SRILANKA win 1st ODI VS NZ in Compaq cup 2009

Colombo
Sept. 8: Small totals can be deceptive. New Zealand learnt so the hard way at the Premadasa Stadium here on Tuesday, going down to Sri Lanka by 97 runs in the triangular series opener.
After their bowlers had restricted the Lankans to a moderate 216/7, the Kiwi batsmen failed yet again to capitalise and allowed the match to slip through their grasp.
The target of 217 was always going to be tough for the visitors once they slid to 7/3 in just five overs, finally folding up for 119 in 36.1 overs.
The victory almost ensures the hosts passage into the the tri-series final.
The Lankan bowlers took a cue from their Black Caps counterparts and stuck to a tight line, making it difficult for the batsmen.
After Thilan Samaraweera’s 104, Nuwan Kulasekara reaped a rich harvest for bowling wicket to wicket and Thushara complemented him. Taking the baton from the duo, Lasith Malinga, slammed the doors on New Zealand with a three-wicket burst — Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Nathan McCullum — in the 19th over. Malinga later disturbed last-man Ian Butler’s stumps to finish with 4/28. Grant Elliot top-scored for the Kiwis with 41.
Earlier, a rearguard action by Samaraweera, who scored a memorable maiden century on a track that required plenty of patience, helped the hosts recover to 216/7 in their stipulated 50 overs.
Samaraweera (124b, 10x4) found a partner in Angelo Mathews (51, 61b, 4x4), who was ready to grind it out before stepping on the gas.
Relatively new to international cricket, with just 31 One Day Internationals between them, the middle order bats showed great restraint, something seasoned pros like Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena had failed to display during the match.
Samaraweera at first concentrated on working the ball around and it was only in the 40th over did he decide to go after the bowling. The strategy worked with Mathews too following him and he brought up the century partnership in 114 balls.
Their 130-run stand for the sixth wicket was ended by a Shane Bond yorker. Samaraweera carried on till he was castled by Ian Butler. The hosts scored 73 runs in the last 10 overs.
A day before the match Sangakkara had talked about adjusting to conditions, but the hosts seemed to struggled from the very first ball.
After winning the toss and electing to bat the advantage was always on their side, as the Premadasa track favours teams that bat first. The hosts crawled to 38/3 in 15 overs and immediately lost skipper Sangakkara.
Earlier, New Zealand surprisingly drafted in Tuffey, who is a part of the Champions Trophy squad but was not a part of the tri-series, in the playing XI.

Brief Scores
Sri Lanka 216/7 in 50 overs (Samaraweera 104, Mathews 51; Bond 3/43) bt New Zealand 119 in 36.1 overs (Elliott 41; Malinga 4/28, Kulasekara 2/18).