New Zealand in command as Sri Lanka rely on Mathews

Sri Lanka were let down by their top order again as they posted 142 for 8 after being sent into bat against New Zealand in the second Twenty20 in Auckland on Sunday.

Angelo Mathews, who was relieved of the captaincy responsibilities in the shortest form of the game, top scored with a career best 81 not out from 49 deliveries.

But wickets tumbled around him as the Sri Lankans resorted to uncultured slogs and all but one of the dismissals fell to catches.
The chief destroyer for New Zealand was Grant Elliott with four for 22 in his first game back at Eden Park since his six off the penultimate ball against South Africa to get New Zealand into the World Cup final last year.

In the first Twenty20 at Mount Maunganui on Thursday, which Zealand won by three runs, Sri Lanka were 84 for 5 before recovering to make 179 for 9.

But three days later in Auckland they were 66 for 5 and there were to be no late heroics apart from Mathews's 81, which included seven fours and four sixes, and eclipsed his previous best 58 against England five years ago.

New Zealand made two changes for the match with Adam Milne and Mitchell Santner replacing Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi and both claimed two wickets.

Danushka Gunathilaka, who edged a sharp chance off the second ball that a diving second slip Corey Anderson was unable to grasp, started the wickets tumbling when he was bowled by Milne in the second over for eight.

Shehan Jayasuriya never looked at ease and faced 10 balls for three runs before he was caught by Kane Williamson to give Milne his second wicket.

Santner had Dinesh Chandimal caught by Ross Taylor for two and Milinda Siriwardana was caught on the boundary by Boult from the second ball he faced.

Dilshan, who was dropped by Boult on 13, reached 28 off 26 before he was the first of the four wickets for Elliott who also took Kithuruwan Vithanage (1), Thisara Perera (6) and Isuru Udana (0).
Source: AFP