MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Crucial wickets to Jacob Duffy and a rollicking cameo with the bat by Mitchell Hay saw New Zealand beat Sri Lanka to wrap up their Twenty20 series with a game to spare at Mount Maunganui on Monday.
New Zealand made 186-5 in their 20 overs, with player-of-the-match Hay cracking an unbeaten 41 from 19 deliveries.
Sri Lanka in reply were all out for 141 with Duffy taking four wickets for a miserly 15 runs, including the tourists’ top scorers Kusal Perera for 48 and Pathum Nissanka for 37.
“I said at the start whoever could use the wind the best would do pretty well, and we were able to do that with the bat,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santer said, while also praising Duffy’s bowling.
“Every time I bring him back he gets a pole.
“The best way to slow a run rate down is to take wickets and that’s what we were able to do in the middle.”
The 45-run victory, following their eight-run win on Saturday put New Zealand 2-0 up in the three-match series.
“I’m really disappointed with the results,” Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka said, adding his side needed to adapt more quickly to New Zealand pitches.
