Kiwis scrape the win in first Sri Lanka T20

Cricket365
January 10, 2016

Two wickets in the final over of the first T20 in Mount Maunganui saw New Zealand hold on for a three-run win over Sri Lanka, with Trent Boult's three economical wickets vital for the hosts.

New Zealand made 182 for four in their 20 overs, thanks to half centuries from Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill. Sri Lanka then seemed on course to chase that down, before late wickets scuppered their chances.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field in the first of two T20s, and they soon regretted that decision as Guptill and Williamson opened the batting with aplomb and scored a century stand inside 11 overs.

Guptill was the first to fall, for 58 off 34 balls, when he was run out with the score on 101. Williamson was out five overs later, for 53 to Nuwan Kulasekara. The sore was 131.

Some nifty hitting from Colin Munro, who added 36 off 26 balls, and a blistering 22 not out from Ross Taylor, off nine deliveries, ensured they had enough on the board in the end.

Sri Lanka's chase suffered from the loss of regular wickets, despite a 46 from opener Danushka Gunathilaka. The rest of the top order failed spectacularly, with no-one else in the top five reaching double figures.

Boult and Matt Henry, who also took three wickets but at twice the runs of Boult, were the chief destroyers, and a 42 from Milinda Siriwardana was in vain.

With 13 required off the final over, the loss of two quick wickets put a nail in that coffin as Sri Lanka could only get nine of those runs.