AFP/Christchurch
Senior Sri Lanka batsman Lahiru Thirimanne blamed sloppy fielding for their 98-run hiding by New Zealand in the World Cup opener at Hagley Oval in Christchurch yesterday.
Despite yet another batting collapse—nine wickets falling for 109 in a similar meltdown to their pre-tournament matches over the past month—Thirimanne said tighter fielding would have made the difference.
New Zealand, sent into bat first in cold, grey conditions, posted 331-6 and after Sri Lanka reached 124-1 in reply they folded to be all out for 233.
“We leaked 20-30 runs through poor fielding,” said Thirimanne. “It was a good wicket but 280-290 would have been chaseable on this ground. But we didn’t field well and that cost us.”
Kane Williamson was one beneficiary of botched fielding when dropped by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara off the first ball he faced before going on to post 57. “We have to make an extra effort as a team. Crucial catches might can cost you at the end of the game.”
Thirimanne top-scored for Sri Lanka with 65 but also felt he was partly to blame for not going on to make a century when his side needed someone to bat through the innings.
The opener had compiled a 57-run stand with Sangakkara (39) when they and Mahela Jayawardene were removed in a 12-ball burst that saw Sri Lanka reduced from 124-1 to 124-4.
“At that stage the game was nicely set for us. I think my wicket and Kumar’s cost us the game.”
Sri Lanka also suffered from key bowler Lasith Malinga returning from nearly six months sidelined with an ankle injury and being unable to stay on a consistent line and length, yielding 84 runs in his 10 overs.
The setting for Malinga’s official comeback to international one-day cricket from ankle surgery last year could not have been any better.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss at Hagley Oval and chosen to give his bowlers the first crack at New Zealand.
Standing at the other end was the explosive Brendon McCullum, bristling with assured swagger and with the eye and hand speed that has torn apart pace attacks all around the world, especially in the last 12 months.
Malinga, who had already conceded five runs in the first four balls in a wayward over, the second of the innings, charged in and then watched as McCullum scythed the delivery to the cover boundary for his second four of the day. It was the first shot in a battle that went New Zealand’s way from then on.
By the end of Malinga’s fourth over, one in which McCullum took 22 runs from four boundaries and a six from a free hit, he had figures of 0-42 and was a beaten man.
“I don’t think it was Malinga’s best bowling,” batsman Lahiru Thirimanne told reporters. “(But) we believe he will come back strongly in the next few matches. I thought he bowled well in the death overs and that’s a positive for us.”
Malinga did not play at all during Sri Lanka’s one-day series against the World Cup co-hosts in January and only played in the side’s final two warmup games this week.
His return, however, was expected to have provided a point of difference to a Sri Lankan pace attack that had barely threatened New Zealand in January.
New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson, who belted 75 and took 2-18 to be named man of the match, said they had felt they would be able to get after Malinga given his late return to the game. “He’s only a couple of games back from ankle surgery. He will be better for that run he had today,” Anderson said. “We were probably lucky to be facing him this early because he will probably start tearing a few teams apart later on.”
Sri Lanka’s Jeewan Mendis misses a catch off New Zealand’s Corey Anderson in Christchurch yesterday. (Reuters)
