Sri Lanka win rain-affected match

AFP

Sri Lanka win rain-affected match

Sri Lanka won the second one-dayer against New Zealand by 14 runs on the D/L method as rain continued to disrupt the Black Caps' tour.

Rain had washed out both the one-off Twenty20 clash and the first ODI in Colombo and also deprived today's (Sunday) crowd in Pallekele of a potentially exciting finish.

A result was at least possible on this occasion, with New Zealand making 250 for six and the hosts responding with 118 for three before the day's second rain stoppage proved to be final.

Ross Taylor made 72 and BJ Watling also registered a half-century as the Kiwis posted a competitive total in their 50 overs.

Rob Nicol made 46 from 74 balls before falling to Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara taking the catch behind the wicket, with Lasith Malinga having already removed Tom Latham for just two.

Mahela Jayawardene was well-placed to catch Watling for 55 at short mid-wicket to give the economical Rangana Herath (one for 28) a wicket.

Taylor raced to 72 from 62 balls in a knock that included two sixes before Angelo Mathews took a sharp catch to dismiss him from Nuwan Kulasekara's bowling.

Nathan McCullum made 16 runs off as many balls before falling to Mathews, and Andrew Ellis contributed just four before Malinga (two for 39) claimed his second wicket of the day with a yorker on the very last ball of the innings. James Franklin (35 not out) was left standing.

In response, Upul Tharanga made only six and Sri Lanka were 37 for one when rain forced an interruption of 45 minutes after seven overs.

Sangakkara fell for 11 to the third ball after resumption but Tillakaratne Dilshan and Jayawardene shared a partnership of 59, manipulating the strike calmly and picking off occasional boundaries.

Dilshan made an uncharacteristically restrained 37, from 51 balls, before the introduction of McCullum brought a breakthrough for New Zealand via a catch at mid-wicket by Kane Williamson.

But the weather intervened again with one ball of the 23rd over remaining and Sri Lanka on 118 for three, ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par of 104 and with the requisite 20 overs completed. Jayawardene was left unbeaten on 43.