New Zealand succumb to Sri Lankan batting hurricane. Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando and Charith Asalanka crush New Zealand hopes. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando delivered an avalanche of boundaries in Dambulla breaking several records in the process as Sri Lanka thrashed New Zealand in the first one-dayer.
The rollercoaster Sri Lanka batting hit top gear to scatter a hapless Kiwi attack to all parts of Dambulla to record a memorable victory in front of delirious home fans.
Mendis, whose form is becoming more consistent recently, showed no mercy as he smashed his way to 143 off 128 balls with two sixers and 17 fours.
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Aided by a welcome return to form by Avishka Fernando who also notched his first century, 100 off 115 balls with 2 sixers and 9 fours, they romped to 324 for 5 in 49.2 overs when rain intervened leaving the Kiwis in tatters as they were set a revised chase of 221 from 27 overs under the DuckworthLewismethod.
They made a dash for it but lost 6 for 134 in the 22 over and their resolve, in a mammoth run chase and crashed to 175 for 9 in their allotment. It gave Sri Lanka a comfortable 45 run win.
Losing Pathum Nissanka early, Mendis and Fernando combined to set the pace for a remarkable Sri Lanka assault that erased several records including the highest second wicket partnership and the highest ever partnership by Sri Lanka in one-dayers.
The feat breathes new hope that Sri Lanka cricket is on an unusually rapid pace at establishing them as a force in the world arena.
The duo plundered the New Zealand attack at will adding 206 for the second wicket before Fernando departed leaving Mendis and skipper Charith Asalanka to put the total out of sight of the Kiwis.
New Zealand speedster Jacob Duffy grabbed three wickets in the onslaught raising questions about Sri Lanka’s vulnerability against real pace and questioning why the Kiwis left out Lachie Ferguson whose blistering pace brought the Sri Lankan batters undone in the last T20 game.
An indication that pace rather than spin only, can be a factor in Dambulla, will definitely call for a review of New Zealand’s team for the next two games.
Sri Lanka cannot rest on the laurels from that success mainly due to the unpredictability of their batters. They can use the T20 upset as a reason to focus on a solid game plan that can give them the series against a formidable white ball opponent.
