Champions Trophy NZ v SL: New Zealand grab dramatic one-wicket win

New Zealand snatched a dramatic one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their opening Champions Trophy Group A match in Cardiff on Sunday after Lasith Malinga had threatened to turn the match on its head.

Malinga captured four for 34 with a potent cocktail of slinging yorkers, short-pitched fliers and wickedly deceptive slower balls after New Zealand had set off in pursuit of a modest victory target of 139.

New Zealand still needed five to win with their last pair at the wicket when Malinga began his 10th and final over to Tim Southee.

After an opening wide, Southee somehow negotiated the remaining six balls. Number 11 Mitchell McClenaghan and Southee both took a single off Tillakaratne Dilshan's next over and the match was won when the batsmen ran two on a ball which was called wide.

After Angelo Mathews had won the toss and elected to bat, Sri Lanka managed only 138 all out from 37.5 overs against some wonderfully disciplined bowling and aggressive fielding shrewdly marshalled by captain Brendon McCullum.

McCullum set the tone when he flew high to his left to make a two-handed catch off the first ball of the match from Kyle Mills which caught the edge of Kusal Perera's bat.

Former captain Kumar Sangakkara scored 68 from 87 balls but only two other batsmen reached double figures.

Mitchell McClenaghan, who bowled so impressively in New Zealand's 2-1 one-day series win over England before the tournament began, was again the pick of the bowlers with four for 43 from 8.5 overs.

Bowling left arm over the wicket at a brisk pace, McClenaghan clean bowled Dilshan for 20 and Mathews for nine.

Daniel Vettori, who has not played international 50 overs cricket since the 2011 World Cup because of a succession of injuries, bowled the eighth over of the innings and was immediately successful.

In a perfect demonstration of the left-arm spinner's art, Vettori beat Mahela Jayawardene outside the off stump with a delivery which gripped, bounced and turned sharply away from the right-hander. The next ball, slower, flatter and straight, hit Jayawardene on the back pad right in front of the stumps.

DRAMATIC SWING

Four wickets fell in the first powerplay for only 38 runs and McCullum kept the pressure on the batsmen by keeping men in the circle to stop the singles.

Sangakkara, watching helplessly at the other end as the wickets continued to tumble, smacked three fours in a row, reaching his half-century from 70 balls.

He was eventually the eighth man out and New Zealand quickly wrapped up the innings for a total which looked hopelessly inadequate.

Because the Sri Lankan innings had finished so early, New Zealand had to face six overs before the lunch interval, time enough for Sri Lanka to pick up the wicket of Luke Ronchi (7) who has not been a success as an opening batsman.

The match swung dramatically towards Sri Lanka, who had not lost to New Zealand in one-day cricket since September 2009, after the interval.

Kane Williamson (16) was lbw, ducking into a slow full toss from Malinga, and then wasted New Zealand's only review for a decision which was soon confirmed by the third umpire.

The folly of Williamson's review, which he first discussed with his partner Martin Guptill, was exposed when Vettori (5) was unable to ask for a review when he was given out lbw to Malinga to a ball which had first hit his bat.

Ross Taylor was lbw to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath without scoring and New Zealand's form batsman Guptill, who had looked in prime form with four boundaries in his 25, was brilliantly caught at slip by Jayawardene leaping high to grab an edge off Shaminda Eranga.

James Franklin (6) was lbw pushing forward to Dilshan before McCullum (18) and his brother Nathan added 35 from 60 balls in a vital partnership. Nathan McCullum's 32 was the top score of the innings and coupled with his two for 23 with the ball earned him the man-of-the-match award.

"I am happy, though I was incredibly nervous at one stage," Brendon McCullum told Sky Sports.

"Sri Lanka are always a dangerous side and we panicked a bit in the middle. It was very important to scrap through, we have enough experience to deal with situations like this, although it did get tough towards the end.

"But I thought we played well for the majority of the game. Our bowlers were the reason that we won the game today."

Earlier, Sri Lanka collapsed to 138 all out off 37.5 overs against some disciplined New Zealand bowling and aggressive fielding in their Champions Trophy Group A match in Cardiff on Sunday.

Former captain Kumar Sangakkara was the only batsmen to offer any sustained resistance, scoring 68 from 87 deliveries with eight boundaries before he was the eighth man out.

Left-arm pace bowler Mitchell McClenaghan, who impressed in the 2-1 one-day series victory over England before the start of the tournament, took four for 43 off 8.5 overs.

New Zealand made a perfect start after losing the toss.

Captain Brendon McCullum leaped high to his left at second slip to take a two-handed catch when the first ball of the match from Kyle Mills caught the outside edge of Kusal Perera's bat.

McClenaghan clean bowled Tillakaratne Dilshan for 20 then Daniel Vettori captured a wicket in his first over in 50 overs cricket since the 2011 World Cup.

The 34-year-old left-arm spinner, who has been troubled by injuries, got his third delivery to Mahela Jayawardene to grip, turn and bounce over the off-stump. The next ball was slower and straighter, deceiving the batsman who was struck on the back pad and dismissed lbw for four.

McCullum continued to set attacking fields, denying the Sri Lankans the opportunity to take quick singles and rotating his bowlers constantly.

McClenaghan bowled Angelo Mathews for nine, knocking the leg stump over after the Sri Lanka captain had moved across his crease.

Lahiru Thirimanne received a life when wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi failed to gather a thick edge off Kane Williamson's off-spin but was then run out for nine after a horrible mixup with Sangakkara.

Thisara Perera survived a caught-and-bowled chance to Tim Southee and an lbw decision against off-spinner Nathan McCullum which was overturned when the television review showed the left-hander had got a thick inside edge on to his pad.

He did not linger much longer, lofting McClenaghan to Vettori at mid-off, while Sangakkara sliced Nathan McCullum to Williamson at short third man..

NEW ZEALAND INNINGS

New Zealand scrambled to a one-wicket win with almost 14 overs to spare after Sri Lanka bravely defended their small total of 138.

Dilshan who bowled an excellent spell of 6-1-8-1 is brought into the attack with New Zealand needing four to win.

Southee survives Malinga's final over as he finishes with figures of 10-2-34-4.

New Zealand lose their ninth wicket as Mills is run out by a throw from Thisara Perera needing just five runs for victory. NZ 134-9.

K Mills run out 3 (10b 0x4 0x6)

Southee survives another toe crusher from Malinga which runs to the boundary as Sri Lanka keep fighting tooth and nail.

Malinga gets the big wicket of Nathan McCullum with a toe crusher trapping him leg before as New Zealand crumble. NZ 122-8.

N McCullum lbw b Malinga 32 (42b 3x4 0x6)

Malinga has struck again with a slow yorker bamboozling New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to castle him. NZ 115-7.

B McCullum b Malinga 18 (49b 1x4 0x6)

Nathan McCullum survives a confident appeal for a caught behind before cracking two boundaries off Eranga. NZ 109-6 in 28 overs.

Nathan McCullum breaks the shackles by hammering the first boundary in 60 balls off Herath. NZ 93-6 in 24 overs.

New Zealand have collapsed to 80-6 with Malinga trapping Vettori leg before slow and low full pitched delivery though replays showed he had got some bat to it.

D Vettori lbw b Malinga 5 (16b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka are bowling with their tails up and tightening the screws on the Kiwis. NZ 73-5 in 17 overs.

Dilshan strikes in his first over trapping Franklin leg before. NZ 75-5.

J Franklin lbw b Dilshan 6 (17b 1x4 0x6)

Herath bowls a tight over after Franklin hammers a couple of boundaries off Eranga. NZ 70-4 in 14 overs.

New Zealand have been hit by the twin dismissals of Williamson and Guptill as Sri Lanka claw back from a hopeless position. NZ 49-4.

M Guptill c Jayawardene b Eranga 25 (24b 4x4 0x6)

Herath strikes in his second over trapping Taylor for a duck as Sri Lanka fight back. NZ 49-3.

R Taylor lbw b Herath 0 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Malinga strikes with a low full toss trapping Williamson leg before after being hit for three boundaries in that over. NZ 48-2 in 9 overs.

K Williamson lbw b Malinga 16 (22b 1x4 0x6)

Guptill slams consecutive boundaries off Malinga straight down the ground and to square leg.

Williamson gets a boundary by sweeping to fine leg off Herath's first over. NZ 35-1 in 8 overs.

Malinga bowls an excellent first over after the interval nearly getting Williamson with a ripper with Sri Lanka being unsuccessful with a decision review.

New Zealand have made a slow start chasing a relatively small target of 139 being 26-1 in 6 overs during the lunch interval.

Eranga draws first blood as Ronchi is caught behind off an outside edge. NZ 14-1.

L Ronchi c Sangakkara b Eranga 7 (11b 1x4 0x6)

Ronchi hits his first boundary chipping a slower ball from Malinga. NZ 11-0 in 3 overs.

Guptill hits the first boundary of the innings driving Eranga past extra cover. NZ 7-0 in 2 overs.

Malinga opens with a maiden to Guptill.

SRI LANKA INNINGS

L Malinga c Taylor b McClenaghan 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

N.McCullum double strikes in one over. SL 135-9 in 37overs.

S Eranga c Mills b NL McCullum 0 (3m 4b 0x4 0x6)

Sangakkara caught at short third man by Williamson.

K Sangakkara c Williamson b NL McCullum 68 (161m 87b 8x4 0x6)

Excellent over to Lankans coming 10 runs out of it. SL 135-7 in 36 overs.

Perera out caught in mid-on by Vettori. SL 122-7 in 34 overs

T Perera c Vettori b McClenaghan 15 (29b 2x4 0x6)

Three boundaries in a row to Sangakkara after Thirimannes wicket. SL 94-6 in 27 overs

L Thirimanne run out 9 (28b 1x4 0x6)

Thirimanne hits a boundary againts Vettori over midwicket. SL 80-5 in 25 overs.

McClenaghan stuns Mathews who plays across the line and finds his off stump uprooted. SL 65-5.

A Mathews b McClenaghan 9 (34b 1x4 0x6)

Mathews finally breaks the shackles driving Vettori through midwicket for a boundary. SL 64-4 in 20 overs.

Vettori bowls a maiden as runs are coming in a trickle with Mathews and Sangakkara are battling to salvage the innings. SL 58-4 in 18 overs.

Sangakkara drives Southee for a boundary to bring up the 50 of the innings in the 16th over.

N McCullum bowls a tight opening over conceding just a single. SL 40-1 in 12 overs.

Runs are also drying up for Sri Lanka with Southee bowling a maiden over. SL 40-4 in 12 overs.

Sri Lanka are struggling having lost four wickets with just 38 on the board at the halfway stage of the innings.

Sri Lanka are reeling as Chandimal edges behind to Ronchi. SL 34-4.

D Chandimal c Ronchi b Mills 0 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Vettori strikes with his fourth delivery as he traps Jayawardene leg before with an arm ball. SL 33-3.

M Jayawardene lbw b Vettori 4 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka are on the backfoot with the in-form openers back in the pavilion. SL 29-1 in 6 overs.

Dilshan hits a lovely boundary off McClenaghan but is bowled next ball beaten through the gate attempting a similar stroke. SL 27-2.

TM Dilshan b McClenaghan 20 (18b 3x4 0x6)

Sangakkara hits his first boundary pushing Mills through the covers. SL 23-1 in 5 overs.

Dilshan gets his second boundary pulling a short delivery from McClenaghan to square leg. SL 18-1 in 4 overs.

Dilshan hits the first boundary of the match with a straight drive off McClenaghan. SL 11-1 in 2 overs.

Sensational start for New Zealand as Kusal Janith Perera is out off the first ball of the match.

Brendon McCullum takes a brillant overhead catch at second slip as left hander edges Mills to first slip.

KJ Perera c B McCullum b Mills 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Kusal Janith Perera and Dilshan are out int he middle as Mills opens the attack for New Zealand.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat in their opening Champions Trophy Group A match against New Zealand at Cardiff, Wales on Sunday.

Shaminda Eranga has been included in place of Nuwan Kulasekara while Danie Vettori returns for New Zealand.

PLAYING XI

New Zealand - L Ronchi, M Guptill, K Williamson, R Taylor, B McCullum, J Franklin, N McCullum, D Vettori, T Southee, K Mills, M McClenaghan

Sri Lanka - KJ Perera, TM Dilshan, K Sangakkara, M Jayawardene, D Chandimal, A Mathews, L Thirimanne, T Perera, R Herath, S Eranga, L Malinga
 

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