Rapid half-centuries from Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and Janith Liyanage put Sri Lanka on course to a substantial total, before an electric new-ball spell from Asitha Fernando wrecked New Zealand’s chase.

Asitha swung the ball prodigiously in his five-over opening spell, taking 3 for 17 in that period. By the end of over seven, and chasing 291 for victory, New Zealand were 22 for 5, their chances all but dashed Mark Chapman battled bravely for a run-a-ball 81, but had no team-mates to go with him.

New Zealand soon slipped to 48 for 6, then 77 for 7, and though the last rites took some time, Sri Lanka dismissed the opposition for 150, inside 30 overs. This was the third one-sided game in the series. New Zealand had won the other two.

Asitha’s 3 for 26 wasn’t quite a swing-bowling masterclass, as he occasionally struggled with his lines. But it did feature some spectacular deliveries, as he gleaned substantially more swing than any other bowler in the game. The ball to take out Rachin Ravindra’s leg stump was magnificent; Asitha angled it across the left-hander, and got it to tail in very late to slip between bat and pad. All through that new-ball spell, he had that shape to his deliveries. He struck twice in the seventh over, removing Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips, both for ducks.

At the other end, Maheesh Theekshana and Eshan Malinga also contributed wickets, dismissing Will Young and Daryl Mitchell respectively. All three of these bowlers ended up taking three wickets apiece. Asitha’s was the best among their final figures.

Malinga also swung the ball, though not as much as Asitha, and bowled probing lines. Theekshana got turn out of a pitch that the New Zealand spinners had also enjoyed earlier in the match, particularly when they picked their way through Sri Lanka’s middle order. Though it was still Matt Henry who was most penetrative, taking 4 for 55 from his ten overs. Three of those wickets came at the death, but Henry had been instrumental in building pressure through the middle overs too.

The first ingredients of Sri Lanka’s 140-run victory, however, were the fifties to Nissanka and Kusal. Nissanka’s 66 off 42 was unusual. He got to 50 off the 31st delivery he played, but as he was completing that run, appeared to pull a hamstring, and left the field at the end of the tenth over. Kusal then replaced him at the crease and reeled off 54 off 48 to salvage what has otherwise been a modest tour for him.

The New Zealand players pose with the trophy

Nissanka, especially, reveled in taking on the short ball. He crashed five sixes and six fours in his innings, coming back to the middle in the 34th over to swing at a few though he was unable to run or reach particularly far outside off. Kusal hit two sixes and five fours, having made all his runs after the initial fielding restrictions had ended.

Both batters were dismissed by wide, turning Mitchell Santner deliveries that they were trying to drag over the deep-midwicket boundary.

Santner had been among the primary architects of Sri Lanka’s middle-overs slowdown. They had been 155 for 1 (Nissanka was retired hurt also) after 27 overs, but in the following seven overs lost three wickets and made only 28. They recovered through a half-century to Liyanage, who constructed a clever innings that shepherded the lower-middle order and the tail. Liyanage made 53 off 52 balls before falling in the final over. He had hit five boundaries – two of them sixes – but largely sought to push the game deep and ensure Sri Lanka batted out their 50 overs.

But New Zealand had no answers to Asitha bowling one of the white-ball spells of his career. Chapman saw out that new-ball spell, and then gained confidence once the powerplay was over, finding the boundary with the kind of ease that Nissanka and Kusal earlier had. He was especially strong through the off side, hitting all but two of his ten fours on that side of the ground.

But thanks to that early collapse, they never looked like threatening the target.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka 290/8 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 68, Kusal Mendis 54, Janith Liyanage 53, Kamindu Mendis 46; Matt Henry 4-55, Mitchell Santner 2-55) beat New Zealand 150 all out in 29.4 meters (Mark Chapman 81; Asitha Fernando 3-26, Maheesh Theekshan 3-35, Eshan Malinga 3-35) by 140 runs

[Cricinfo]

Ash Gardner shone with bat, ball and in the field as Australia chased down a modest target to seize the first points of their Ashes battle with England.

Alyssa Healey,Australia’s captain, sealed her full comeback from injury with an important 70 runs off 78 balls after Australia had bundled their opponents out for 204 inside 44 overs at North Sydney Oval.

Gardner, whose three wickets were pivotal in the downfall of an England batting line-up which was also culpable amid a rash of soft dismissals, saw Australia home by four wickets with her unbeaten 42, having also taken two catches.

by Rex Clementine

It’s been a bruising fortnight for Sri Lanka’s cricket fans as the team stumbled through the bilateral series in New Zealand. While losing the T20 series would have stung, the ODI defeats laid bare the long and winding road Sri Lanka must travel to truly compete with top-tier teams on foreign soil.

For a side that once rewrote the script of white-ball cricket, watching their current struggles bring disappointment. Yet, there are glimmers of hope – pockets of improvement that, if nurtured, could eventually transform this team into a force to reckon with again in the shorter formats.

The middle order’s performance has been, to put it politely, underwhelming. The selectors must take stock of whether they’ve hit the right combination or if it’s time to reshuffle the deck. At the moment, Sri Lanka is fielding two seam-bowling all-rounders in Janith Liyanage and Chamindu Wickramasinghe. Unfortunately, the captain seems to trust their bowling about as much as a cat trusts a rocking chair.

With the bat, these players can chip in with 20s and 30s, but modern cricket demands lower middle-order batters capable of smashing run-a-ball half-centuries or better. Instead, in both ODIs, Sri Lanka suffered batting collapses that begged for someone to dig in, weather the storm, and bat out the full 50 overs. Alas, no such hero emerged.

It must be maddening for the selectors. They’ve plucked players who’ve shone in domestic cricket, only to see them fumble on the international stage. It’s a tale as old as time – Sri Lanka’s domestic system is about as good at preparing players for international cricket as a tricycle is for the Tour de France.

This is where ‘A’ team cricket and the Provincial Tournament come in. These formats offer a more competitive environment than the cozy confines of club cricket.

The real question for the selectors is whether to persist with Liyanage and Wickramasinghe or try someone like Milan Ratnayake. Primarily groomed as a Test cricketer, Ratnayake seems to have the tools to succeed in 50-over cricket.

Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Last year was an excellent one for Sri Lanka in ODIs, highlighted by a stunning series win against India. A setback in New Zealand doesn’t make this team a bad one overnight.

For years, Sri Lanka lacked representation in the ICC’s top-ten rankings for batters or bowlers. But thanks to consistent performances by Pathum Nissanka, Maheesh Theekshana, and Wanindu Hasaranga, the team has started filling that void. The bowlers, by and large, have been doing their job, keeping opposition batters in check. It’s the batting that has turned into a house of cards.

Charith Asalanka had a series to forget, his brain fade in Hamilton – taking on a single to mid-off – being the lowlight. But let’s not forget he was Sri Lanka’s standout batter last year. Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis also had a rough series, and the critics wasted no time sinking their teeth into him. Funny how they gloss over the fact that Mendis was the world’s leading ODI run-scorer in 2024.

Had Sri Lanka won the series, they would’ve climbed to fifth place in the ICC rankings—a lofty perch for a team still finding its feet. Instead, they return home with more questions than answers.

One topic sure to spark debate is whether Kusal Janith Perera should have been retained after the T20s. Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing—it always knows the winning lottery numbers after the draw.

The fielding, at least, has been top-notch. Two years ago, Sri Lanka’s fielding resembled a circus act without the fun, but now the energy and commitment are palpable. If only they could pair that with a reliable batting lineup, this team might finally roar like the lions on their crest.