Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by three wickets

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (AP):

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by three wickets with nine overs to spare in the one-day international tri-series at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium yesterday.

After restricting New Zealand to 192 in less than 49 overs, Sri Lanka cruised to victory with 195-7 in the 41st over.

Sri Lanka lost four wickets in a three-over span in a failed effort to win within 40 overs for a bonus point, but the result was inevitable and Thilan Samaraweera calmed any Sri Lanka nerves by capping the victory with his fourth boundary through covers.

Upul Tharanga hit 70, including nine boundaries, and set up the win with an 85-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Kumar Sangakkara, who made 48.

Samaraweera finished on 36 not out.

Seamer Kyle Mills bowled best for the Black Caps with 4-41.

BJ Watling, one of three changes by New Zealand after winning the series opener against India by 200 runs, led with 55 on debut.

Seamers Lasith Malinga, with 3-35, and Anjelo Mathews, 3-36, made New Zealand fight uphill from the very start on a pitch conducive to batting.

Sri Lanka started their chase poorly by losing Tillakaratne Dilshan for five with the total on 11 in the third over when Mills took a high catch off his own bowling.

Then Sangakkara joined Tharanga and their 108-ball stand virtually sealed the match for the hosts.

Mini collapse

Sangakkara hit five boundaries and it took a great, diving one-handed catch by Martin Guptill to remove him at 96-2.

Tharanga was finally out off Mills, caught in deep cover by Watling, at 162-4 in the 37th over.

That sparked a mini collapse, but Samaraweera led Sri Lanka to victory with Chamara Kapugedera on nine not out.

New Zealand, after winning the toss again and batting first, failed to capitalise on favourable afternoon conditions, slumping to 123-7 in the 30th over.

Malinga produced the first breakthrough with the second ball of the match when Guptill hit a rising ball straight to Kapugedera at cover point for Malinga's 100th ODI wicket.

Watling and captain Ross Taylor put on 45 together, but Taylor was trapped leg before by Mathews for 16.

Two balls later, Kane Williamson's attempted drive was edged to first slip for his second duck in two games.

Watling continued to look composed, and he and Scott Styris added 52 until Styris edged Rangana Herath to the slips on 24 at 99-4.

In the next over, Watling's 68-ball innings ended when he miss-pulled at Mathews and edged behind to wicketkeeper Sangakkara.

Malinga picked up Gareth Hopkins (11) and Daryl Tuffey (0) with successive balls to leave the Black Caps on 123-7, but Nathan McCullum led the fightback with a career-best 36 to have New Zealand threatening 200 for a time.

The third match is on Monday when Sri Lanka play India.