross Taylor kept the scoreboard moving. But Watling did not last long mistiming a Rangana Herath delivery and succeeded in only lofting a simple catch to Mahela Jayawardena at short midwicket. Taylor found a reliable partner in James Franklin with whom he began a recovery act for New Zealand. New Zealand at this stage was in need of quick runs as they were going at just under four runs an over. Even though Franklin was finding it a bit uncomfortable he backed his skipper and gave him the confidence and Taylor opened up the floodgates with his pinch hitting.
New Zealand chalked up their highest ODI score against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka after skipper Ross Taylor won the toss and elected to take first lease of the wicket. Their previous best against Sri Lanka was 236 for 8 made way back in 2001
From a poor score of 130 for 3 in the 34th the duo brought up the score to 168 in the 40th over.
In the process they posted their 50
The stoppage was the second of the match. The first being when the home side had faced seven overs with the score on 37 for 1
run partnership off just 46 balls and Taylor reached his half ton soon after. Taylor continued to have things his way helping New Zealand pile up their runs in quick time before Taylor was dismissed having made 72 runs in just 62 balls which comprised seven boundaries and two sixes. The last nine overs yielded 76 runs for New Zealand while Franklin remained unbeaten on 35. The two sides will now meet in the third ODI to be played tomorrow at the same venue.