SL win as Dilshan upstages Watling

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed an unbeaten 102 to power Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the third one-day international in Pallekele on Tuesday.

The opener hit 12 fours in his 95-ball knock as Sri Lanka achieved a rain-revised target of 197 with 11 balls to spare in a day-night match reduced to 33-overs-a-side due to rain for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Man-of-the-match Dilshan also upstaged New Zealand opener Bradley-John Watling, who hit a career-best 96 not out.

Dilshan completed his 14th ODI hundred with a six over deep square-leg off Tim Southee. He received valuable support from Angelo Mathews, who hit seven fours in his 54 not out.

The pair added 127 for the unfinished fourth-wicket stand.

The opening one-dayer was called off without a ball being bowled due to rain at the same venue.

Watling earlier smashed 12 fours in his 88-ball knock to help his team post a competitive total.

Playing his 14th one-dayer, Watling completed his half-century off 70 balls but took just 18 deliveries to score his next 46 with the help of eight fours, including three in an over from Lasith Malinga. Watling added 71 for the unfinished seventh-wicket stand with Nathan McCullum (22 not out). James Franklin was the other main scorer with 26.

New Zealand lost an early wicket after being put in to bat as opener Rob Nicol (seven) was caught by Jayawardene in the slips in Malinga’s second over.

Sri Lankan seamer Mathews then claimed his 50th one-day wicket when he trapped hard-hitting batsman Brendon McCullum leg-before for 13.

New Zealand were under pressure at 49-4 after losing Taylor (seven) and all-rounder Jacob Oram (two), but Watling and Franklin steadied the innings with a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket.

The tourists made two changes, bringing in fit-again Brendon McCullum and Oram in place of Tom Latham and Andrew Ellis. Sri Lanka retained the team.

Score Board

Sri Lanka won toss

New Zealand

R J Nicol c Jayawardene b Malinga 7

†B J Watling not out 96

B B McCullum lbw b Mathews 13

*L R P L Taylor run out 7

J D P Oram lbw b Mendis 2

J E C Franklin b Kulasekara 26

K S Williamson c Mathews b Mendis 5

N L McCullum not out 22

Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 7) 10

Total (6 wickets; 33 overs) 188

Did not bat: K D Mills, T G Southee, T A Boult

Fall: 1-9, 2-31, 3-43, 4-49, 5-105, 6-117

Bowling: Malinga 7-0-40-1; Kulasekara 7-1-45-1 (1w); Mathews 5-0-15-1 (1w); Perera 4-0-22-0 (1w); Mendis 5-0-34-2 (3w); Dilshan 2-0-9-0; Herath 3-0-20-0

Sri Lanka

W U Tharanga c Oram b Southee 10

T M Dilshan not out 102

†K C Sangakkara c Taylor b Mills 15

*D P M D Jayawardene c Oram b N McCullum 5

A D Mathews not out 54

Extras (lb 7, w 6, nb 1) 14

Total (3 wickets; 31.1 overs) 200

Did not bat: H D R L Thirimanne, B M A J Mendis, N L T C Perera, K M D N Kulasekara, H M R K B Herath, S L Malinga

Fall: 1-30, 2-65, 3-73

Bowling: Mills 6.1-0-35-1; Boult 5-0-29-0 (1nb); Southee 7-0-50-1 (2w); Oram 7-1-43-0 (1w); N McCullum 5-0-28-1 (1w); Franklin 1-0-8-0

Result: Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets (D/L method)

Series: Sri Lanka led the 5-match series by 2-0

Man of the Match: T M Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

Umpires: H D P K Dharmasena and I J Gould (England). TV umpire: R E J Martinesz. Match referee: A J Pycroft (Zimbabwe)

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