Daily Times

AUCKLAND: Henry Shipley tore through Sri Lanka’s batting line-up as New Zealand romped to a 198-run win in the first One-Day International (ODI) in Auckland on Saturday. Playing just his fourth match for the Black Caps, tall seamer Shipley took 5-31 as the tourists were skittled for 76 at Eden Park, their lowest ODI score against New Zealand and their fifth-lowest ever. Sri Lanka’s capitulation in 19.5 overs made it their second shortest innings. The visitors never recovered after slumping to 31-5, with only three batters reaching double figures, including top scorer Angelo Mathews (18). It comes just two months after Sri Lanka’s world-record 317-run loss to India in Thiruvananthapuram — when they were out for 73.

Captain Dasun Shanaka identified some glaring shortcomings that would need to be improved on for game two in Christchurch on Tuesday. “Especially with the bat, we need to tighten up the techniques,” Shanaka said. “The way Shipley bowled, the movement he got and the bounce, I think all sorts of things happened tonight. “Credit should be given to Shipley, it’s outstanding bowling.” Sri Lanka’s batters succumbed to a series of loose shots, allowing Shipley to claim New Zealand’s first five-wicket bag in the format for more than four years.

The 26-year-old worried his opponents with steep bounce and pace throughout his seven overs, beating the bat routinely and prompting a series of shots to be lofted aimlessly to waiting fielders. Daryl Mitchell took 2-12 and Matt Henry 2-20 in an innings that lasted less than two hours. New Zealand captain Tom Latham said he was unsure if their score of 274 all out would be enough at the small Eden Park venue where international teams regularly surpass 300.

However, he noted the pitch was less friendly than usual. “We knew it was a tricky wicket, it was holding a little bit and the guys bowled fantastically well,” Latham said. “I thought we managed to scrap to 270. To put a score on the board, we knew it would be challenging. “The guys then came out and set the tone with the ball.”

Chamika Karunaratne took career-best figures of 4-43 off nine overs as New Zealand’s batsmen largely fell to shots that ballooned into the outfield. Opener Finn Allen top-scored with 51 but he was one of several Black Caps guilty of not pushing on after making a start. Allen’s 49-ball knock helped the hosts into a strong position with nearly half of their overs remaining. But they lost their way over the latter stages and were dismissed with three balls remaining. All-rounder Rachin Ravindra departed late in the innings for 49 on his ODI debut while Mitchell scored 47 and Glenn Phillips 39.

Seamers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, who both played in Sri Lanka’s 2-0 Test series loss to New Zealand, took two wickets each. The tourists needed a clean sweep of the three-match series to take an automatic World Cup berth. With that no longer a possibility, they are increasingly likely to be forced to play in a qualifying tournament in June-July.