New Zealand won by 45 runs
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Martin Guptill
Batter
Bowler
22:31 Local Time, 15:01 IST: A fantastic innings by Guptill to set things up, but I certainly think Neesham was a close competitor for the MoM award - an impactful innings by him backed up by a fabulous bowling performance which included the wickets of the two dangerous Sri Lankan openers. The Kiwis were certainly kept on their toes for the majority of the run-chase but they prevailed in the end with an excellent short-ball ploy and some accurate yorkers. After that high-scoring contest, we look forward to another one (perhaps a tad more competitive) at the same venue in the 2nd ODI as I, Rishi Roy, bid you goodbye on behalf of Vineet Anantharaman and Vinod. Cheerio!
Kane Williamson: A good surface, but the outfield was really random, and the wind factor was the reasons for such high scores. Two very competitive sides who played well in this match. You can take a few wickets early and put scoreboard pressure but that wasn't to be today. It highlighted some areas we can improve on. The ball kept flying around. Lots of credit to SL. They kept us under pressure for 90% of the time when they were batting. Guptill's hundred set the base, he's a world-class player. The lower and middle order came in and really pushed the total to an area of real strength on a surface that was very good for batting. It was a match-changing contribution (Neesham's batting) and he bowled extremely well too. Lots of good contributions to get us over the line. We know it'll be another good surface next game, so looking forward to that.
Malinga: The bowlers didn't deliver many wicket-taking balls. We didn't use variations even on a batting wicket. We have to analyse that and come back stronger in the next game. We are playing on the same wicket next match also, so we have to use our variations, and we need to use our wicket-taking options better than this game. The players realise that we weren't up to the mark. I'm happy with the batting, they capitalized on the situation. That's what we want in future. I think we can definitely do a better job next game.
Martin Guptill, MoM: Pretty good, happy with that outing. Certainly a good recovery in the end. I played the CPL and played in England, and in the last three months I did a lot of hardwork to come around and everything is fine with my injuries now. Everything is settled down now, I played a few games for Auckland, and I'm just trying to keep my balance as much as possible.
Sri Lanka started the chase with intent, as Dickwella carted the new ball to all parts. Kusal Perera started a fantastic counterattack and had a fabulous epiphany of clean hitting in the middle overs. However, once the Pereras were dismissed, there really was no hope for the Sri Lankans as they skittled out despite a few fluke sixes here and there. It was always New Zealand after that, and there we have it. The better side came through...
22:13 Local Time, 14:43 IST: This game promised to be so much more, and it was much closer than the final scoreline suggests. After the Kiwis lost Munro, KW and Guptill creamed the middle overs for runs, and set the stage for a fiery finish. The Lankans made a mini-comeback with a flurry of wickets, but that couldn't stop Jimmy Neesham's fireworks in the last couple of overs - including 34 runs (6.6.6.6.2NB.6.1) off a Perera over.
END OF OVER 49
10 Runs
SL: 326 - 10
0 2 2 6 0 W
Lasith Malinga
11 (7)
Nuwan Pradeep
6 (3)
Matt Henry
10-0-87-3
Matt Henry to Malinga, out Bowled!! Spears in Malinga's own medicine, and that crashes into the stumps as the captain gets cleaned up. All over. A gallant chase by the Sri Lankans, but they've fallen comfortably short in the end. Malinga b Matt Henry 11(7) [6s-1]
Matt Henry to Malinga, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
Matt Henry to Malinga, no run, wide-ish yorker length delivery outside off, dug out by Malinga behind the stumps
Matt Henry to Malinga, SIX, short and pulled! Fantastic flat hit to deep mid-wicket for six, and a lady in the grassbanks has been struck on the jaw! Oooh, that could have been a rough one. She seems alright, thankfully...
Matt Henry to Malinga, 2 runs, fuller length delivery on off-stump, drilled down the ground, goes flat to the right of Nicholls, who tries to leap and take it on his right, drops it as it goes to long-off for a brace
Matt Henry to Malinga, 2 runs, length delivery in the slot, slugged away across the line towards deep mid-wicket for a brace
Matt Henry to Malinga, no run, short of length delivery on the gut, Malinga backs away and jumps with the ball as he defends off the backfoot
Matt Henry [9.0-0-77-0] is back into the attack
END OF OVER 48
6 Runs
SL: 316 - 9
0 0 W 0 0 6
Lasith Malinga
1 (1)
Nuwan Pradeep
6 (3)
Boult
10-0-65-2
Boult to Pradeep, SIX, one of the world's best bowlers, but if you overpitch, a number 11 slams you down the ground for six. Just lofts it cleanly over long-on into the digital fences...
Boult to Pradeep, no run, fuller length delivery on middle and off, a tentative checked drive towards mid-off
Boult to Pradeep, no run, fuller length delivery, well-nigh yorker length, Sandakan squeezes it out towards point
Nuwan Pradeep, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Boult to Sandakan, out Bowled! Pitches on a length, Sandakan has an almost illiterate (in batting terms) swipe across the line, and that crashes into the off-stump - stereotyped to be a coach's delight. Fantastic stuff by Boult, and now, this match has turned into a no-show. Sandakan b Boult 6(7) [4s-1]
Boult to Sandakan, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!