Deccan Chronicle

Bracewell & Kuggeleijn set up New Zealand’s T20 win

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Auckland, Jan. 11: The recalled Doug Bracewell and debutant Scott Kuggeleijn starred with bat and ball for New Zealand to beat Sri Lanka by 35 runs in the one-off Twenty20 match in Auckland on Friday.

It ended a dismal tour for the Sri Lankans with the drawn first Test followed by a succession of losses in the second Test, three onedayers and the Twenty20.

New Zealand, sent into bat, recovered from 55 for five to finish on 179 for seven with Bracewell (44) and Kuggeleijn (35 not out) the key contributo­rs.

Although the target was not daunting, and Sri Lanka easily kept up with the required run rate to be four for 118 after 12 overs.

But their last six wickets fell for the addition of only

26 more runs and the innings folded for 144 with

19 balls remaining. Kuggeleijn and Bracewell both took wickets in their opening overs.

Kusal Perera, who raced to 22 off 12 deliveries was removed by Kuggeleijn’s third delivery while Niroshan Dickwella, who smacked a four and a six from the first two balls of the innings, went for 18 with the first ball from Bracewell.

Kuggeleijn and Bracewell also took the catches to dismiss Kusal Mendis (17) and Thisara Perera (43).

The first game all tour for Sadeera Samarawick­rama was a short-lived affair when he was bowled first ball by Lockie Ferguson.

Ferguson finished with figures of three for 21 while Ish Sodhi took three for 30. Sri Lanka did with the toss and put N e w Zealand into bat with impressive early results.

With a more discipline­d bowling attack than was seen in the ODIs, and with astute field placements, Sri Lanka ripped through the New Zealand top order to have them four for 27.

Brief scores: New Zealand

179/7 in 20 overs (Bracewell 44, Rajitha

3/44) bt Sri Lanka 144 in

16.5 overs (Ferguson 3/21).

 ??  ?? Doug Bracewell
Doug Bracewell

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