Tillakaratne Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne's heroics help Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the third ODI

The Sri Lankan team made a spirited comeback in the third ODI against New Zealand at Saxon Oval, Nelson after they were comprehensively beaten by the hosts in the first two matches of the series at Christchurch. The Kiwis were looking to seal the series in this third match by taking an unassailable lead, but the visitors kept the 5-match series alive by winning by 8 wickets.

The Kiwis won the toss and elected to bat first. The Kiwis are still missing their Captain and opening aggressive batsman Brendon McCullum. In his absence, Tom Latham partnered Martin Guptill, whose heroics won the hosts the second match with more than 41 overs to spare. Guptill had scored an unbeaten 93 of just 30 balls.

Guptill started from where he left in Christchurch but couldn’t continue, he got out on 30. His opening partner Latham scored 42 runs. New Zealand Vice-Captain and stand in Captain for the series Kane Williamson continued his form with a patient 59 of 73 balls and helped New Zealand put up a fighting total of 276 for the loss of eight wickets in the scheduled 50 overs.

This was a much better bowling display by the Lankan bowling attack. Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Jeffrey Vandersay claimed two wickets each. Milinda Siriwardana also chipped in with one wicket. Chameera also caused a curtail run-out.

Sri Lanka opened their innings with Danushika Gunathilaka and Tillakaratne Dilshan. What followed was a spirited Lankan fight which was missing in the first two matches of the series. Gunathilaka and Dilshan provided the visitors a solid platform, both scoring fifties. Gunathilaka got out on 65 after playing an entertaining innings of just 45 balls. He hit seven fours and four sixes in his knock with a strike rate of 144.44.

After Gunathilaka’s dismissal, Dilshan continued the good work with Lahiru Thirimanne before he got run-out on 91. But not before putting his side in a match-winning position. Dilshan’s 92 ball innings was a matured innings. At the initial overs, he was happy to rotate the strike and provide Gunathilaka the maximum amount of deliveries as he was smacking the ball all around the park. After Gunathilaka’s dismissal Dilshan become more aggressive and formed a stable third wicket partnership with Thirimanne.

Thirimanne then took over the responsibility with wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Chandimal. Thirimanne scored a calculative 87 of 103 balls. Chandimal also supported him equally and contributed with 27 runs.

For the Kiwis only Mitchell McClenaghan picked up a wicket. This is the first time New Zealand have lost an ODI match on New Years eve.Brief Scores – NZ 276/8 ( Williamson 59, Latham 42; Chameera 2/38 ) beaten by SL 277/2 ( Dilshan 91, Thirimanne 87*; McClenaghan 1/39)