Will Young of New Zealand playing a shot during the Sri Lanka series 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Black Caps have been beaten by Sri Lanka by 45 runs in a rain-affected opening ODI in Dambulla.
After electing to bat first Sri Lanka powered their way to 324 for five with Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis both scoring centuries.
The Black Caps grabbed the wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka in the third over, but then had to wait until the 39th over to get the next wicket.
Fernando made exactly 100 and Mendis 143 as they put on 206 runs for the second wicket.
Sports News for 14 November 2024
Mendis' knock was the highest ever by a Sri Lankan batter in an ODI against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka's innings finished after 49.2 overs as rain started falling.
Only skipper Mitchell Santner and fellow spinner Ish Sodhi got through ten overs.
Jacob Duffy finished with three for 41, Michael Bracewell one for 73 and Sodhi one for 62.
Nathan Smith made his international debut bowling eight overs for 66 runs.
After the rain break New Zealand was set a revised target of 221 off 27 overs.
Will Young and Tim Robinson started well, putting on 88 runs from 13 overs for the opening wicket.
However the tourists then lost four wickets for 12 runs and quickly fell behind the required run-rate.
Young top scored with 48, Robinson 35 and Bracewell an unbeaten 34 as New Zealand finished on 175 for nine.
"I didn't think we bowled too badly, it was just that great partnership (Fernando and Mendis) they showed how to bat on that wicket," New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said in the post match interviews.
"With the reduced target we were confident with the bat but that five over period (when they lost wickets) that made in challenging."
Dilshan Madushanka took three wickets for 39 and Maheesh Theekshana took two for 32 for Sri Lanka.
The teams now move to Pallekele for the remaing two ODI's.
Game two is on Sunday night.
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