Up-tempo Sri Lanka win second ODI

Sri Lanka rediscovered their rhythm and tempo with bat and ball, cruising to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second one-day cricket international at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Chasing 249 after New Zealand’s innings was cut short by four middle-order run-outs, man-of-the-match Tillakaratne Dilshan recorded his 19th one-day century, out for 116 as Sri Lanka compiled 252-4 with 14 balls remaining.

The win levels the seven-match series at 1-1, with the third game at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Sri Lanka always looked composed in their run chase, Dimuth Karunaratne and Dilshan putting on 64 for the first wicket.

A fuller delivery from Nathan McCullum skidded on to rap Karunaratne low on the pads and remove him for 21 at the end of the 13th over but Sri Lanka’s run chase continued remorselessly.

Kumar Sangakkara (38) provided solid support until he picked out Tom Latham, who made a tricky catch at deep square leg look simple.

Mahela Jayawardene’s dismissal for 27 nine overs later, edging Matt Henry to Ross Taylor in the slips, left Sri Lanka 163-3 at the end of the 32nd over.

But with skipper Angelo Mathews’ 39-run knock providing steady support, Dilshan’s 127-ball innings anchored Sri Lanka to the win.

Hesitancy and confusion plagued the Black Caps as they battled to 248 all out after skipper Brendon McCullum won a rare toss.

McCullum did his bit in setting up the Kiwis with an 89-ball century, but four middle-order run-outs left the New Zealanders well short of the 300-plus total they had targeted.

McCullum set up New Zealand’s first ODI three-wicket win in Christchurch on Sunday with a quickfire 51 off 22 balls, but was more measured in an anchoring role on Thursday.

His 117 took 99 balls, including 12 fours and five sixes, and his 75-run third-wicket stand with Ross Taylor looked to have set the Black Caps up nicely after they lost opener Martin Guptill for 10 and Tom Latham for five.

But once McCullum was gone, caught and bowled by Jeevan Mendis with the first ball of the 31st over, the next five wickets fell for 49 runs.

Daniel Vettori, Luke Ronchi, Corey Anderson and Nathan McCullum were all run out, adding between them just 25 to the score.

Adam Milne contributed a handy 19 off 27 balls, Trent Boult then belting two consecutive sixes in the last over before holing out on the last ball.

Sri Lanka’s spinners picked up five wickets between them, Rangana Herath snaring 2-36, Sachithra Senanayake 2-55 and allrounder Mendis 1-47.

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