Corey Anderson’s calm and composed 81 ensured New Zealand win the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka by 3 wickets in their 7-match series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday.
Mahela Jayawardene played a magnificent knock of 104 which helped the visitors post a reasonable score of 218 after the top order’s painstaking batting approach haunted Sri Lanka’s batting plans against a methodical and aggressive bowling effort by the hosts. New Zealand’s nervy chase was anchored by a responsible 81 by left-handed all-rounder Corey Anderson after his skipper Brendon McCullum raced to a 19-ball half century but the Lankan bowlers fought back in a see-saw battle.
Earlier in the day, Angelo Mathews won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first on a bouncy and pacey Kiwi track. Sri Lanka recalled fast-bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Shaminda Eranga to the playing XI while handing Dimuth Karunarathne his 7th ODI cap.
Dimuth Karunarathne was trapped LBW by the extra pace of Adam Milne in the 4th over yet the left-hander’s call for the review failed to save him. Kumar Sangakkara was the next Adam Milne victim as he slashed a wide delivery to Kane Williamson at point when he was only 4 runs as the visitors was restricted to 16 for 2. Sri Lanka managed only 26 runs in the mandatory powerplay.
The seasoned campaigners who recently arrived for the ODIs leg, Mahela Jayawardene and TM Dilshan consolidated the Lankan innings sluggishly. Dilshan failed to find his timing going yet played few exceptional shots but was undone by Nathan McCullum in his first over as the right-hander came down the wicket but completely missed the ball and was stumped for a slow 42-ball 19.
New Zealand used many fielders in the inner ring to save the singles and the high number of dot balls haunted Sri Lanka’s cause. Mahela Jayawardene was batting comfortably and scored runs without causing a stir but his mix-up with his skipper Angelo Mathews ended a 31-run partnership for the 4th wicket as the men from South Asia were struggling to find their feet once again in Hagley Oval.
Jayawardene looked pure class and he brought up his half-ton with a skillful ramp shot over the wicket-keeper off Corey Anderson. Thirimanne played the second fiddle to Jayawardene in a useful partnership for the visitors as the pair put on 73 runs to steady the ship in the middle overs. Thirimanne’s inability to rotate the strike slowed down the run-rate and he managed only 23 off 50 deliveries as Sri Lanka were 155 for 5 at the end of the batting powerplay.
Jayawardene was playing one of his sublime knocks in New Zealand against all odds as he notched up his 18th ODI ton in just 104 balls. Number 7 bat Jeewan Mendis played a solid cameo of 23 in 25 to help Sri Lanka get to 200 as he put up a vital 44-run stand with Mahela before becoming one of the three wickets of Mitchell McClenaghan’s triple-wicket maiden. Mahela and Thisara Perera were the other two batsmen to fall in the 47th over.
Sri Lanka ended the innings posting a par score of 218 thanks to Mahela’s astonishing knock while the other batsmen struggled to get their ‘A’ game going. New Zealand bowlers stuck to their basics and always were on the attacking mode with a slip on till the very last over.
New Zealand lost Martin Guptil in the very first over of the chase but a Brendon McCullum tornado hit Christchurch once again as he took the Lankan bowlers to the cleaners smashing a quick-fire 19-ball half ton to set the innings in ultra-motion. Brendon was stumped by Sachithra Senanayake soon after he reached his landmark.
New Zealand had raced to 76 for 2 in the first 10 overs and Sri Lanka finally came back to the game as Sachithra claimed his 2nd scalp thanks to a brilliant one-hand catch by Mahela Jayawardene at first slip to dismiss Kane Williamson for 15.
Grant Elliott playing his first ODI for the Kiwis after 15 months failed to put up a decent score on the board as he was castled by a Nuwan Kulasekara in-swinger in the 12th over the hosts’ innings.
Part-time spinner TM Dilshan made another breakthrough in the 19th over to dismiss Tom Latham for 15 as the left-hander was stranded down the middle attempting a slog over extra over and the Black Caps were 101 with half of their team back in the pavilion.
Corey Anderson continued his good work as he produced a match-winning partnership with Nathan McCullum for the 7th wicket which contributed 60 runs to the Kiwi cause. Anderson was dismissed LBW just 10 runs before the target. He stroked 81 in 96 deliveries with 11 fours and 1 six.
Both teams will now travel to Hamilton for the 2nd ODI scheduled on 15th January starting at 06.30am (SL Time).
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