Veteran Ross Taylor and rising star Henry Nicholls both smashed centuries as New Zealand trounced Sri Lanka by 115 runs in the third one-day international for a 3-0 sweep of the series on Tuesday.
Ross Taylor made 137
Nelson:
Taylor top-scored with 137, and Nicholls was unbeaten on 124 off just 80 balls, lifting the host to 364 for four after being sent in to bat - a record ODI score at Nelson’s Saxton Oval. Thisara Perera (80) threatened to make a match of it again, but Ferguson’s 4/40 and Sodhi’s 3/40 sealed the 115-run win.
It was Nicholls’ maiden ODI ton and Taylor’s 20th, tightening the 34-year-old’s grip on the New Zealand record for one-day centuries that he already holds. “I’m getting old and hopefully I’ve got a few more left in me,” he told Sky Sports after his knock.
He came to the crease with New Zealand struggling at 31 for two but combined with skipper Kane Williamson for a 116-run partnership to steady the innings. When Williamson departed on 55, Taylor and Nicholls came together for an aggressive 154-run stand that punished an uninspiring Sri Lanka attack.
Early in the innings, Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first paid dividends as captain Lasith Malinga ousted openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cheaply. But wayward bowling, particularly at the death, cost Sri Lanka dearly, as they conceded 57 runs in the final three overs.
For Sri Lanka openers Niroshan Dickwella and de Silva started the chase in right earnest. Once de Silva fell in the ninth over to end an opening stand of 66, Kusal Perera kept the asking rate in control.
But two wickets in two balls swung momentum New Zealand’s way. Dickwella gave away a good start, falling just short of a fifty when a thick edge off Neesham found Ferguson at third man. Kusal Mendis didn’t even face a ball before he was run out, Williamson’s throw from short cover and Tim Seifert’s quick hands seeing to it.
It became three wickets for 10 runs when Sodhi trapped a sweeping Dasun Shanaka in front. And when the third umpire found a faint nick and Kusal had to walk back short for 43 off 49, it was a perilous 143/5.
Thisara, the star of the show in the previous match, continued his good touch. He had reached 80 in 63 balls and added 101 for the sixth wicket when a brilliant piece of fielding ended his resistance. Martin Guptill took a left-hand catch at full stretch to give Ferguson his second wicket.
The extra pace provided by Ferguson came in handy for New Zealand, and he and Sodhi quickly cleaned up up the tail. The last five wickets fell for just five runs as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 41.4.
Brief scores: New Zealand 364/4 in 50 overs (Ross Taylor 137, Henry Nicholls 124 n.o., Lasith Malinga 3/93) beat Sri Lanka 249 all out in 41.4 ov (Thisara Perera 80, Lockie Ferguson 4/40. Ish Sodhi 3/40)