Dambulla (Sri Lanka): Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando smashed centuries against a new-look New Zealand as Sri Lanka cruised to a 45-run win under the DLS method in a rain-hit first ODI.
Mendis smashed a career-best 143 off 128 balls and Fernando made 100 off 115 in Sri Lanka’s imposing total of 324-5 in 49.2 overs before rain came and reduced New Zealand’s target to 221 off 27 overs.
Will Young and Tim Robinson, one of the three New Zealand debutants, combined in an 88-run opening stand but Sri Lanka derailed the Black Caps’ chase through its spinners and restricted the reply to a total of 175-9.
Slow bowlers Maheesh Theekshana (2-32), captain Charith Asalanka (2-15), and Jeffrey Vandersay (1-40), in place of injured Wanindu Hasaranga, all left their mark before left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka grabbed 3-39 to give Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier, Mendis and Fernando combined in a 206-run second-wicket stand after debutant Nathan Smith took a well judged running catch at third man to dismiss Pathum Nissanka (12) in Jacob Duffy’s second over after Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat.
Duffy could not hold onto a sharp low return catch from Mendis when the batter was on 11 in the only chance the pair gave before raising Sri Lanka’s highest second-wicket stand in a one-day international against New Zealand.
The double-century stand bettered the previous Sri Lanka record of 170 between Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne during the 2003 World Cup.
Both batters were solid against pace and spin as New Zealand’s slow bowlers couldn’t extract much turn from the wicket. Mitchell Santner returned 0-53 in his 10 overs while Ish Sodhi (1-62) and Michael Bracewell (1-73) were also expensive as both batters swept the spinners with ease.
Mendis raised his fourth ODI hundred in the 37th over off 102 balls and Fernando struck his first ODI century after three years in the next over. Fernando, who hit nine fours and two sixes, got dismissed soon after completing his fourth ODI hundred when he couldn’t get enough elevation against Sodhi and was caught at mid-on.
Mendis, who smashed Bracewell for two sixes and a boundary in his last over, tried to accelerate further in the death overs but sliced a regulation catch to extra cover in Duffy’s return spell. Mendis struck 17 fours and two sixes in a dominant display of strokeplay after struggling in the drawn T20 series against the Black Caps last week at the same venue.
New Zealand’s top-order slipped against the spinners despite Young (48) and Robinson (35) combining in a decent start of 88 off 80 balls. The visitors lost five wickets for 22 runs — going from 88-0 to 110-5 — after Maheesh Theekshana removed both openers in one over.
Theekshana had Robinson stumped by Mendis at the second attempt and then went through the defenses of Young with a straight delivery. Asalanka picked up two wickets in successive overs with Theekshana grabbing a stunning catch at short mid-wicket to dismiss Mark Chapman as Sri Lanka deflated Black Caps’ run-chase.
Pallekele will host the remaining two matches of the series on Sunday and Tuesday.
