BRIDGETOWN, March 10: New Zealand restored their World Cup morale after Tuesday's surprise defeat by Bangladesh when they beat a powerful Sri Lanka side by 18 runs on Friday.

Despite a glittering century from Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga, the Black Caps clinched victory in the teams' final warm-up match in the penultimate over at the 3Ws Oval just outside Bridgetown.

On the face of it, 1996 winners Sri Lanka posed a far stickier problem for the Kiwis at the 3Ws Oval than Bangladesh three days earlier, but this time New Zealand attacked the bowling from the start in their 285 for eight from 50 overs.

They were helped by a solid platform established by opening pair, captain Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent, who made 131 for the first wicket.

Fleming was the first to depart, attempting one hoist over mid-off too many to be comfortably caught by Farveez Maharoof off Nuwan Kulasekera’s bowling for 65.

Vincent carried on the assault on the Sri Lankan attack and had advanced the score to 175 when he was undone by a direct hit from the covers by captain Mahela Jayewardene to be run out for 70 from 105 balls.

Peter Fulton was quick to take up the attack and he needed just 47 balls to strike a quickfire 59 which included three sixes and ensured they did not lose momentum through the middle order.

None of the Sri Lankan bowlers, who had made such short work of Scotland on Monday, came off the field with much credit.

Sri Lanka's main threat, spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, took more than his fair share of punishment in a 10-over spell which went for 64 with only one wicket to show for his efforts.

Tharanga clearly fancied his chances of helping his side overhaul a fairly daunting total on a wicket described earlier in the week by Fleming as slow enough to be “tacky”.

He tucked into the Kiwi attack, which was missing resting spinner Daniel Vettori, before departing for 106.

Sri Lanka bat all the way down to 11 but wickets continued to fell regularly and James Franklin finished off their resistance with a direct hit to run out Kulasekera.

The win will put the Kiwis, who lost to Bangladesh by two wickets on Tuesday, in confident mood before facing England in their opening Group C clash in St Lucia next Friday.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

L. Vincent run out 70

S.P. Fleming c Maharoof b Kulasekara 65

R.L. Taylor c Jayawardene b Murali 30

S.B. Styris c Sangakkara b Bandara 0

P.G. Fulton c Jayawardene b Malinga 59

J.D.P. Oram c Tharanga b Maharoof 16

C.D. McMillan b Malinga 3

B.B. McCullum not out 7

J.E.C. Franklin run out 1

D.R. Tuffey not out 1

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-4, W-17, NB-9) 33

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 285

FALL OF WKTS: 1-131, 2-175, 3-175, 4-204, 5-258, 6-272, 7-277, 8-278.

DID NOT BAT: S.E. Bond, M.J. Mason, J.S. Patel.

BOWLING: Maharoof 6-0-23-1; Fernando 10-0-61-0; Kulasekera 8-0-41-1; Muralitharan 10-0-64-1; Bandara 6-0-37-1; Dilshan 6-1-26-0; Malinga 4-0-26-2.

SRI LANKA:

M.S. Atapattu c McCullum b Bond 24

W.U. Tharanga c McCullum b Oram 106

D.P.M.D. Jayawardene c McMillan b Styris 2

K.C. Sangakkara c Fulton b Styris 13

L.P.C. Silva lbw b Patel 40

M.F. Maharoof run out 2

T.M. Dilshan b Bond 5

R.P. Arnold not out 32

C.M. Bandara c Bond b Oram 6

K.M.D.N. Kulasekara run out 5

S.L. Malinga run out 1

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-13, NB-9) 31

TOTAL (all out, 50 overs) 267

FALL OF WKTS: 1-115, 2-121, 3-153, 4-180, 5-182, 6-200, 7-244, 8-253, 9-258.

DID NOT BAT: M. Muralitharan, C.R.D. Fernando.

BOWLING: Mason 7-0-31-0; Bond 9-2-50-2; Tuffey 10-0-52-0; Styris 10-0-44-2; Patel 10-0-55-1; Oram 4-0-26-2.

Result: New Zealand won by 18 runs.

UMPIRES: S.J. Davis (Australia) and I.L. Howell (South Africa).—Agencies