SL bounce back to keep series alive

Sri Lanka, set up by openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Tillakaratne Dilshan, have bounced back in emphatic fashion to beat New Zealand by eight wickets in Nelson and keep the one-day series alive.

Gunathilaka struck a breezy half-century, while Dilshan pushed on and fell just short of a century as the tourists chased down 277.

The result means the Black Caps lead the five-match series 2-1 with the teams returning to the same venue on Saturday.

Sri Lanka had suffered two heavy defeats in Christchurch, where their batting was a particular disappointment, but they produced a big turnaround at Saxton Oval on Thursday.

Gunathilaka, who came into the match with three ODIs under his belt and a best score of 17, was aggressive from the start.

The 24-year-old left-hander went on to smash four sixes and seven fours on his way to 65.

But his lively 45-ball knock then ended in tame fashion as he guided a Mitchell McClenaghan delivery straight to slip Ross Taylor.

The hugely-experienced Dilshan, in his 325th ODI, paced his innings expertly.

After his 98-run partnership with Gunathilaka, he put a century-stand with Lahiru Thirimanne.

Having got to a run-a-ball 91, hitting nine boundaries, Dilshan was run out when going a single that wasn't on.

Thirimanne was still there at the end, not out on 87 as Sri Lanka finished on 2-277 in the 47th over.

New Zealand posted 8-276 after winning the toss, their innings built on a half-century from stand-in captain Kane Williamson and some wagging by the tail.

Williamson took over the captaincy from Brendon McCullum, who hurt his back while fielding in game two, and he top-scored with 59, producing some typically classy strokes.

He offered a chance off leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay on 30, but a diving Chamara Kapugedera couldn't hold a difficult chance at long-off.

Making his first appearance in the series after resting a knee injury, Williamson brought up his fifty by driving through the covers off left-arm spinner Milinda Siriwardana.

But Siriwardana had the final say with a full toss, which Williamson swatted to mid-on.

After the Blacks Caps had been 1-102, they faltered as Vandersay's snared two wickets in three balls and Williamson's dismissal left them at 5-163.

From 7-215, Doug Bracewell (30), Adam Milne (17no) and Tim Southee (18no off just four balls) provided some late runs.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Luke Ronchi, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan.

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep, Jeffrey Vandersay.

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