Eng Vs Nz: New Zealand’s 61-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo
Eng Vs Nz saw New Zealand complete a 61-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo after New Zealand posted 168-7 and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 107-8 while chasing 169; Ravindra finished with 4-27 and Mitch Santner scored 47 off 26.
Eng Vs Nz: Santner and McConchie lift New Zealand
Santner (47 off 26) and Cole McConchie (31 off 23) combined to lift New Zealand to 168-7. Earlier in the innings New Zealand lost three wickets for no runs, slipping to 84-6 before the late partnership pushed the total above 160.
Ravindra takes 4-27 as Sri Lanka slump to 107-8 chasing 169
Sri Lanka, chasing 169, collapsed to 107-8 with Ravindra taking 4-27. The margin of defeat was 61 runs, described in match coverage as a stunning win for New Zealand.
Bowling breakthroughs: Three wickets for Theekshana and Chameera
There were notable bowling returns for Sri Lanka as Theekshana and Chameera claimed three wickets between them. Despite those spells, Sri Lanka could not overhaul New Zealand's total and finished eight wickets down on 107 while chasing 169.
Captains on conditions and the match
New Zealand captain Mitch Santner reflected on the pitch and the innings: "There was obviously a nice little period for us with the track and with the ball. They squeezed us a lot, I think we lost three wickets on 84 which is never ideal. " Santner added that he and Cole McConchie were aiming to get to 140 to set up the finish and that "160 wasn't a bad total from there. "
On his captain's knock Santner said: "Well I wasn't particularly happy with my four off 10 in the last game! It's one of those wickets where, if you can get in and give yourself a bit of time, you can cash in. It was pretty tough to start out there, so to hit 160 was nice. " He also commented on bowling tactics: "We have watched a few games here and it has kind of been a case of the more you bowl, the more it spins. Also, on the seam was quite nice and effective. "
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka was blunt about the home side's performance: "It's embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd, they've been very supportive. We started really well but that partnership [between Santner and McConchie] was a really good one that took the game away from us. " On the choice to bat, Shanaka added: "The decision to bat was a collective decision but we didn't expect the pitch to turn that much. We wanted to restrict them to 130 but, to be honest, they played really well so we must give them credit. " He finished by saying the team aims to finish on a high in their one more game.
What else was noted and what’s next
The toss had gone Sri Lanka's way; Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first in Colombo. Observers flagged the match as less dramatic than a typical Super 8s fixture, but match coverage recommended reading Sam Drury's report to relive New Zealand's stunning 61-run victory over Sri Lanka. A sidebar question from coverage asked: "What should England do about Jos Buttler?"
Santner acknowledged a quick turnaround for New Zealand: "They are outstanding, we know that. It is a quick turnaround for us. If we play on something similar to this, it might be a bit of a slog-fest as well. " The team now faces England next, with little recovery time.
Coverage closed with a note on upcoming fixtures: live-text commentary was scheduled for West Indies taking on South Africa at 09: 30 GMT and India facing Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT the following day.
Next on the calendar for New Zealand is the encounter with England, while Sri Lanka will aim to finish their Super 8s campaign strongly in their remaining match.
