Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in rain-hit ODI

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Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga delivers the ball during the second One Day International (ODI) match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. Sri Lanka scored a 14-run win over New Zealand by Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method in the rain-hit second one-day international on Sunday to gain a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka posted a 14-run victory over New Zealand by Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method in the rain-hit second one-day international on Sunday to gain a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

The day-night match was keenly poised when play was called off due to rain in Pallekele as Sri Lanka were 118-3 off 22.5 overs chasing a 251-run target. They were ahead of the D/L par score of 104 at that stage.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 43 with Angelo Mathews (seven not out).

The opening one-dayer was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain at the same venue on Thursday.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (37), Kumar Sangakkara (11) and Upul Tharanga (six) were the batsmen dismissed, while Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills and Trent Boult were the wicket-takers.

Opener Dilshan, who also completed 1,000 one-day runs in the year during his 51-ball knock, and Jayawardene added 59 for the third wicket after the hosts lost two wickets for 39 runs.

Skipper Ross Taylor and Bradley-John Watling earlier hit half-centuries to help New Zealand post a competitive total.

Taylor cracked two sixes and seven fours in a brisk 62-ball 72 for his 21st half-century in one-dayers, while Watling made an impressive 55 with six fours for his fourth fifty.

The New Zealand captain added 91 for the fourth wicket with James Franklin (35 not out) before being caught by Mathews in the covers off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara in the 46th over.

Opener Rob Nicol (46) was the other main scorer.

Paceman Lasith Malinga was the most successful bowler, finishing with 2-39 off 10 overs.

New Zealand, who were without hard-hitting batsman Brendon McCullum due to a stiff back, lost an early wicket after choosing to bat when opener Tom Latham (two) was bowled by Malinga.

Nicol, dropped on four by Mathews in the slips off Malinga, steadied the innings with an 83-run stand for the second wicket with Watling before being caught by wicketkeeper Sangakkara off seamer Thisara Perera.

Watling fell after completing his half-century, caught by Jayawardene at short mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

The third one-day international will be played in Pallekele on Tuesday.