Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 3 wicket Read more: Tri-series: Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 3 wickets

DAMBULLA (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka huffed and puffed to a three-wicket win over New Zealand in the second ODI of the tri-series and helped India reclaim the second spot in the ICC ODI team rankings on Friday.

India had surrendered the second position to Kiwis after the humiliating 200-run loss in the series-opener.

Opener Upul Tharanga (70 off 109) was top scorer in Sri Lanka's haphazard chase as Sri Lanka scored 195 for seven in 40.5 overs in a target of 193.

New Zealand, electing to bat, were all out for 192 in 48.1 overs after Sri Lanka's pace duo of Lasith Malinga (3/35) and Angelo Mathews (3/36) shared six wickets between them.

The Kiwi total was built around some good effort by debutant BJ Watling (55) and Nathan McCullum (36).

The low-scoring match at Rangiri Dambulla stadium was a dull affair as only 32 boundaries, including just two sixes, were scored in the flood-lit encounter.

New Zealand, who had 117 rating points before this match, lost three points to slip to fourth spot behind South Africa (115).

India gained a position to second with 116 points behind leaders Australia (132).

Like the Kiwis, Sri Lankan made a wretched start, losing opener Tilakkaratne Dilshan (5) in the third over.

Tharanga raised a 85-run stand for the second wicket with skipper Kumar Sangakkara (48) to steady the innings and then along with Thilan Samaraweera (36 off 38) steered the hosts close to win.

But once Tharanga departed in the 37th over, wickets started tumbling and the hosts were reduced from a comfortable 162 for four to 180 for seven in a gap of 14 balls.

However, seasoned Samarweera kept his cool and brought his side home with 9.1 overs to spare.

Tharanga's patient knock had nine boundaries and Samarweera helped himself with four boundaries with last one coming for winning runs off Kyle Mills.

Mills was the highest wicket taker for the Kiwis with outstanding figures of 4 for 41.

Earlier, after a high in the opening match, in which they beat India by a massive 200 runs, the Kiwis hit a low with half of their side returning back to the pavilion inside 23.1 overs.

The Black Caps were off to a bad start, losing opener Martin Guptill in the second ball of the first over.

Trying to cut an away going delivery of Malinga, Guptill's leading edge landed in Chamara Kapugedera's safe hands at backward point.

Mathews then struck twice in the 11th over, trapping skipper Ross Taylor (16) in front of wicket off the first ball and then removed Kane Williamson (0) in the third ball, caught at first slip by Thilan Samaraweera.

Rangana Herath then dismissed removed Scott Styris (24) caught at first slip by Mahela Jayawardene, while in the next over Watling was also sent packing by Mathews as New Zealand slipped to 101 for five in 23.1 over.

Malinga then dealt two more blows, getting rid of Gareth Hopkins (11) and Daryl Tuffey (0) in consecutive deliveries.

Mills (11) was the next to go when Herath's flighted delivery got the leading edge of his blade and long-off fielder Mathews took a running catch as the visitors plummeted to 143 for eight in 37 overs.

Second highest scorer, Nathan McCullum (36) gave some respectability to the New Zealand innings before perishing in the 45th over.

Tim Southee (13) and AJ McKay (4) tried to push the score close to the 200-mark but the effort went in vain.

TOI

Tendulkar welcomes Oz split formula trial

MUMBAI: Sachin Tendulkar has welcomed Cricket Australia's move to split a one-day innings into two halves. He feels once the method is put into practice, the players will be able to figure out how good the new system is.


Speaking to TOI on Friday, the master batsman said, "I am glad it's being tried out in Australia. I feel once the players have tried out this format, they will be in a better position to judge if the format works or not."

Tendulkar was one of the first cricketers to suggest that one-dayers should be split into two innings in September 2009.

The 37-year-old had said that the idea first struck him in 2002 when the final of the Champions Trophy between India and Sri Lanka could not be completed despite 110 overs of cricket being played over two days.

"First, they played 50 overs and we played two overs before the rain interruption. The next day, Sri Lanka again played 50 overs and we played eight. In the end we were declared joint winners. 110 overs and still no result! That is when I thought we should have 25 overs first for one side and then the other. And then once again 25 overs for one side and then the other," he had explained.

Tendulkar feels that the new formula would add to the excitement of the game in the age of Twenty20. It would also negate the luck factor of the toss and provide a level-playing field.

"Today, we can tell the result of close to 75% of matches after the toss. We know how conditions will affect the two teams. But it (splitting the game into two innings) is not too dependent on the toss because, (if) it's a day-night match, then both the teams will have to bat under lights. And if it rains, you can plan for that too," Tendulkar had opined.

The administrators Down Under seem to have taken note of Sachin's observation.

TOI