DAMBULLA: Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando both slammed centuries to set up a convincing 45-run victory for Sri Lanka in the rain-interrupted first one-day international against New Zealand on Wednesday.

Kusal, 29, struck a career-best 143 and Avishka hit 100 as Sri Lanka posted a commanding 324-5 in 49.2 overs before rain stopped play.

New Zealand, chasing a revised target of 221 off 27 overs, were restricted to 175-9 in the day-night game played at Dambulla.

The Kiwis started off brightly but lost five wickets in less than five overs while only adding 22 runs.

It was Maheesh Theekshana who triggered the collapse with the wickets of openers Will Young and Tim Robinson, who shared an 88-run stand.

Robinson fell to a sharp stumping by Kusal, and four balls later, Theekshana bowled Young to swing the momentum.

From there on, it was downhill all the way for the visitors as the rest of the batsmen failed to live up to the task.

Earlier, Kusal and Avishka stitched together a 206-run stand off 215 balls for the highest second-wicket partnership in ODIs for Sri Lanka against New Zealand.

Their effort eclipsed a 21-year-old record held by Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne, who added 170 against the Black Caps. The stand was also the highest partnership for any wicket at Dambulla in ODIs.

For Avishka, it was his first century since 2021.

Avishka’s 115-ball knock, including nine fours and two sixes, came to an end when he was caught while attempting a sweep shot off Ish Sodhi. It was his fourth ODI hundred. Kusal’s ton was also his fourth in ODIs.

A cameo 40-run knock by Asalanka off just 28 balls capped a fine day with the bat for the islanders. It was New Zealand paceman Jacob Duffy who dismissed Kusal, caught at extra cover. Kusal’s brisk 128-ball knock was studded with 17 fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka’s batters seized control after Asalanka opted to bat first.

Opener Pathum Nissanka was dismissed early for 12, but Kusal and Avishka made the most of the conditions.

The New Zealand spinners struggled to rein in the Sri Lankan batsmen, who kept the scoreboard ticking at over 6.5 runs per over.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka c Smith b Duffy 12

A. Fernando c Young b Sodhi 100

K. Mendis c Nicholls b Duffy 143

S. Samarawickrama c Sodhi b Bracewell 5

C. Asalanka c Young b Duffy 40

J. Liyanage not out 12

EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-2, W-4) 12

TOTAL (for five wickets, 49.2 overs) 324

DID NOT BAT: K.D. Mendis, M. Theekshana, J. Vandersay, D. Madushanka, A.M. Fernando

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-17 (Nissanka), 2-223 (Fernando), 3-238 (Samarawickrama), 4-291 (K. Mendis), 5-324 (Asalanka)

Bowling: Duffy 8.2-0-41-3 (1w), Smith 8-1-66-0 (1w, 2nb), Santner 10-0-53-0, Bracewell 9-0-73-1 (1w), Sodhi 10-0-62-1 (1w), Phillips 4-0-23-0

NEW ZEALAND:

W. Young b Theekshana 48

T. Robinson st K. Mendis b Theekshana 35

H. Nicholls b Asalanka 6

M. Chapman c Theekshana b Asalanka 2

G. Phillips c Nissanka b Vandersay 9

M. Bracewell not out 34

M. Hay c A.M. Fernando b Madushanka 10

M. Santner run out 9

N. Smith b Madushanka 9

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-5) 9

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 26.2 overs) 171

DID NOT BAT: I. Sodhi, J. Duffy

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-88 (Robinson), 2-89 (Young), 3-95 (Nicholls), 4-100 (Chapman), 5-110 (Phillips), 6-134 (Hay), 7-156 (Santner), 8-171 (Smith)

BOWLING: A.M. Fernando 5-0-26-0 (2w), Madushanka 3.2-0-35-2, Theekshana 6-0-32-2 (1w), Liyanage 1-0-4-0, Vandersay 6-0-40-1 (1w), K.D. Mendis 2-0-15-0, Asalanka 3-0-15-2

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by 45 runs (DLS method).

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024