New Zealand Wraps Up Cricket Series Win Against Sri Lanka

The Kiwis continued their promising form in the sixth one day international match against the Sri Lankans, sealing the series with one game still to be played on Thursday. Corey Anderson was named man of the match in the 120-run rout, having taken four wickets in his allotted 10 overs after scoring a quickfire 40 runs with the bat.

The Black Caps batted first, and were able to score an imposing 315-8. An in-form Kane Williamson and experienced Ross Taylor, who hit 97 and 96 respectively, laid the foundation for a competitive total with 117-run third wicket partnership. By the time Williamson was dismissed, New Zealand had accumulated 178 runs and had over fifteen overs to cross the three hundred psychological milestone.

Allrounder Anderson, whose record of the fastest ODI century was recently broken, scored 40 runs from 28 balls which propelled the Kiwis' score to 315. The Sri Lankan bowlers were largely ineffective on a surface which did not assist after twentieth over, although Dhammika Prasad picked up two scalps.

In reply, Sri Lanka was unable to put up a fight, and were bowled out for 195 in the 41st over. The only form of resistance was in the form of a fighting half-century by legendary batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 81 from just 66 balls as batsmen around him succumbed to the pressure of a big chase.

Anderson and Mitchell McClenaghan picked up four and two wickets respectively. The New Zealand quicks rocked Sri Lanka, but it was their fielders that sealed the game when they effected three run outs at crucial stages of the match.

New Zealand have been in great form in the fifty-over format of the game, having won three out of their last four series with Brendon McCullum as captain. Even though they have wrapped up the series, New Zealand will be hoping to win Thursday's game so that they can have a chance to rise to fifth position in the fifty-over international rankings.

This is Sri Lanka's last bilateral series before the World Cup, which will be played in New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand will play Pakistan in a two-match series starting Saturday before the sport's biggest tournament.