McCullum propels Kiwis

Chasing Sri Lanka’s 135 for six, New Zealand needed 10 off the last over from express fast Lasith Malinga, and eventually finished on 139 for eight with one delivery remaining.

Nathan (16 off 6 balls), older brother of Brendon, struck a four moving across the off-stump and piercing the gap at fine-leg to bring the equation down to four off three balls. New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori (17) was run out while going for a second run off the next ball. Nathan then struck a powerful blow over long-off for a six to spark celebrations in New Zealand camp.

It was Jacob Oram who pulled his team back in contention in an engrossing battle after Jesse Ryder (42 off 27 balls) and Martin Guptill (19) laid the foundation for the chase with a 62-run stand following the first-over dismissal of Brendon.

With 38 required off 20 balls, big-hitting  Oram (15) hit two sixes off Ajantha Mendis in the 17th over to revive Kiwi hopes.

Ryder and Guptill had batted sensibly on a slow and spinning track to set the tone for the Kiwis. Ryder mixed caution with agression and struck three fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Sri Lanka relied on Mahela Jayawardene’s brilliance to set up a challenging total after choosing to bat.

Jayawardene smashed 81 off 51 balls to guide Sri Lanka through a difficult phase after the islanders made a slow start before recovering in the final overs.

SCORE BOARD
Sri Lanka
J’dene c N McCullum b Southee    81
Dilshan b Oram    3
Sangakkara b Styris    4
Chandimal c Taylor b N M’llum    29
K’dera c N McCullum b Bond    11
Mathews c N McCullum b Bond    3
Jayasuriya  (not out)    0
Extras (LB-3, W-1)    4
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs)    135
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-44, 3-103, 4-124, 5-135, 6-135.
Bowling: N McCullum 3-0-17-1, Bond 4-0-35-2, Southee 4-0-21-1, Oram 3-0-23-1, Vettori 4-0-23-0, Styris 2-0-13-1.
New Zealand
B McCullum c Malinga b Mathews    0
Ryder b Muralitharan    42
Guptill b Jayasuriya    19
Taylor c Mathews b M’tharan    9
Styris b Mendis    17
Vettori  (run out)    17
Oram b Welegedara    15
Hopkins (run out)    1
N McCullum (not out)    16
Tim Southee (not out)    0
Extras (B-2, W-1)    3     
Total (for 8 wkts, 19.5 overs)    139
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-62, 3-66, 4-86, 5-96, 6-116, 7-117, 8-133.
Bowling: Angelo Mathews 2-1-7-1, Chanaka Welegedara 2-0-21-1, Ajantha Mendis 4-0-34-1, Lasith Malinga 3.5-0-33-0, Muttiah Muralitharan 4-0-25-2, Sanath Jayasuriya 4-0-17-1.