Sri Lanka win triseries opener

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 16 runs in the first match of the triangular one-day tournament, also involving India, in Colombo on Wednesday.

Set to score a modest 221 from 49 overs for victory, New Zealand could only manage 204 for 9.

Chris Harris (49) and Adam Parore (50) were the only Kiwi batsmen to offer some resistance as the hosts bowlers struck at regular intervals after getting the New Zealand top order out cheaply.

Earlier, captain Sanath Jayasuriya scored 80 but New Zealand hit back with quick wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for a modest 220 runs in 48.5 overs.

Jayasuriya, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, hit eight fours in his 108-ball knock. But wickets kept falling at the other end.

Opener Avishka Gunawardene (13) was the first to go, driving Darryl Tuffey straight to Daniel Vettori, who held a sharp catch at mid-off.

Left-arm spinner Vettori, returning to the side after a year-long back injury, had Marvan Atapattu caught by Chris Harris at mid-off for 22 as Sri Lanka reached 95 for two.

Harris chipped in with two wickets with his gentle seamers, sending back Mahela Jayawardene for 14 before trapping Russel Arnold lbw for nine.

Vettori finally dismissed Jayasuriya, having him caught at deep mid-wicket by Jacob Oram in his final over when the batsman tried to force the pace.

Romesh Kaluwithrana and Kumar Dharmasena were run out in the space of three balls to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 187-7 in the 43rd over.

The Sri Lankan 200 came in the 45th over when Suresh Perera drove quick bowler Kyle Mills through the covers for four.

Perera played a cameo of 19 including three fours before he was the last man out, caught in the deep by Matthew Sinclair off Craig McMillan's occasional medium pace.

Earlier, New Zealand's opening bowlers had come in for harsh treatment from the Sri Lankan skipper.

Jayasuriya got off the mark with a boundary in the first over, flicking paceman Darryl Tuffey off his pads for a four to fine leg.

He cut Tuffey for two more fours through point before glancing Kyle Mills for two boundaries backward of square on the on side. The left-hander reached his 50 pushing left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for a single to long-off.

New Zealand went into the game without Dion Nash, who has still not fully recovered from a stress fracture in his back that has kept him out of international cricket for nearly a year.

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Mail Cricket Editor