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New Zealand took a massive victory against Sri Lanka by seven wickets and with 29 overs left to be bowled in the first ODI played at Christchurch of the five-match series. Sri Lanka fared poorly in both the batting and bowling departments of the game. Sri Lanka’s skipper Angelo Mathews won the toss and decided to bat first. New Zealand’s fast-medium bowler Matt Henry unleashed hell and sent four of the top five Sri Lankan batters back to the dugout. Sri Lanka were tottering on 27 for five in 9.4 overs. Soon they lost their sixth wicket in the form of Chamara Kapugedera. Doug Bracewell and Mitchell McCleneghan than took care of dismissing Sri Lanka’s lower-order batsmen. FULL SCORECARD: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2015-16, 1st ODI at Christchurch
There was only one big partnership in Sri Lanka’s innings. It was the seventh wicket stand between Milinda Siriwardana and Nuwan Kulasekara for 98 runs which helped Sri Lanka at least reach a paltry total if not a miserable one. Siriwardana and Kulasekara played a knock of 66 and 58 runs respectively and helped Sri Lanka reach 188 in 47 overs. If it was not for these two batsmen, then Sri Lanka could have definitely submitted for a score under 90 runs.
In reply, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill gave New Zealand a flying start with the duo scoring 108 runs in 10.1 overs itself. McCullum played a blinder; a knock of 55 runs in 25 odd balls with 11 boundaries and a six. After McCullum’s departure, Guptill took the responsibility of scoring briskly. He made 79 in 56 balls smashing nine fours and four shots which dispatched the ball over the ropes. Henry Nicholls finally hit the last two balls of the 21st over for boundaries and enabled New Zealand win the game in style. New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2015-16, 1st ODI at Christchurch: Hosts win by 7 wickets