New Zealand take unassailable 2-0 lead with eight-wicket win

 New Zealand pair Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr during their 59-run liaison for the second wicket

• Second Women’s T20I at P Sara Oval

New Zealand took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match WT20I series when they beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to win the second match played at the P Sara Oval yesterday. The winning lead was somewhat a compensation for New Zealand who lost the WODI series 2-1 to Sri Lanka.

The right-arm pace of Lea Tahuhu (4/21) and a solid half-century from Suzie Bates (52 off 53 balls, 6 fours) saw New Zealand emerge victorious.

The second successive failure of Chamari Athapaththu (run out for 2) was a big blow for Sri Lanka’s chances of putting up a competitive total after being invited to bat first for the second time. Sri Lanka managed only 118-6 with contributions from Hasini Perera (33), Harshitha Samarawickrama (23) and Nilakshi de Silva (22) after they had lost three wickets for 14 runs inside the first power play.  

After a brief rain stoppage, Sri Lanka were revived by a 57-run fourth-wicket partnership between Harshitha and Hasini, but both fell in relatively quick succession and with it Sri Lanka lost the momentum they needed to push towards a decent score.

New Zealand reached their target in 18.4 overs with Bates scoring her 26th WT20I and figuring in two noteworthy partnerships of 48 for the opening wicket with Bernadine Bezuidenhout (24) and 59 for the second wicket with Amelia Kerr (33).   

Bates was very effective against the Sri Lankan spinners using her feet to put them off and then improvising in her stroke play with the scoop and paddle to good effect. The third and final WT20 will take place at the same venue on 12 June.

Scores: Sri Lanka Women 118-6 (20) (Harshitha Samarawickrama 23, Hasini Perera 33, Nilakshi de Silva 22, Lea Tahuhu 4/21)

New Zealand Women 119-2 (18.4) (Bernadine Bezuidenhout 24, Suzie Bates 52, Amelia Kerr 33*)