TheSportsCampus

New Zealand scraped through to an enterprising win in the first T20 international against the hosts, Sri Lanka. The 3 run margin in the end was perhaps a testimony to the close nature of the match. At 64 for 2 at the end of the first six overs and with only 78 more runs to get off 84 balls, all the smart money was on Lanka to emerge as the victorious side. But Daniel Vettori had other ideas. The Kiwi skipper led his team from the front and ensured that the Lankans had to fight for every run. With Shane Bond making an inspired comeback - after being taken to the cleaners by Dilshan during his whirlwind innings of 57 from just 28 balls - and Vettori at his crafty best, the inexperienced Lankan middle order collapsed under the pre ssure (not for the first time). Predictably, the Kiwi skipper was the Player of the Match for his inspired performance with the ball and with the captain's hat on.

After being comprehensively outplayed by the hosts Sri Lanka in the test series, New Zealand took the first T20 as a chance to redeem their lost pride and also to prepare for the coming one-day tri-series featuring Sri Lanka and India. The shortest form of the game gives a fair bit of leeway to the teams in the sense that difference in class is often not that big a factor and it's often a piece of individual brilliance or just one mistake that might decide the course of the game.

New Zealand received a timely boost in the person of Shane Bond, who made his return to the International arena after some time in the wilderness (most notably, with the breakaway Indian Cricket League), and his pace was a major addition to the Kiwi setup. Ian Butler and Kyle Mills too made their return to the line-up as the New Zealand bowling seemed to add some extra nip and zip ahead of fast approaching Champions Trophy. Sri Lanka, on the other hand welcomed back Malinga Bandara and Ajanta Mendis to the team as spin wizard Muralitharan was sidelined with an injury. Mendis was the chief wrecker when the teams met in the T20 World Cup and Mendis' match figures of 3 for 9 were the difference between the two sides on that occasion.

The match seemed to go the England - Australia way as the day was greeted with some heavy showers. Fortunately, the groundsmen did a great job in preparing the ground for the evening's T20 extravaganza. Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to take the bowling chores first. New Zealand started proceedings with the highly attacking pair of Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum. The first over yielded only 4 runs as Kulasekara bowled a tight wicket-to-wicket line and thus gave little room for the Kiwi batsmen to free their arms. Lasith Malinga wasn't a stickler for Kulasekara's line and length ethics and got promptly punished. A short and wide delivery was cut high and wide over the stands by McCullum for the innings' first six. However, McCullum's tryst at the crease soon came to an end in rather unfortunate fashion. A firm drive from the burly Jesse Ryder was deflected onto the stumps from the bowler Kulasekara with McCullum woefully short of the crease.

Martin Guptill was the next man in and he witnessed from close quarters the self destructive spree of Ryder. Ryder was finding it really hard to get the hang of Lasith Malinga and in his attempt to break the shackles, he skied one off Kulasekara for Bandara to take a well judged catch. Ross Taylor, the Kiwis' premier batsman strode in purposefully and made his mark in the last power play over with two fours off Angelo Matthews. The end of the powerplay marked the arrival of the spin twins for the day - Malinga Bandara and Ajanta Mendis. Guptill was lucky to survive a stumping chance as he missed a googly from Mendis, and Lankan captain and keeper Sangakkara missed. At the end of the first 10 overs, the Kiwis were 63 for 2 and needed to get a move on and that too, fast.

The veteran 40 year old Sanath Jayasuriya was brought on in the 11th over and missed a chance for instant glory as Taylor's slog sweep fell in no-mans-land, and then in Guptill's wild heave to the mid-wicket region was dropped by Angelo Mathews, and the ball trudged away to the boundary. Guptill then took Bandara to the cleaners with a straight six. But Bandara had his own back when he forced Guptill into another wild heave and Chamara Kapugedara took a smart catch on the midwicket fence.

The  imposing figure of Jacob Oram strode in purposefully to give company to Ross Taylor, who seemed to be waging a lone battle. The Kiwis were smart in their batting display as with the boundaries all but dried up; they picked up their ones and twos and basically kept the Sri Lankan fielders on their toes. The 15th over saw Taylor hit Jayasuriya for a four and a six as the Kiwis looked to up the ante. New Zealand were 108 for 3 at the end of 15 overs and with seven wickets in hand, had every chance of posting a competitive total. The innings received a jolt in the 17th over as struggling Oram, with just 8 runs from 13 balls, was bailed out of his misery as by Mendis. Taylor also departed soon after for a well made 60 from just 45 balls, as he found Kulasekara at third man off the bowling of Angelo Mathews. Mathews was in the action again as he ran out the Kiwi keeper Peter McGlashan with an athletic piece of fielding. Kyle Mills, who seems to have developed a reputation for big hitting was the next man in and even smote one over the top for a boundary to justify his reputation. With one over to go, Lasith Malinga bowled an unplayable over and cleaned up the stumps of Mills and the Kiwi captain Vettori with well directed yorkers. The innings finally ended at 141 for 8, and with the strong Sri Lankan batting line up on display, there was a tough job ahead for Vettori and co.

There was a mild scare as a few showers graced the field but thankfully, there wasn't a lot of damage to the ground and play resumed without the loss of any overs. Dilshan and Jayasuriya strode in menacingly while Bond was waiting purposefully at the start of his run up. He greeted Dilshan with a well directed bouncer and then Dilshan had his own back with four consecutive fours (Welcome back Mr. Bond!). Kyle Mills wasn't spared either as Dilshan did 'a Dilshan' off the very first ball of Mills. Jayasuriya though, departed too early for the Lankans' liking as he top edged one off Mills to Bond at short fine leg. Mahela Jayawardene was the next man in, however it was Dilshan who hogged the limelight as he was at it again as he smashed Mills for 2 sixes in the 4th over. Jesse Ryder got one back for the Kiwis with a superb piece of fielding as he ran out Jayawardene.

Dilshan didn't take a step back though and tore into Butler too with some shots that sped away to the boundary. The 50 came up for the Lankans in only 4.4 overs, and at the end of the powerplay overs, Sri Lanka were 64 for the loss of two wickets and the match was now Lanka's to lose.

Vettori brought himself into the attack and the move paid rich dividends as the Kiwi captain got his counterpart Sangakkara with a fine display of spin bowling. The flight of the ball deceived the Lankan captain who chipped an innocuous looking delivery straight to McCullum at short mid wicket. Still with Dilshan going great guns, the Lankans didn't have a reason to draw up their eye brows yet. However, all the complacency was brushed aside when Dilshan was caught brilliantly by Jesse Ryder at backward point off the bowling of Ian Butler. Dilshan's whirlwind knock of 57 from a mere 28 balls entertained the partisan crowd, but his departure was severe blow to a run chase that seemed a mere formality only an over or two ago.

Chamara Kapugedara and debutant Rupasinghe now had a job on their hands. Kapugedara though didn't last too long as Butler got him with one that kept straight and Kapugedara's ill-timed wild swipe failed to connect as the ball crashed on to the stumps. Suddenly at 85 for 5, Sri Lanka found themselves in a hole despite being on top of the Kiwis for most of the match.

With 7 overs to go the Lankans needed 47 runs and Angelo Mathews responded with two cheeky fours in the 14th over off Jacob Oram's bowling. Captain courageous Vettori then swung the match in his side's favour as he trapped Rupasinghe in front of the wicket with the last ball of his spell leaving the Lankans tottering at 109 for 6 and still 33 runs to get from 30 balls. Vettori's figures at the end of his allotted overs 4-0-11-2 were a far cry from his other bowling comrades' profligate ways.

Kulasekara stepped in for the Lankans, but even before he had got his eye in, he witnessed Lanka's last recognised batsman Angelo Mathews hit one straight to the bowler - Jacob Oram. The writing looked well and truly on the wall for the Lankans, who had only themselves to blame for their sorry position. Malinga Bandara and Kulasekara got the singles going and tried to stay within touching distance of the target. Shane Bond had a great penultimate over, conceding only 4 runs and leaving the two Lankan tail enders 9 to get from the last over. It was a torrid start to proceedings in the final over for the hosts as Bandara was brilliantly caught by McCullum off the bowling of Oram. Lasith Malinga was the next man in and witnessed Kulasekara fall on the very next ball. Oram's low full tosses doing the trick again as Kulasekara couldn't get the desired elevation and found Neil Broom at long-on. The remaining four balls required 9 runs from the bats of no.10 and 11. They managed four off the first three, leaving Malinga to get a minimum of a four to atleast tie the match. But there were no fairytales for the Lankans as Malinga could manage only a single off the last bowl leaving the Kiwis victors by 3 runs.

How the Lankans managed to lose would be best answered by the Lankans themselves. But credit where it's due - the Kiwis didn't lose their heads and their persistence paid off in the end. Dilshan's heroics, in the end turned out to be in vain as the Lankans mull over a loss that should never have been. The inability of the inexperienced Lankan middle order to come good in pressure cooker situations has long been debated, and needless to say, today's histrionics would not do the batsmen any good.

There is still another T20 to go and the Lankans for sure would be looking to come out all guns blazing and set the equation straight. Till then, let's savour the unpredictability of T20 and wait with eager anticipation of a potential Lankan backlash.

Scorecard Summary
New Zealand 141 for 8 (20 overs)
Ross Taylor 60 (45)     Malinga 2-21
Martin Guptill 29 (25) Matthews 1-21

Sri Lanka 138 for 9 (20 overs)
Dilshan 57 (28)           Oram 3-33
Matthews 21 (22)        Vettori 2-11

Player of the Match : Daniel Vettori

File Photograph Copyright: ICC T20 World Cup