The strength of the New Zealand A side once again proved too much for Sri Lanka A as the hosts secured their One-Day series 3-zip at Lincoln’s Bert Sutcliffe Oval — still with a game in hand.
Scorecard
For the second game straight, New Zealand A topped 300 runs despite being sent in, then rolled Sri Lanka A for 185 for a 117-run victory, legspinner Ish Sodhi (3-39) wrapping up the last two wickets in two balls for a List A win with 9.1 overs spare.
Freshly minted BLACKCAP George Worker got the innings off to a positive start with three consecutive boundaries off Lahiru Gamage’s opening over, setting the tone for an innings of a boundary-strewn 40 and run-a-ball stand with new opening partner Michael Bracewell (Hamish Rutherford having by now departed to join the BLACKCAPS’ camp in Hamilton).
Devon Hotel Central Stags up-and-comer Will Young top-scored with 85, showing his flair for constructing an innings.
He and new captain Henry Nicholls ticked the singles off Madushanka and Priyanjan to post the New Zealand A hundred inside 20 overs, before Young broke out his half-century with a six off spinner Shehan Jayasuriya, who had earlier chipped away to remove both Worker and Bracewell.
On the cusp of the 35-over mark, the side had positioned itself strongly at 177/4. Nelson’s had accounted for Colin Munro on six, whose off pole went flying when he was foxed by right-arm spinner Dhananjaya de Silva. But Young’s partnership with a confident Mitch Santner (32 off 37) flourished in the wake and had just risen to 66 off 61 balls when Santner exited leg before, Jayasuriya’s third victim.
Quickfire runs from both Santner and Adam Milne (45 off 40), with a late volley from Ish Sodhi, had been the last thing Sri Lanka A needed as they attempted to stay in the series, Sodhi nudging the total up to 302/9 in the 50 overs.
The quick pace of Milne then put Sri Lanka A under early pressure in reply, smartly bagging 2-15 off his opening four overs before tall young Mondiale Auckland Aces paceman Matt Quinn swept in to have the previous game’s centurion, Kithuruwan Vithanage, caught on 22.
A recovery of sorts was launched by keeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who top-scored for his country with a 70-ball 50, and the determined Jayasuriya. They constructed a stand of 56 for the fourth wicket before Sodhi broke through for the first of his three wickets, the three-prong spin attack of Sodhi, Santner and Worker taking control of the remainder of the Sri Lanka A innings as the Sri Lankan lower order struggled to find answers.
He and new captain Henry Nicholls ticked the singles off Madushanka and Priyanjan to post the New Zealand A hundred inside 20 overs, before Young broke out his half-century with a six off spinner Shehan Jayasuriya, who had earlier chipped away to remove both Worker and Bracewell.
On the cusp of the 35-over mark, the side had positioned itself strongly at 177/4. Nelson’s had accounted for Colin Munro on six, whose off pole went flying when he was foxed by right-arm spinner Dhananjaya de Silva. But Young’s partnership with a confident Mitch Santner (32 off 37) flourished in the wake and had just risen to 66 off 61 balls when Santner exited leg before, Jayasuriya’s third victim.
Quickfire runs from both Santner and Adam Milne (45 off 40), with a late volley from Ish Sodhi, had been the last thing Sri Lanka A needed as they attempted to stay in the series, Sodhi nudging the total up to 302/9 in the 50 overs.
The quick pace of Milne then put Sri Lanka A under early pressure in reply, smartly bagging 2-15 off his opening four overs before tall young Mondiale Auckland Aces paceman Matt Quinn swept in to have the previous game’s centurion, Kithuruwan Vithanage, caught on 22.
A recovery of sorts was launched by keeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who top-scored for his country with a 70-ball 50, and the determined Jayasuriya. They constructed a stand of 56 for the fourth wicket before Sodhi broke through for the first of his three wickets, the three-prong spin attack of Sodhi, Santner and Worker taking control of the remainder of the Sri Lanka A innings as the Sri Lankan lower order struggled to find answers.
The teams meet at the same venue on Tuesday in the last List A fixture ahead of the first-class leg of the tour.
