Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal is bowled out by New Zealand's
Tim Southee during their final One Day International
(cricket match in Hambantota. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte
The limited overs component of New Zealand's cricket tour
to Sri Lanka finished in much the same way as it started - with
rain.
Rain has been one of Sri Lanka's greatest allies in the
series so far - all six games so far have been interrupted by
the weather - and it saved the home side in the fifth and
final one-dayer in Hambantota this morning.
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor finally won a toss and the
Black Caps had Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 123 for eight in
the 29th over when the heavens opened in the fifth one-dayer.
Persistent rain swept over the ground, leaving officials
little option but to abandon the match.
"It was very disappointing," New Zealand bowler Tim Southee
said.
"Obviously we turned out a very promising start with the
ball. To have them eight down for only just over 100 was a
very pleasing comeback and we pretty much dominated the game
from ball one. It was very disappointing for the rain to come
when it did.
"It was shaping up to be a good bowling performance.
Hopefully we would have bowled them out pretty cheaply and
been able to knock off the runs."
Southee did a lot of the damage, picking up the wicket of
Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball and finishing with the
excellent figures of 3-18 from 5.3 overs.
Trent Boult (1-23) and Adam Milne (1-17) also chimed in with
wickets on the bowler-friendly wicket to leave Sri Lanka in
trouble and Andy Ellis picked up 2-22 in his four overs.
Opener Upal Tharanga put up the most resistance, compiling 60
before he was snared by Southee and captain Mahela
Jayawardene made 24 before he was undone by a sharp piece of
work in the field by Nathan McCullum.
Sri Lanka won the five-game series 3-0 but neither side has
been able to find any rhythm because of the weather and they
will both feel underdone heading into the two-test series
starting in Galle on Saturday.
"The series so far has been very disappointing and, as a
group, we have been very disappointed in the way we have
performed," Southee said.
"We wanted to salvage something out of the [one-day] series
and to leave 3-1 would have been nice. It's a very
disappointing way for it to end."
It has gone well for one New Zealander, BJ Watling, who was
named man of the series for his 166 runs at 83.
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