Rain no barrier; Lanka take series with ease
4TH ODI AT HAMBANTOTA
Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka cruise through to an emphatic seven wicket win after spinner Jeewan Mendis had laid the foundation in the fourth ODI played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium yesterday. The win saw Sri Lanka take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five match series after the first match was washed out without a ball being bowled and one more match left to be played tomorrow.
Sangakkara and Chandimal put on valuable 87 runs stand for the second wicket enabling Sri Lanka reach the 131 D/L target from 31 overs with ease which saw them achieve it with over five overs left. New Zealand has yet to break the hoodoo of not having beaten Sri Lanka in an ODI series in Sri Lanka since 2003.
Sri Lanka began their run chase in a positive fashion with openers Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal giving the side a sedate start by putting on 36 runs. From there on Sangakkara joining Chandimal took things under control as the pair frustrated the New Zealand bowlers. Sri Lanka on the other hand had no reason to rush for their runs and that's just what Sangakkara and Chandimal did. The 50 runs partnership was posted by Sangakkara's boundary off a delivery of Nathan McCullum which sailed deep square leg. It was just a matter of time as the writing on the wall was there for a comfortable Sri Lanka victory. Even though either of the two batsmen were unable to reach the half ton their knocks were valuable.
By the time they were separated with the dismissal of Chandimal who made a 65 ball knock of 43 with four boundaries, Sri Lanka's win was almost sealed. Later New Zealand achieved a consolation wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne but it made no difference. Sangakkara remained unbeaten on 42 inclusive of five boundaries and a six.
Earlier it was spinner Jeewan Mendis' three wickets in five balls that put the breaks in the New Zealand innings and gave the Sri Lanka the edge after skipper Mahela Jayawardena won the toss and sent in the Kiwis to take first lease of the wicket. From a sound position of 105 for 4 Mendis dealt a double blow saw them sliding to 105 for 6. Mendis was unfortunate to miss out on a hat trick.
Duly the leg spinning allrounder was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
The rain again was the stumbling block as the game began after a delay of two and a half hours and was curtailed to 42 overs. Pacies Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekera be- gan their first overs with a maiden each. Openers Rob Nicol and John Watling were made to dig for their runs while Nicol in particular seemed to be nervous as Kulasekera made the first break through for Sri Lanka by getting rid of Nicol with New Zealand's score on 16 in the sixth over.
Watling was unable to make any impression and was not a shade of his previous unbeaten knock of 96 at Pallekele. Though he began a recovery act with Brendon McCullum he struggled for his 15 runs as he hesitated for a second run called by McCullum and failed to beat Kulasekera's throw to Mendis who whipped off the bails. Skipper Ross Taylor who walked did not last long as he dug for 17 balls for his six runs as New Zealand crumbled to 62 for 3. McCullum followed next as after he seemed to be settling down losing his patience and mistimed a delivery of Rangana Herath and succeeded in only handing over a catch to Dinesh Chandimal at long on.
The match was interrupted in the second ball of the 30th over with New Zealand reeling on 107 for 7 with a good one hour of play was lost, the resumption saw a further reduction with the match curtailed to 32 overs. With New Zealand left with just 14 balls left of batting they were able to add another 24 runs to end their innings with a score of 131 for 8. That looked insufficient to defend. Mendis ended with impressive figures of 3 for 15 from his four overs while Kulasekera finished with 2 for 17.