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Thank you for joining us- Bidipto Datta, Raghav Tikmany and Mohul Bhowmick- for this rather one-sided contest in the first One Day International of this bilateral series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The hosts have ensured a 1-0 lead for themselves and will be keen on adding to it. Until next time, ciao!
New Zealand ran a veritable road roller over Sri Lanka in the second innings of this game, and bowled them out for a pitiable 78. The credit needs to go to the opening fast bowling pair of Matt Henry and Henry Shipley, who started proceedings. Although Henry did not bag a wicket himself, he maintained immense pressure from his end.
Shipley, however, was the wrecker-in-chief from the other end, and ensured that the back of the Lankan batting order was broken. Daryl Mitchell and Blair Tickner, introduced after the aforementioned duo had to be rested out of necessity (they had bowled six overs each), finished the job off without creating too much fuss.
Shipley came back after a while to bag his fifth- his first in international cricket. The visitors will be extremely displeased with the way they batted today and they will have to take a long, hard look at the mirror. A lot was expected of the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews, but excepting the latter, they flattered to deceive. Things went downhill for Sri Lanka the moment they won the toss and opted to field first.
Sri Lanka dug a hole for themselves by choosing poor shots to play off good deliveries, and this is what haunted them throughout the innings. There was some offer for the seamers on this surface, and the Kiwis made full use of it. With victory achieved in the first match of the series, New Zealand will use it to go with confidence in the rest of the series. Sri Lanka will have to recover quickly. Their chances of qualifying for the World Cup later this year depends on the outcome of this series.
How fitting it is that debutant Rachin Ravindra, who got out one short of fifty in New Zealand's innings, took the final catch!
19.5 Blair Tickner to Lahiru Kumara, TAKEN! AND THAT IS THAT! NEW ZEALAND WIN BY 198 RUNS! Good length ball on off-stump. Lahiru throws his bat at that from the back foot. It goes high up in the air off the top edge. Rachin Ravindra settles under it and takes a fine catch under the night sky to end this hapless Sri Lankan innings!
Lahiru Kumara c Rachin Ravindra b Blair Tickner 10 (10b 1x4 1x6)
19.4 Blair Tickner to Lahiru Kumara, short over middle-and-off. A big swipe across the line off the back foot and a miss! Dot ball.
Shipley tried to come forward to stop the boundary but did not realise that he could have taken the catch as well! The low lights here in Eden Park did not help his cause.
19.3 Blair Tickner to Lahiru Kumara, FOUR! Good length ball outside off. A big heave through the line off the front foot but this gets outside edged to third man for a boundary in the end! Shipley tries to catch it by moving to his right but in vain.
19.2 Blair Tickner to Lahiru Kumara, short over off-stump, slower bouncer. Lahiru goes for the pull off the back foot but fails to make contact.
And the first six of the Lankan innings comes off the bat of number 10 Lahiru Kumara!
19.1 Blair Tickner to Lahiru Kumara, SIX! Good length ball around off. Lahiru backs away, opens up the front leg and hammers it over long-off!
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D Mitchell
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Eden Park, Auckland
