Lynn McConnell
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5th ODI: New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Christchurch, 11 Feb 2001 Lynn McConnell |
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Sri Lanka innings:
Pre-game: New Zealand innings: |
Craig McMillan bowled Mutiah Muralitharan off the second ball of the final over of the innings. He finished with three for 44 from 8.2 overs.
Sri Lanka needed to score 283 to pass New Zealand's total and maintained the outstanding batting form it has shown
A vital breakthrough was achieved when Marvan Atapattu was run out by a direct hit from a throw from Jacob Oram at deep third man. His 76 from 87 balls was a fine innings and in partnership with Mahela Jayawardene, he had led the side's recovery from 21/3.
Jayawardene scored 46 before he became too confident and charged Chris Harris only to be beaten and bowled. Coupled with Atapattu's departure, it left Arnold with the work to do.
With eight overs left, Sri Lanka needed 75 off 48 balls, or faced a run rate of 9.30.
Arnold was a bugbear for the New Zealanders when playing key innings in the first two wins of the series and he remained the hope for Sri Lanka.
However, his 59-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Kumar Dharmasena ended when Dharmasena tried to clout James Franklin over the infield but like many batsmen on the day, succeeded in mis-timing the ball and skying a high catch which was taken by Chris Harris racing in from point.
Nuwan Zoysa joined Arnold and took control scoring his 20 off nine balls.
Arnold's 50 came up off 68 balls and included only one four and one six.
The pair had just completed their 50-run partnership off 31 balls in 22 minutes when Arnold tried to take to Craig McMillan's bowling and skied the ball to backward point where Roger Twose held the catch.
Dilhara Fernando was out to the third ball he faced from McMillan for a duck.
With the change of ends, Zoysa tried to hit out, but an on drive found Daniel Vettori on the long on boundary and he took the catch. His 32 off 19 balls, included three fours and one six.
Mutiah Muralitharan was required to bat with a runner after suffering a groin injury in the field.
Going into the last over, Sri Lanka needed 15 to win. McMillan was given the job of bowling it out.
His first ball to Muralitharan did the damage. A yorker, it found its mark and bowled him to give New Zealand its first win of the series.
Earlier, James Franklin took three for 44 while Darryl Tuffey took two for 51.
From the first ball of the 31st over, Atapattu, on 76, hit to third man and took on Oram's arm when trying for the second run. He lost when Oram had a direct hit with Atapattu barely in the frame.
That left Sri Lanka at 150/5.
With the rest of the top order down and out at 21/3, Atapattu was paired with the saviour of the first two games in the series Russel Arnold to keep their team in the game.
Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene added 99 for the fourth wicket from 105 balls. They looked as if they would steal the game on their own until Jayawardene chanced his luck too far and advanced on Chris Harris only to be beaten and bowled for 46 runs scored off 56 balls.
Atapattu was in commanding form, scoring 50 off 53 balls, including seven fours.
New Zealand made a better start with their bowling and newcomers to ODIs this year, Darryl Tuffey and James Franklin had an effective approach which not only kept the runs down but also produced wickets.
New ball bowlers Darryl Tuffey and James Franklin made a tight start which containted the free-flowing bats of the Sri Lankans and each had their reward with wickets.
After 15 overs, Sri Lanka were 65/3 with Atapattu on 27 and Jayawardene 23.
Sanath Jayasuriya attacked a short-pitched ball from Franklin and failed to get onto it. He skied the ball high in the air and Lou Vincent circled beneath it to hold a good catch at square leg. Jayasuriya looked for a no ball call but there was none forthcoming.
If he felt aggrieved, he could share the feeling with New Zealand's Roger Twose who was given out to a ball of similar height.
Aravinda de Silva flogged one ball off the back foot back down the pitch for four but then followed a good ball from Franklin and speared it to Stephen Fleming waiting at slip to be out for five.
In Daryl Tuffey's next over, he had Kumar Sangakkara leg before wicket for one although there was a high look to the ball on Sangakkara's pad. Sri Lanka was 21/3 at that stage.
Sri Lanka is due to return home tomorrow to prepare for a long-awaited Test series with England and Muralitharan will be a vital part of the team's attack, starting on February 22.
He was chasing a sweep shot played behind the wicket by Lou Vincent and appeared to hop at the ball while fielding it with his foot. He went to ground and came up holding his groin.
Play was stopped while the team physiotherapist attended to him. Muralitharan left the field, then strangely, came back to bowl his last over off barely one pace. He completed his 10 overs for 44 runs and then immediately left the field.
New Zealand made a much better fist of handling the Sri Lankan attack today in perfect summer conditions in Christchurch scoring 282/6, its best score of the home summer.
Adam Parore looked in better batting form while hitting 49 from his position as an opener. Craig Spearman called back in after Nathan Astle was unavailable due to a stomach upset made only five before being well caught when attempting to blast his way back over the bowler's head.
Stephen Fleming scored another timely 40 but it was the big-hitting of Jacob Oram that caught the small crowd's imagination.
In a Chris Cairns'-like innings he hit his maiden ODI half century to be out for 59 off 57 balls, including four sixes and four sixes.
New Zealand had the benefit of several good partnerships, 67 for the second wicket, 57 for the fourth, 47 for the fifth and 85 for the seventh.
Parore scored 49, Fleming 40, Jacob Oram 59, Chris Harris 52 not out and Lou Vincent 31 not out.
A seventh-wicket record for games between the two countries of 85 was set by Vincent and Harris. They beat New Zealand's record of 40 set in 1996/97 and 52 set by Guy de Alwis and Romesh Ratnayeke in Australia in 1986/87.
New Zealand finished on 282/6, although conditions for batting suggest the total was far from impregnable.
At the 30-over mark New Zealand was 151/4, its best position of the series, and Oram was 38 not out from 31 balls including four sixes and one four. Craig McMillan was three not out.
It was a refreshing sight to see the New Zealanders on the charge instead of fighting the occasional skirmish while in full-scale retreat.
Adam Parore did the opening job that New Zealand has been seeking all summer but was robbed of personal reward when playing a ball from Indika Gallage onto his wickets to be out for 49.
It had been an innings of working the spaces while providing support for those going after the bowlers at the other ends. He faced 83 balls and hit six fours and featured in two 50-run partnerships.
The first was with skipper Stephen Fleming who faced 47 balls before following a wide ball which was well taken by wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara diving away to his left.
The next was a blazing 44-ball affair with Jacob Oram who took to the Sri Lankan spinners Mutiah Muralitharan and Kumar Dharmasena.
It was an unusual sight to see both bowlers have 25 and 24 runs respectively off their first four overs.
Following on from his 67 in the last game in Hamilton he unleashed some of his trademark leg-side shots during the first 15 overs of the innings to help New Zealand raise their 50 in the 12th over.
A lovely square drive to the boundary brought up the 50 partnership with Adam Parore and after 15 overs, New Zealand were 69/1 with Fleming on 31 and Adam Parore 25.
One over from Indika Gallage went for 16 runs, with two superb Fleming boundaries.
Craig Spearman's recall lasted only 13 balls. He was called in to replace Nathan Astle who was suffering food poisoning.
He was on five when he attempted to blast a ball from Indika Gallage back over the bowler's head. However, he didn't quite time the ball and skied it high to mid off where Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya was assured under the ball to hold the catch.
New Zealand was 18 for one with fellow opener Adam Parore making a much better start to proceedings, helped by glancing the first ball of the innings for four.
Parore also looked in good touch in the favourable batting conditions. While he didn't unleash as many boundaries as Fleming, he deftly placed the ball around the wicket to keep the score ticking over.
He is taking the place of Nathan Astle who is ill. In the New Zealand side Chris Martin has been left out while opener Marvan Atapattu returns to the Sri Lankan side in place of Romesh Kaluwitharana.
Conditions in Christchurch will be the best for any game in the series, calm, warm with fast outfield and competitive looking pitch. Sri Lanka won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat.
The umpires are Doug Cowie and Dave Quested (Steve Dunne is third umpire).
The teams are:
New Zealand - Stephen Fleming (captain), Craig Spearman, Lou Vincent, Roger Twose, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Darryl Tuffey, James Franklin, Jacob Oram (Chris Martin - 12th man).
Sri Lanka - Sanath Jayasuria (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Kumar Sangakkara, Nuwan Zoysa, Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Indika Gallage, (Avishka Gunawardena -12th man).
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 11 Feb2001 - 10:23