Sri Lanka share points with New Zealand after match abandoned

DAMBULLA: Sri Lanka and New Zealand shared points when their triangular one-day series match was abandoned due to rain.

Sri Lanka were 203 for three off 43.4 overs when rain stopped play in the day-night match, with former captain Mahela Jayawardene unbeaten on 59 and Chamara Silva 41 not out. The pair put on 72 for the unfinished fourth wicket.

The match was being held on the reserve day after heavy rain washed out play on Thursday.

New Zealand have seven points and Sri Lanka six after three matches, while India have five points after two games. Each side play the other twice in the preliminary league, with the top two qualifying for the final to take place on August 28.

Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan did the bulk of scoring in the initial overs, racing to 44 off 52 balls before being bowled by seamer Scott Styris. He hit eight fours, including four in a row off paceman Kyle Mills.

Styris got his second wicket when he removed skipper Kumar Sangakkara, who fell to a diving catch by Nathan McCullum in the covers after hitting four boundaries in his 59-ball 40.

Jayawardene continued to gather runs comfortably and completed his half-century when he lofted off-spinner McCullum for a four. He also hit a six off the same bowler, swinging over mid-wicket.

New Zealand made three changes from the team that lost to the hosts by three wickets in their previous match, replacing Martin Guptill, Tim Southee and Andy McKay with Peter Ingram, Jacob Oram and Grant Elliott.

Sri Lanka, who lost to India by six wickets on Monday, brought in Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Silva in place of Dilhara Fernando, Suraj Randiv and Thilan Samaraweera.

Off-spinner Randiv was banned for one match for bowling a deliberate no-ball in the last game against India to leave Virender Sehwag stranded on 99 when one run was required to win.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2010.