DILSHAN, MATHEWS STAR
Tillekaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews starred in Sri Lanka's comprehensive seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the third ODI played at the Pallekele Stadium yesterday which saw the home side take a twonil lead with two matches left to be played in the five match ODI series.
The pair got their act together when it mattered most to guide Sri Lanka, being set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 197 runs in match curtailed to 33 overs, to the target with 11 balls remaining.
It was a superlative batting display by the duo who joined together when Sri Lanka's lost their third wicket, that of skipper Mahela Jayawardena with the score on 73 and then put on an unbroken 127run stand for the fourth wicket. Dilshan came back to form to make an unbeaten 102 in just 95 balls that included 12 boundaries and a six which was the 14th ton of his career while Mathews made an unbeaten 47-ball knock of 54 inclusive of seven boundaries which was his 12th half ton.
Sri Lanka began their chase of the daunting target with a positive approach with the openers Upul Tharanga and Dilshan being associated in a quick-fire 30-run stand before Tharanga was dismissed. Dislhan and Sangakkara added a further 35 runs for the second wicket but lost their third wicket with the addition of only eight runs.
Dilshan, though beginning his innings with caution, went after the New Zealand attack at the latter stages with success as he reached his ton with a massive six over deep square leg off pacie Tim Southee and fittingly was awarded the man of the match award.
Earlier the Sri Lankan bowlers let New Zealand off the hook after having them bogged down in the early stages of the innings. The two long stoppages due to rain saw the match being curtailed, with the first being of over 90 minutes after which the game was reduced to 48 overs. The resumption saw only five overs being possible as another heavy shower interrupted play for nearly 150 minutes and the resumption resulted in the match being further reduced to 33 overs.
New Zealand at that stage were in a spot of bother as they failed to reach the three runs an over mark upto the 17th over, being able to muster only 50 for 4 with the run rate just 2.94 per over.
It was f rom here opener John Watling and James Franklin spearheaded the side. The pair added a valuable 56-run stand for the fifth wicket in 51 balls before they were separated with the dismissal of Franklin.
Kane Williamson who walked in
New aland at that stage were in a spot of bother as they failed to reach the three runs an over mark upto the 17th over, being able to muster only 50 for 4 with the run rate just 2.94 per over
did not last long being sent back to the pavilion in a short stay of six balls for his five runs adding just 12 runs with his partner Watling.
With New Zealand struggling on 117 for 6 in the 25th over the next eight overs was very productive as Watling along with Nathan McCullum opened up and in particular Watling who began run riot to send the Sri Lanka bowlers on a leather hunt.
Watling who was struggling for his runs earlier took as much as 56 balls to make a score of 30 but his calypso style batting at the latter part of the innings helped his side to build up a challenging score. Watling required only another 32 balls to add a further 66 runs to make his knock of 96 that included 12 boundaries and his knock was the highest score by a
New Zealand batsman against Sri Lanka in a ODI. Watling along with McCullum put on a brisk unbroken 71-run stand for the seventh wicket in only 36 balls which incidentally was the last six overs of the innings.
The two sides will move to Sooriyawewa where they will clash in the remaining two matches scheduled to be played on November 10 and 12.