BLACKCAPS come from behind for dramatic win

Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram have steered the BLACKCAPS to a stunning come from behind win over Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 International at Colombo this morning (New Zealand time).

After posting a modest total of 141, the BLACKCAPS looked out of contention early in the Sri Lankan innings – as Tillakaratne Dilshan plundered the New Zealand bowlers.

But a tenacious BLACKCAPS bowling and fielding display saw a minor collapse from Sri Lanka, who were finished off in dramatic final over from Oram – the home side falling three runs short of the target.

The BLACKCAPS won the toss and chose to bat first at Premadasa Stdium in Colombo. Brendon McCullum was unlucky to go early to a deflected run out, for 9.

After Jesse Ryder holed out to a slower ball from Kulasekara for 13, it was up to Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill to keep the side intact and get runs on the board - putting on 53 before Guptill was caught off Bandara for 29.

Taylor was the pick of the batsmen but even he struggled to get on top of some tight Sri Lankan spin bowling. He made 60 from 45 deliveries, going out in the 18th over trying to accelerate the scoring.

Malinga struck at the death, claiming two wickets in successive balls with his trademark sidearm yorkers, and the BLACKCAPS finished on 141 for nine.

Tillakaratne Dilshan got Sri Lanka off to a flying start with 57 from 28 balls – including four boundaries in the first over to welcome Shane Bond back to international cricket. His big hitting got Sri Lanka ahead of the run rate early on, but the side faltered as wickets fell, going from 67 for two to 85 for five.

Jesse Ryder was central to two outstanding dismissals, with a direct hit to run out Jayawardene and a sharp catch at backward point to remove Dilshan off Ian Butler’s bowling.

The BLACKCAPS were back in the game, and kept the brakes on the home side during the middle period. With three overs to go it was evenly poised with Sri Lanka seven down and needing 20 from 18 balls.

The target stayed around a run a ball until a dramatic last over from Jacob Oram, who emulated Malinga’s feat taking wickets with consecutive deliveries to catches in the deep by Brendon McCullum and Neil Broom.

The Sri Lankan tail-enders couldn’t come back from that blow and finished on 138 for 9 – a win by three wickets. Oram finished with three for 33, Daniel Vettori and Butler taking two each.

ENDS

Full scorecard available at:
http://scoring.blackcaps.co.nz/livescoring/match609/scorecard.aspx