Tag: NZ vs SL

DUNEDIN: New Zealand breezed past Sri Lanka with a commanding nine-wicket win in the second Twenty20 international to level the series on Wednesday after opener Tim Seifert top-scored with 79 not out.

Kiwi bowler Adam Milne took a five-wicket haul for just 26 runs in a man-of-the-match performance as Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 141 runs after they were put into bat.

“You always dream of taking five wickets for New Zealand. As I had three in the last over with a couple of tailenders in, I started feeling a little bit greedy,” Milne said in a post-match talk.

Seifert then helped New Zealand chase the target in just 14.4 overs for the loss of opener Chad Bowes.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham expressed satisfaction over his side’s ‘clinical performance”.

“The way we were just able to keep taking wickets, that’s the best way really to stall a run rate,” he said

“I thought our bowling performance was outstanding.”

With the victory in today’s game, New Zealand levelled the series 1-1 after Sri Lanka won the opening T20 in Auckland on Sunday. The final T20I and series decider will be played in Queensland on Saturday.

Milne’s impressive bowling display sailed New Zealand to a comfortable position as they were set to chase a paltry 142.

Opener Bowes was caught after hitting 31 off 15 balls before Seifert breathed fire in a partnership of 106 alongside Latham, who finished 20 not out.

Seifert then wrapped up the game in style with a couple of massive hits

Earlier. Kusal Perera (35) and Dhananjaya de Silva (37) held the fort for the visitors with a middle-order partnership of 62 off 46 and took the scoreboard to 99-4 after 12 overs.

The tourists then underwent a dismal batting collapse by losing their next six wickets for just 42 runs as New Zealand’s seamers found their length to devastating effect.

Charith Asalanka was the last Sri Lankan batter to offer any resistance, contributing 24 runs off 19 balls.

Milne led the charge for New Zealand, picking off Sri Lanka’s tailenders Dilshan Madushanka and Pramod Madushan without a run being scored.

“We got a good start but lost the momentum in the middle,” said Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka, who paid credit to Milne’s superb bowling.

“Losing wickets at regular intervals cost us the game.”

It may be noted here that Sri Lanka have lost both the Test and one-day international series 2-0 during their ongoing tour of New Zealand.

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WELLINGTON: New Zealand claimed victory against Sri Lanka by an innings and 58 runs on Monday to secure a 2-0 Test series whitewash despite a late fightback from the visitors.

Sri Lanka notched just 164 in their first innings and were asked to follow on after the Black Caps declared at 580 in Wellington. They were then bowled out for 358.

“It was nice to get the win finished off, especially as the weather forecast wasn’t great, which is part of the reason why we asked for the follow on,” said New Zealand captain Tim Southee.

“It’s been a pleasing few weeks in the whites with a number of guys stepping up at different times,” he added with New Zealand on three straight Test wins including last month’s thrilling victory over England to level that series 1-1.

New Zealand stuck to their task after Dhananjaya de Silva launched a fightback on Monday, passing 3,000 Test runs before being caught on 98, missing a 10th Test century.

The home seamers had already sniffed victory when they broke his 76-run partnership with debutant wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka, who was caught just before the tea break.

The loss of de Silva signalled the end of the resistance — Sri Lanka lost their last three wickets for 40 runs as the tailenders were picked off.

Southee and New Zealand seamer Blair Tickner did most of the damage with three wickets apiece.

‘Really disappointing’ 

After Sri Lanka resumed the day on 113-2, New Zealand’s pace attack offered no respite in the first over of Monday as Matt Henry’s delivery saw Kane Williamson catch Kusal Mendis on 50.

The visitors were in danger of folding at 116-4 soon after when Angelo Mathews also walked having added just two runs from 44 balls.

De Silva slowed New Zealand’s momentum in a partnership of 126 alongside Dinesh Chandimal in the first session, which ended when Tickner had Chandimal caught on 62 just before lunch.

De Silva maintained the resistance after the break by pairing up with Madushka, but their dismissals for no runs either side of tea left Sri Lanka still 98 runs short.

Kasun Rajitha took Sri Lanka past 350 runs with a four, a lucky edge that went past Michael Bracewell in the slips.

Bracewell made no mistake the second time with a diving catch to claim Lahiru Kumara’s wicket off Southee.

Asitha Fernando survived a review after the ball clipped his trousers rather than his leg pad, but New Zealand sealed the victory when Rajitha was caught by Williamson, the hosts’ top-scorer with a double century in the first innings.

“It’s a really disappointing series for us. After doing really well in the first Test, we couldn’t do anything better here,” admitted Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne.

“We couldn’t hold our line bowling which cost us and our batters couldn’t get a big score, so those are areas we need to work on.”

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