Vithanage ton in vain as NZ A win thriller

Thursday, 8 October 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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ESPNCricinfo: Kithuruwan Vithanage’s 120 off 104 balls had set Sri Lanka A on track to chase down New Zealand A’s 305, but a dramatic late collapse sparked by Adam Milne saw the hosts prevail by 15 runs at Hagley Oval. The victory gives New Zealand A a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Sri Lanka A had required 29 runs from 33 balls, with six wickets in hand, when Vithanage was caught off Milne’s bowling. They had batted deep, with Niroshan Dickwella and Chaturanga de Silva coming in at No. 7 and 8, but the lower order fell in a heap nonetheless. Milne claimed two more late wickets to finish with the game’s best figures of 3 for 49. Four Sri Lanka A dismissals, including two of the last five, had been run-outs.

Earlier, a brisk 132-run fourth wicket stand between Michael Bracewell and Henry Nicholls had formed the body of New Zealand A’s total. Bracewell top-scored for his side, hitting a 72-ball 83 that featured two sixes and seven fours. Nicholls remained unbeaten on 79 from 65, as he and Colin Munro combined to hit 35 runs from the last 23 balls of the innings. Michael Pollard and Grant Worker had contributed 54 and 40 respectively, while seamer Kasun Rajitha claimed 2 for 63 for the visitors.

The chase had begun well for Sri Lanka A when Vithanage struck up a 119-run second-wicket stand with opener Danushka Gunathilaka. Both men have been on form on tour, having scored four consecutive fifty-plus scores. Vithanage also shared a 58-run stand with Chamara Kapugedara, but could not see his team through to the target. Milne’s charge left the visitors needing victories from the two coming unofficial ODIs in Lincoln to level the series.