Christchurch: Co-hosts New Zealand launched their World Cup campaign with a 98-run win over the Sri Lankan side in cold and overcast conditions at Hagley Oval on Saturday.
Here is how the action unfolded.
Brendon McCullum gave the cricket World Cup the explosive opening organisers had hoped for with a blazing 65 as New Zealand scored an imposing 331 for six against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.
Facing an uphill task, the Sri Lankan opening pair of Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan did not set the stage on fire in chase as the duo only managed to score 46 runs in the first ten overs. The left-hander opened up and played some delightful and crisp shots to up the ante of the Sri Lankan innings.
But the 2011 World Cup finalists Sri Lanka lost Dilshan in the 13th over when he misjudged one off Daniel Vettori’s bowling and got out caught and bowled.
Sangakkara was in trouble early in his inning but survived a run-out scare.
But he did not look too ruffled as the classy left-hander began hitting crisp boundaries. Thirimanne could have walked back to the dressing room. But Brendon McCullum could not time his jump and dropped an easy catch.
But New Zealand did not need to wait for too long to get their second wicket. Thirimanne who scored a half-century, was sent back to the dressing room after he failed to tackle a ripper of a yorker from Trent Boult. The ball had pace and it swung late.
Sri Lanka then had to deal with Mahela Jayawardene blow. The right-hander did not trouble the scorers and fell to Daniel Vettori. If that was not enough, the New Zealanders struck again and dismissed Kumar Sangakkara. When the left-hander got out, Sri Lanka were 129/4.
The Sri Lankans failed to trouble New Zealand as Adam Milne struck twice in one over, dismising Karunaratne and Mendis.
Kulasekara was the seventh wicket to fall in Sri Lankan innings. While Mathews tried hard to take Sri Lanka to a respectable total, his efforts were not enough. He fell in the 42nd over after scoring 46. Malinga was the next man to get out.
While Herath and Lakmal offered some resistance before going, it was rather too late. New Zealand eventually managed to dislodge Herath in the 47th over and sealed a 98-run win in the World Cup opener.
Earlier, Kane Williamson also scored his 16th one-day half century, while Grant Elliot (29) and Corey Anderson (75) put on 65 runs in 10 overs after leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis had captured two wickets in two balls to slow the co-hosts scoring.
Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, who survived being bowled by Malinga for 16 from a no ball, ended on 29 not out as he and Anderson then finished the innings with 73 runs in 38 balls.
New Zealand had got off to a flying start when McCullum lofted the first ball he faced to the extra cover boundary after being asked to bat by Angelo Mathews.
The pitch and conditions however did not help Sri Lanka’s bowlers with Lasith Malinga skidding on at a comfortable pace with little deviation through the air or off the pitch. He conceded 42 runs in his first four overs.
The openers put on 111 at almost seven an over before the introduction of left-arm spinner Rangana Herath clamped down the scoring rate and resulted in the New Zealand captain McCullum being well caught at long off by Mendis.
Sri Lanka had the opportunity to make a second break through when Kane Williamson was dropped by Kumar Sangakkara on the first ball from Suranga Lakmal.
The 24-year-old Williamson made the most of the escape to effortlessly bring up his 13th score in excess of 50 in his last 19 ODIs before he was brilliantly caught by a diving Dimuth Karunaratne at wide long on off Mendis for 57.
Teams:
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (captain), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga.
