Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
23 | 25 Runs | NZ: 203/6 | RR: 8.82

  • Nathan McCullum32 (9b)
  • James Neesham5 (4b)
  • Rangana Herath3-0-43-0
  • Lasith Malinga5-0-42-0

Well there you have it. New Zealand achieve an improbable victory, when it appeared that they were merely doing the motions to try and get to the end without the indignity of being dismissed all out. N-Mac did a wonderful turn to club those runs, and New Zealand will take this momentum into the next match in Dambulla. On behalf of Devashish Fuloria and the scorers, this is Rohan Sharma saying good night, and good luck.

Kyle Mills, New Zealand captain: Yeah it's a pretty happy change room up there. Latham set it up for us and a number of guys did their job with the bat. Nice to finish it off the way we did. We have always had belief and backed our skills to do the job, but at the end of the day we have to come on the field and play winning cricket. Yeah I think we are leaking a few too many four balls and we are bowling slightly better than we did in the first game. We bowl well initially but then we let go off the pressure with a bad ball. We have to fix that up ahead of Dambulla. It's remarkable how much the game has changed over the last 3-4 years. Saw the games in India and who would have thought that 320-340 was a par score. It's up to the bowlers to go back to the drawing board and make new plans. There are opportunities for guys to step up, but as I said before, we are here to play winning cricket. The guys try really hard to put a result on the board. I am really enjoying the captaincy.The Game is a lot faster than I expected. Thought I could just stand at third man or fine leg (chuckles). It was a good result tonight.

Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka captain: Yea actually the batters did everything right. We did well to get the score we did, but then we got complacent after that. Most times batting second it would work for us. But 200 runs to get in 23 overs a night game, our bowling should have done the job, but we got complacent and the bowlers were making errors after the 10th over. I went for the best bowler (Rangana Herath) for the final over and would have chosen that anyways. The seniors came to the party once again, especially after losing first wicket in the first over. Unfortunately the bowlers could not pull through for us today. Pretty happy with the way I am going and pretty happy with the way I batted in the last game.

Tom Latham, Man of the Match: It is obviously very pleasing to get the win and go to Dambulla 1-0 nil up. After losing to Bangladesh 3-0 was tough. Wecame here with a young group. Nice to win the second one so really happy about that. The new rules certainly help when it comes to chasing those big scores. Big guys can clear the ropes when they want.

Now quotes from the match presentation

Hellooo, where did that come from! Nathan McCullum as done an ABdV here! Sri lanka would have thought the game was in their pocket at the start of the last over, but out from nowhere, Nathan McCullum has pulled out a blinder. 32 from 9 balls. This was not an easy target for an inexperienced attack and they lost a chunk of wickets at the start. But a super innings by Latham first, then Ronchi, then the clean finish. For a moment, it looked like Malinga had pulled it back for Sri Lanka, but it was not to be. And we thought that rain was going to be the winner. New Zealand go 1-0 in the three-match series.

Shiju R: "I bet that is Brendon playing in Nathans jersey"

Michael T: "Un-be-liev-a-ble. How many ups and downs can a game have? The moral of the story is: even Misters Duckworth and Lewis can perform better than NZ's bowlers... Take the bowling element out of NZ's game and we'll do fine! haha great game"

Burton DeWitt: "As I said at the start of the innings, 198 seemed fair under the circumstances. Well done NZ."

Talal Dar: "And this is another thing that has not changed in Cricket. Spinners getting hit for sixes in last over. McCullum has done a Mike Hussey and Herath has done an Ajmal"

Treser: "I feel sorry for Ishant Sharma. Recently several bowlers have been hit for 25 odd runs an over but he is the only one dropped. It must be his hair, I reckon."

Ishant sharma: "Been there. Done that !"

22.6
6
Herath to McCullum, SIX, and he finishes it with another six, he swats this full toss over long on

Sri Lanka have given it away! What a nightmare for Herath, what inspirational play by McNath

22.5
6
Herath to McCullum, SIX, he gets six, NZ have tied. McCullum is actually doing a Brendon! He makes room and smashes Herath over long-off

Seven off two..

22.4
4
Herath to McCullum, FOUR, he is keeping the game alive here, he moves the leg side, and slaps the length ball just over the extra cover fielder, who was leaping for that, but once it crosses him, it's a four

Still, three boundaries needed

22.3
6
Herath to McCullum, SIX, oh he gets the six NZ needed! He moves to the leg side and smashes the full delivery inside out over extra cover, that is an excellent shot in the situation, keeps the game alive

Gururaj: "There is only one thing that hasn't changed from decades in ODI cricket is when you bowl yorkers at a decent pace ball after ball, you can keep the scoring rate in check.."

22.2
1
Herath to Neesham, 1 run, full yorker by the spinner, he can only push it to cover for a single, good delivery that one
22.1
2
Herath to Neesham, 2 runs, full and flighted, driven firmly to midwicket, who is not able to collect it cleanly and palms it to long on

20 needed off the last over! Herath it will be to bowl the last one

END OF OVER:
22 | 12 Runs | NZ: 178/6 | RR: 8.09

  • Nathan McCullum10 (5b)
  • James Neesham2 (2b)
  • Lasith Malinga5-0-42-0
  • Nuwan Kulasekara5-0-34-4
21.6
4
Malinga to McCullum, FOUR, full delivery, but it's slightly off the length, McCullum moves to the leg side and gets under it and whacks it over the bowler's head for a boundary
21.5
1
Malinga to Neesham, 1 run, and another full delivery outside off, Neesham can only take a single to extra cover
21.4
1
Malinga to McCullum, 1 run, and this one is full and aimed at the leg stump, McCullum pushes it to midwicket for a single

TasmanBro: "Exchange offer - take Ronchi back, give us Faulkner for the next two overs .."

vishal: "Nathan will have to do a Brendon here..."

21.3
1
Malinga to Neesham, 1 run, yorker after yorker after yorker, the batsman jams it out towards deep point for a single
21.2
1lb
Malinga to McCullum, 1 leg bye, he walks down the pitch and gets a slower yorker, the batsman gets hit on the pad and it rolls towards point
21.1
4
Malinga to McCullum, FOUR, he fires a yorker on off and it's slightly off the mark, a low full toss, but the batsman flicks it over midwicket and finds the boundary

More of Malinga

greg: "How cricket has changed in the last 10 years. his would have been game over - but when you see whats been happening lately (AB final over 2 nights ago etc.) - you just never know anymore ..."

END OF OVER:
21 | 5 Runs 2 Wkts | NZ: 166/6 | RR: 7.90

  • Nathan McCullum1 (1b)
  • James Neesham0 (0b)
  • Nuwan Kulasekara5-0-34-4
  • Lasith Malinga4-0-31-0

Kula has four, and that over has taken the life out of the chase. Is there a last throw of dice from NZ?

20.6
1
Kulasekara to McCullum, 1 run, full delivery wide outside off, the batsman slices it to point and takes off for a quick single

Nathan McCullum is in.

Mahesh: "Did NZ lose the plot? They were going so strong, but Malinga's 1 over has pegged them back so much so that they don't know how to put bat to ball!"

20.5
W
Kulasekara to Latham, OUT, full and wide, Latham slices it in the air and that's a mistake as it goes straight to Senanayake at point. Latham was trying to pick that gap at point in the last over too, but this time he tries to go over it and doesn't get the elevation

TWM Latham c Senanayake b Kulasekara 86 (105m 68b 12x4 1x6) SR: 126.47

20.4
0
Kulasekara to Latham, no run, wider delivery outside off, the batsman attempts to punch it through off and misses it
20.3
4
Kulasekara to Latham, FOUR, he slices the full delivery and the pace on that ball takes it quickly to the third man boundary, ordinary effort their by Herath there

New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2013-14 News

  • Mills encouraged by individual performances

    New Zealand captain Kyle Mills conceded his side was outplayed comprehensively in the second T20 in Pallekele, but was optimistic about their chances in the home summer and the World Twenty20

  • Kusal brings out his rugby moves

    Plays of the Day from the second T20 between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, in Pallekele

  • Sri Lanka cruise to series win

    Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan struck 96 rapid runs together, as Sri Lanka comfortably hunted down New Zealand's modest 142 for 7 to take the series 1-0

  • Leadership curbing Chandimal's spirit

    While Dinesh Chandimal has shown the aptitude to captain Sri Lanka, he seems to be shackled by it, and this has badly affected in his limited-overs batting of late

  • Done in by darkness

    New Zealand search for light but all they get is rain

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st8AP DevcichTWM Latham
2nd0RJ NicolTWM Latham
3rd26GD ElliottTWM Latham
4th34C MunroTWM Latham
5th93L RonchiTWM Latham
6th4JDS NeeshamTWM Latham
7th38NL McCullumJDS Neesham